ECM Project – Building a business case

Before you start ECM-projects Return of Investments (ROI) objectives need to be in place. The ROI calculation needs to contain elements of cost savings and revenue growth. If not many decision makers (managers) will be reluctant to give approval for your ECM-project.

In this blog-post I will try to give some advice regarding ROI calculation, so that you will be able to successfully start new exiting ECM projects.

Many decision makers intuitively believe that implementing Information Management solutions bring financial growth through process efficiency, improved information management and enhanced customer interaction. Given this audience it is important that the ECM-team plan a well documented approach with realistic measurable goals presented as a business case. With the business case in place you bring to the table the right and aligned level of expectation between decision makers and your ECM-team.

Often when business cases fail there are:

• Lack of alignment with the organisations strategy and key business drivers
• Failed to identify how ECM-technologies enable processes to run more efficiently and effectively

To provide some ideas for a business analyse you should look at the following key dimensions:

• People and staffing
• Process and process management
• Culture
• and technology

You should investigate the cost drivers and benefits in each of these key dimensions. For an overview I enclose a table with highlights business case dimensions

Conclusion
All ECM projects should have measurable value propositions and business cases developed. The business case must comprehend a holistic view of the organisation, that include both internal and external analyse of the environment the organisation operate in.

Use the ECM-business case to:

• Align the level of expectation between decision makers and the ECM-team
• Alignment of goals within the ECM-team
• Measure and adjust solution after delivery
  

Implementing an ECM-business case there are two critical success factors:

• Alignment with the organisations strategic goals and business driver
• Process discovery and mapping with focus on efficiencies, reduced cycle times, quality, reduced rework, customer interaction
  

So the success criteria is to implement a holistic business case that ensures that the ECM investments contributes to the organisations strategy, goals and tactical objectives, and also provide a mechanism for evaluating and measure the ECM-initiative through its lifecycle.