The Five Case Model is the approach for developing business cases recommended by HM Treasury, the Welsh Government, and the UK Office of Government Commerce. It has been widely used across central government departments and public sector organisations over the last 10 years, as it offers a structured approach to presenting your project proposal for review and sign-off.

The business case development process

• Strategic Outline Case (SOC)
• Outline Business Case (OBC)
• Full Business Case (FBC)

The five cases

• The Strategic Case
• The Economic Case
• The Commercial Case
• The Financial Case
• The Management Case

The Five Case Model provides a discipline and structure to arrive at the best possible decision. It is not a substitute for judgement and experience – these will always be required at various points in any decision-making process. It can be applied in a wide range of situations.

The Five Case Model is not a project management strategy, although it has elements that need to be considered in any management approach.

The Five Case Model and its associated business case lifecycle align with the Plan of Work, with the more mature business case aligning with a later stage in the project lifecycle.

The business case itself is developed through a lifecycle that creates a more mature and robust case at each stage.

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