A smart way to add value to your business case

Gated assurance is a structured method of reviewing projects and programs at key decision points. It ensures informed decisions are made and any potential risks are identified throughout the lifecycle of the project or program. 

One of the first key decision points within a project or program is the business case. A successful business case must demonstrate the viability of the project or program to secure investment or proceed further.  

Establishing quality digital assurance practices at a business case level gives you the ability to evaluate the viability of the investment. After conducting a comprehensive assessment decision makers will be able to determine the feasibility of the business case and if any improvements need to be made to ensure the proposal progresses. 

How does digital assurance add value to a business case?

Digital assurance will assess how well your business case stacks up against a range of guidelines. An independent digital assurance professional will assess the likelihood of success and if the project or program is set up to achieve key business outcomes. 

A digital assurance professional will also: 

• Ensure the project or program supports wider organisational objectives.
• Consider every angle to identify risks.
• Ensure critical thinking has been applied.
• Determine the likelihood of success.

An assurance professional will go through the business case to assess the viability of all essential elements. They will ensure the business case:

Successfully identifies a problem or opportunity

Using evidence, an assurance professional will ensure the business case demonstrates the scale of the problem or opportunity, the timing and the cause of the problem or opportunity. 

In this part of the business case an assurance professional will ensure the problem or opportunity is stated clearly and back it up with quantitative or qualitative data. They will also look to see if there are any indications of future trends in drivers. 

Lists the options available to solve the problem or meet the opportunity

It’s important to assess whether the business case presents a variety of options or solutions to meet the opportunity or remedy the problem. An assurance professional will identify whether the options are reasonable and evidence-based. 

Digital assurance will ensure the business case options are described in detail and the benefits, cost and impact are clearly identified. 

Outlines the details of the options available  

An assurance professional will ensure each option includes comprehensive details pertaining to the costs, benefits, delivery as well as the risks. They will ensure all relevant details are communicated and assess whether there is any missing information in the business case. 

These details could include information regarding contingency, forecasted benefits, ongoing costs, project risks, how the program or project will be funded and any review strategies. 

If the business case doesn’t meet the required guidelines, we’ll share advice on where the business case can be strengthened in order to achieve its purpose. 

Why do you need a digital assurance professional? 

You may be asking yourself why your organisation needs an independent digital assurance professional. Why can’t anyone in your team take care of assuring the success of a business case? 

A digital assurance professional has the knowledge and experience to help leaders look at the project/program from all different angles. An independent approach can help mitigate any bias or oversights that could occur due to the project team being too close to the project or program. 

An assurance professional will draw upon their experience and built-in mechanisms to find areas for improvement or change before the business case is presented to decision makers. 

How can Global Digital Assurance help add value to your business case? 

Here at Global Digital Assurance we’ve reinvented the global standard for professional assurance accreditation. We provide on-demand training courses for assurance reviewers, governments and other organisations. 

Let us empower your organisation by helping you secure an in-house assurance professional to ensure the success of your business case. We help individuals, assurance professionals and organisations access modernised assurance training solutions that are aligned to best practice standards for agile and gated assurance. 

Our training solutions have been developed in collaboration with leading public and private sector assurance advocates, governments, PMOs, portfolio owners, program managers, project managers and peak industry bodies. 

Want more information about digital assurance? Secure a positive outcome for your next business case and contact our team today.