adr-format-business-case

Business Case ADR Format

The Business Case format is designed for decisions requiring financial analysis, stakeholder sign-off, and executive-level documentation. It includes SWOT analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and ROI assessment.

About Business Case Format

The Business Case format is:

• Executive-focused - Clear for non-technical stakeholders
• Financial - Includes cost-benefit and ROI analysis
• Comprehensive - SWOT, risks, and implementation planning
• Formal - Stakeholder sign-off section

Template Structure

# {NUMBER}. {TITLE}

Date: {DATE}

## Status

{STATUS}

## Executive Summary

{2-3 sentence overview}

## Business Context

{Business situation description}

## Problem Statement

{Business problem or opportunity}

## SWOT Analysis

### Strengths
### Weaknesses
### Opportunities
### Threats

## Options Considered

### Option 1: {Title}
**Cost**: {Estimate}
**Effort**: {High/Medium/Low}
**Risk**: {High/Medium/Low}
**Alignment**: {Strategic alignment}

## Decision

{Chosen option and justification}

## Cost-Benefit Analysis

### Costs
### Benefits
### ROI Assessment

## Implementation

### Timeline
### Resources Required
### Success Metrics

## Risk Assessment

{Risk table with likelihood, impact, mitigation}

## Stakeholder Sign-off

{Sign-off table}

Section Guide

Executive Summary

Brief overview for executives:

• What decision was made
• Why it matters to the business
• Key financial impact

Business Context

Describe business situation:

• Market conditions
• Competitive pressures
• Customer needs
• Organizational goals

SWOT Analysis

Category	Focus
Strengths	Internal positive factors
Weaknesses	Internal limitations
Opportunities	External potential gains
Threats	External risks

Options with Business Metrics

For each option, document:

• Cost: Initial and ongoing
• Effort: Implementation effort
• Risk: Overall risk level
• Alignment: Fit with strategic goals