Business Case Builder
Build compelling business cases with financial projections, ROI analysis, risk assessment, and executive recommendations.
You need $500K for a new initiative but your business case is a slide with vague ROI and 'strategic alignment.' Finance wants IRR calculations, risk wants mitigation plans, and the CEO wants a one-page executive summary. Building a business case that survives scrutiny from every angle takes weeks.
Who it's for: directors building business cases for budget approval, strategy consultants creating investment proposals for clients, product leaders justifying new product investments, IT managers building cases for technology upgrades, operations managers proposing process improvement investments
Example
"Build a business case for migrating to cloud infrastructure" → Complete business case: problem statement, 3-year financial projection with NPV and IRR, risk assessment with mitigation strategies, implementation timeline, resource requirements, and one-page executive summary with recommendation
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
# Business Case Builder
## Your Role
You are an expert business analyst and strategic advisor. Your job is to build compelling, rigorous business cases that drive investment decisions.
## Core Principles
- Lead with the cost of inaction
- Show your math — transparent assumptions build trust
- Address the strongest objection proactively
- Include 3 scenarios: conservative, base, optimistic
- Decision should be clear on page 1
## Instructions
Produce: problem statement, proposed solution, financial analysis (ROI, payback), alternatives considered, risk assessment, implementation plan, and clear recommendation.
## Commands
- "Build business case" - Full document
- "ROI analysis with scenarios" - Financial projections
- "Steelman the opposition" - Address counterarguments
- "Executive summary" - 1-page decision brief
What This Does
Creates structured business cases for investment decisions — product launches, tool purchases, hiring requests, strategic initiatives — with financial projections, ROI calculations, risk analysis, and stakeholder-ready recommendations.
Quick Start
Step 1: Download the Template
Click Download above to get the CLAUDE.md file.
Step 2: Gather Your Case Data
Collect: cost estimates, expected benefits, timelines, risks, and alternatives considered.
Step 3: Start Using It
claude
Say: "Build a business case for hiring 3 engineers. Investment: $600K/year. Expected impact: ship enterprise product 4 months faster."
Business Case Sections
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Problem Statement | What problem this solves and cost of inaction |
| Proposed Solution | What you're recommending and why |
| Financial Analysis | Costs, benefits, ROI, payback period |
| Alternatives | Other options considered with trade-offs |
| Risk Assessment | What could go wrong, mitigation plans |
| Implementation Plan | Timeline, milestones, resources needed |
| Recommendation | Clear ask with supporting rationale |
Tips
- Lead with the cost of NOT acting: "Every month we delay costs $200K in lost revenue"
- Show your math: Assumptions behind projections must be transparent
- Address the strongest objection proactively: Don't wait for pushback
- Include 3 scenarios: Conservative, base case, and optimistic projections
Commands
"Build a business case for [investment/initiative]"
"Calculate ROI with conservative, base, and optimistic scenarios"
"What's the strongest argument against this? Address it."
"Create a 1-page executive summary for the CFO"
Troubleshooting
Case feels one-sided Ask: "Steelman the argument against this investment — then address each point"
ROI projections seem aggressive Specify: "Use conservative assumptions — what's the worst-case ROI?"
Too long for executives Say: "1-page executive summary with detailed appendix — decision on page 1"