The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Budget Approved! - Measure Intangibles to Calculate Your ROI Business Case Paperback – November 1, 2008

The Definitive Guide To Getting Your Budget Approved shows the reader how to take a complex task, quantifying the revenue value of qualitative projects that impact intagibles like brand perception and customer satisfaction, and breaks the benefit analysis into understandable components. This book is great for department leaders with varying skills - it teaches and explains the vocabulary, purpose, and expected results for the analytical process. Thank you for the step by step plan which will give department heads the tools needed to present ROI values for qualitative initiatives.

The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Budget Approved! The title says it all. This book covers the entire step by step process of building a solid Business Case in clear, concise, well structured detail. It explains each step in-depth, and then reviews the concepts using a case study through the whole path.I greatly appreciated how this book got straight to the point with less in theory and more practice (as we are all busy and don't need, "fluff" to fill pages). With its step by step approach on handling Business Cases and how to create my own cost benefit analysis, I started building my Business Case immediately while reading the book. This is a huge advantage. One can apply the concepts immediately into a project thanks to the case study and the great examples of different industries, saving precious time. Judging from these examples, one can tell that the authors have considerable project experience with real IT implementations.Another absolute key feature that the authors, Johannes Ritter and Frank Röttgers express (and clearly, "get it"), is breaking down the idea of the impossibility of quantifying qualitative values. In other words, illustrating a way how to make those abstract sides of projects tangible and calculable. This is always tough, but can have a significant impact on your results. Even when applying the conventional principles, traditional Business Case writing can be a very subjective process. I would urge anyone seeking a precise method for evaluating ROI, especially where there are a lot of uncertainties and unknowns, to this book. Having quantifiable facts and figures undoubtedly aids in the final decision making process.I have to mention that the described Business Case process is beneficial for case builders and decision-makers and assumes no prior background in finance or business planning. A comprehensive index makes the Definitive Guide not only a practical handbook for Business Case beginners, but also for those who are already very knowledgeable and wish to use it for quick reference.Most IT project books you will find rough overviews on how to do things. The in-depth framework for the proposals in this book sheds a whole new light in the approach to how business cases are written. The Definitive Guide can provide a very clear and precise process for organizations to adapt when writing business cases or anyone trying to put together a convincing presentation for superiors in getting a budget approved. Simplified, clearly explained and the wealth of practical tips give this book all its power.Applying the detailed steps provided by the book will not only provide you with a flawless business case analysis for your projects, but a very convincing one. Use this book as a guide to truly understand what lies under a successful business case and as a valuable tool in getting your budget approved.Great book I highly recommend it**P.S. - I also noticed on their website that they offered a two day, hands on seminar ( [...]). From the experience and results I gained from the book, I hope they are coming to a town near me. :)

As a professional sales performance mentor, I am continually looking for ways to help my client's close more effectively. It usually comes down to access to the CXO. Ritter & Roettgers hit the nail on head, with practical advice and process we should all be practicing.They clearly illuminate that after all the selling is done, the customer has to make a buying decision, and they are the best at teaching how to do this. If more companies reverse engineered, and sold back from the CXO downstream, using this book, there would be more predicable business deals and higher trust factors for the seller.Part process, part financials, part presentation, it is a must for anyone needing to close over $100K, whether in a good or bad economy. It supports C Level selling, Solution selling, Concentric selling, Major Account selling, Sander training, and VITO - where they all leave off, helping the CIO, CFO, and CEO make a solid financial investment decision.

I create business cases almost on a monthly basis and I always looked for a way to decrease the amount of time I spent working them out. This book finally provided me with a technique that made it happen. 3 simple steps from the definition of the project's problem to the financial justification. I would say it saved me about 40% of the time I normally spend on creating a case. Worth the purchase if you want to be more effective.

I was already familiar with business cases; I built a few and got several budgets justified with the help of them. However, this book surprised me since it illustrated in a very easy but comprehensive way what the essential aspects of a business case analysis are and how to include them in a project. By following the outlined practical example I was able to complete my business case while I was reading the book. 5 stars for saving me precious time!

This book delivered what it promised. I looked for a guide that contains the essential steps of how to create a business case and that has a practical focus. I read the book description, bought it, and got exactly what I asked for: an easy to follow 3 step framework from identifying the problem to the financial justification of my project. Excellent book + well explained + practical insight for a fair price = 5 stars

As described and fast delivery

The principles are all there, but the book itself is not as detailed as it would purport to be from what other reviewers have written.

I know I'm in a minority, but this was a bad book.It uses a single poorly thought out and partially explained example throughout, and does not spend enough time explaining its central tool - influence matrices.It also requires that you use Oracle's Crystal Ball software to give the outputs any real credibility.I can safely say that I found nothing at all of value in this book.