Build an airtight business case for new IT investments
See how the Microsoft Rapid Economic Justification (REJ) Guide can help you sell senior management on the enterprise technology projects you want to pursue
Updated: December 12, 2005
As your organization's IT leader and visionary, you're the one who identifies the technology projects that can yield great business benefits to the company. But before you ask management to fund any project, you need to do your homework. You need to fully examine—and prove—your project's business feasibility.
To make a compelling business case for your IT project, you must be able to inform the CEO, CFO, and other senior executives of the costs, benefits, timetables, risks, and returns on investment. In addition, you must be prepared to offer suggestions for alternate solutions and to successfully answer the question, "Why should we do this now?"
Introducing the Rapid Economic Justification guide
Even if you've prepared this type of project analysis before, the task can seem daunting. That's where the Microsoft Rapid Economic Justification (REJ) guide comes in.
Created by the Microsoft Business Value Group, this downloadable REJ guide simplifies the process of effectively researching, preparing, and presenting your project analysis into manageable, easy-to-follow steps—whether you create the necessary reports and presentation yourself or you enlist a Microsoft partner to help you.
No lengthy analysis needed
In today's business climate of rapidly changing market conditions, stiff competition, and frequent reorganizations, speed is of the utmost importance. Hire a consultant to run an exhaustive, months-long analysis of project costs, timeframe, and returns on investment, and your data may be outdated before your consultant finishes the job.
The Microsoft REJ guide offers a viable alternative, walking you step-by-step through the project assessment process in just two to four weeks—from fiscal analysis to boardroom presentation.
Loaded with tools, templates, and how-to information
In this practical guide, you'll find:
| • | All the steps required to verify and demonstrate your proposal aligns with your organization's overall business strategies and goals |
| • | Easy-to-use tools and techniques designed to assess your project's financial impact |
| • | A 6-step economic justification process that walks you through financial analytics ranging from cash flows to returns on investment scenarios |
| • | Helpful graphic icons that alert you to the inputs (deliverable requirements), outputs (deliverables), tips, and risks of the project assessment process |
| • | Worksheets, tables, and a project schedule you can use to research, create, and present your IT analytics and reports to senior management |
| • | A preview checklist you can use to collect feedback about your project findings before you go live with your presentation |
| • | Additional books and online resources that may assist you in making your business case |
Whether dissecting the business analytics of your IT vision is new to you or old hat, you'll find the best practices outlined in the Microsoft REJ guide invaluable when it comes to conveying your vision to the rest of your firm.
Microsoft Partners Specializing in REJ
Many Microsoft solution providers use Rapid Economic Justification in helping IT managers assess the value of a solution.
Here are some of the partner organizations that focus primarily on REJ:
