Einstein’s Blackboard: How to Begin a Business Case


Home  >  Articles  > 
Einstein’s Blackboard: How to Begin a Business Case

John F. Finneran, CFA

August 27, 2007







Clever tools don’t mean good answers. Albert Einstein never used anything more complicated than a blackboard and the theorist of relativity also felt, “The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution.” And what is the simplest and the best way to kick-start formulating any problem, including a business case? A question.
Question the question
Unfortunately, many business cases read like a solution looking for a problem and offer the reader a free puzzle (but no prize) as to what question is being answered. This is dangerous for a least three reasons.
 
First, there is the risk of solving the wrong problem. An example from my past. A client wanted help with a new trading and derivatives valuation system. On a closer examination, we found frequent speculation on short-term interest rates.



Please login/register to read the entire article.





sponsored announcements and special offers
Attn: PMP® or CAPM® Certified Professionals.
Get your Advanced Master Certificate in IS/IT Project Management or Applied Project Management, 100% online from Villanova. Learn more now and save $945!

ERP Evaluation Toolkit. Focus analysts have gathered all of the information you need into one definitive document. Explore all aspects of the ERP market, and get insight into specific areas of interest. Decision-making tools and worksheets also included. ERP is a strategic investment. Download your free in-depth ERP Toolkit now.

A CRM solution can have an enormously positive effect on your business's bottom line, but a lot can go wrong during a rollout if you haven't planned properly. Download the CRM Evaluation and Implementation Toolkit, from InsideCRM, to learn more about hosted CRM, 10 Steps to a Successful CRM Implementation and more.



I think somebody should come up with a way to breed a very large shrimp. That way, you could ride him, then, after you camped at night, you could eat him. How about it, science?
- Jack Handey


sponsors
@task
Adv.PM Training - Villanova
Boston University
Contour RM Free Trial
Headstrong
IAG RM Consulting
Microsoft Project 2010
MKS
Oracle PPM
Tenrox

More White Papers



vendor offers
See all Vendor Offers


vendor events
Feb 6 - Mar 20 & Apr 10 - May 22 - Classroom-Based PMP® Exam Preparation Courses Starting Soon
February 11, 2010 - Acumen Fuse Roadshow - Los Angeles
February 23, 2010 - Microsoft Office System Webcast: Project Risk Planning and Microsoft Office Project 2007 (Level 200)
See all Vendor Events