Business Case

Further advice for constructing a Business Case can be found within the business case page of our Project Management infoKit.

Institutional repositories affect many people and there are a considerable number of stakeholders that have to be accommodated within the design, establishment and expansion of an institutional repository. Experience from those who have established and run institutional repositories in the past shows that before moving forward it pays to think things through and to perform some standard stakeholder and risk analysis. Creating a business case will address many of these issues.

To make a case for implementing a repository it must be made clear what the benefits will be to the institution or group; how it will help address the strategy of that institution or group; and what the alternative would be if the repository was not implemented. Not only do you need to promote the added value that the repository would bring to the 'business' and the community it serves but also give a realistic idea of what the costs of implementing and running the repository would be, along with any associated risks. It is important to consider the effects the implementation of a repository will have on current processes and what resources will be needed to implement the repository, including human resources.

As a general guideline, it is best to make a clear case with the more clearly identified costs presented up front, with a persuasive and clearly articulated set of strategic benefits that match institutional priorities. It is better to clearly identify costs without attempting to short-change development resources - it might be tempting to squeeze development work through on the cheap, but the price will be high expectations based on insufficient resources. A repository is a strategic investment and should be funded accordingly.