Too often, I have seen user experience considered too late in large enterprise or organizational projects. UX consultants or designers are often brought in only at the product development phase, which is a mistake.
This is why I am interested in integrating user experience (UX) into business cases (BC). In my humble opinion, this should be an organizational reflex. Large organizations must incorporate UX from the very beginning, at the vision stage of the project. This article explores ways to integrate user experience into the drafting of a BC.
But first, what is a Business Case (BC)?
A business case is often related to business processes. It is a structured document used to analyze, justify, and guide a project or initiative within an organization. The BC presents essential information that allows decision-makers to evaluate key aspects of a project before approving its launch:
- Relevance
- Feasibility
- Value
Naturally, producing a BC is even more critical in digital transformation projects.
A well-structured business case helps make informed decisions and secure stakeholder approval. It is often required in government and corporate projects to justify investments and ensure effective governance.
What is the link between a Business Case and UX?
Oh, that’s a great question!
My answer is simple: UX should be considered from the very first step of drafting a business case.
If the budget allows, the UX consultant can conduct user research. The primary goal is to understand user context, needs, behaviors, and pain points. By integrating these inputs from the start, the BC can be built on a solid foundation, with the right priorities identified.
When defining project objectives and strategies, UX must continue to play a central role. UX consultants can validate (or invalidate) assumptions about users. This helps prevent costly mistakes later in the project lifecycle.
Integrating UX into financial analysis and resource allocation can also bring significant benefits. By understanding the potential ROI of a user-centered approach, decision-makers can make more informed choices about resource allocation.
What Should a Business Case Include?
While not exhaustive, the following list highlights typical BC content and the potential contributions of a UX consultant:
1. Context and Justification
- Problem or Opportunity to Address: UX consultant can help identify user frustrations and pain points, as well as highlight improvement opportunities based on user research, testing, and analysis. Organizational and Strategic Context
- Identified Issues and Needs: Using data from user tests, surveys, or interviews, UX consultant can provide concrete insights into real user expectations and needs.
2. Project Objectives
- What the Project Aims to Achieve: UX consultant can help define objectives that incorporate indicators, such as improving user satisfaction, reducing errors, or simplifying processes.
- Alignment with Strategic Goals
3. Options Analysis
- Different Possible Solutions (with Pros and Cons): UX consultant can propose solutions, such as wireframes (high-level user interface mockups). At this stage, usability testing can even be used to evaluate the impact of each option.
- Justification of the Recommended Option: He can provide evidence (personas, user journeys, usage data) to demonstrate why one solution is more relevant from a UX perspective.
4. Expected Benefits
- Financial, Organizational, Operational, and Environmental Gains
- Impacts on Stakeholders: He can highlight UX-related benefits, such as increased efficiency, higher user satisfaction, and reduced costs related to errors or technical support.
5. Cost and Resource Analysis
- Estimated Budget
- Human and Material Resources Needed
6 . Implementation Plan
- Key Milestone Schedule: He can ensure that user research, testing, and UX iterations are incorporated into the project plan.
- Risks and Mitigation Strategies: UX consultant can identify risks related to poor user adoption and propose UX strategies to minimize them (e.g., pilot testing, improved onboarding, accessibility).
- Success Indicators: He can suggest UX metrics to track, such as satisfaction rate, error rate, ease of use, or conversion rate.
7. Conclusion and Recommendations
- Key Takeaways: UX consultant can reinforce that upcoming steps should include a user-centered approach.
- Recommended Next Steps
Conclusion
With the increasing number of IT project failures, I strongly believe it is time for large organizations to consider user experience as a fundamental element in the preparation of a business case. By integrating user experience at phase zero of the project, the BC is built on solid foundations. The envisioned IT project is thus better positioned to meet user needs while achieving business goals.
Ultimately, UX must be incorporated from the context and needs analysis stage and remain present throughout options analysis, justification, implementation, and impact measurement.
User experience is not limited to the final interface; it influences the project’s overall strategy from its inception. Ignoring UX in a business case is like designing a house without consulting its future inhabitants.
