Business Case Development

A variety of kinds of strategic analysis, including Value Stream Assessment, have likely already been done by the customer organization at the point when it is necessary to develop a Business Case. The Business Case Development stage launches the Data Warehouse development in response to previously identified strategic business initiatives and "predator" (key) value streams of the organization.

The organization will likely have identified more than one important value stream. In the long term it is possible to implement Data Warehouse solutions that address multiple value streams, but it is the predator value stream or highest priority strategic initiative that usually becomes the focus of the short-term strategy and first run population projects resulting in a Data Warehouse.

At the conclusion of the relevant business reengineering, strategic visioning, and/or value stream assessment activities conducted by the organization, a Business Case can be built to justify the use of the Data Warehouse architecture and implementation approach to solve key business issues directed at the most important goals. The Business Case defines the outlying activities, costs, benefits, and critical success factors for a multi-generation implementation plan that results in a Data Warehouse framework of an information storage/access system. The Warehouse is an iterative designed/developed/refined solution to the tactical and strategic business requirements.

The Business Case addresses both the short-term and long-term Warehouse strategies (how multiple data stores will work together to fulfill primary and secondary business goals) and identifies both immediate and extended costs so that the organization is better able to plan its short and long-term budget appropriation.