Business Case Seminars, Auckland, October 2007
- Building the Business Case, 2 days, 17-18 October 2007
- Business Case Master Class, 1 day, 19 October 2007
Presented by Solution Matrix Ltd. in partnership with Solution Matrix Pacific Ltd.
The Business Case is no Longer Optional
It's no secret that the current climate in business and in government is rapidly losing tolerance for poor decisions, while the need for rock-solid accountability is increasing. Most important spending decisions today require a business case. Everyone talks about the "business case," but surprisingly few know what this means or what makes the difference between a strong case and a weak case.
Join more than 10,000 other professionals who have taken the same training at Boeing, Cisco, Ericsson, McDonald's, and IBM.
Learn and practice the proven approach presented in the whitepaper Business Case Essentials and the best selling Business Case Guide. (See seminar agenda below).
Previous offerings of this seminar have been sold out. Enrollment is strictly limited to 24 participants for each session.
Who Should Attend
Since 1994, Solution Matrix Ltd. has helped thousands of business people and others to understand the essentials and deliver business case results that score high in credibility, accuracy, and practical value. Building the Business Case is designed for
- Project managers, product managers, and program managers whose proposals need business case support
- Managers with a need to bring accountability and consistency to decision making and planning in their organisations
- Consultants and contractors doing business with the national government or local councils.
- Consultants advising clients in decision making and planning
- Those who propose major IT acquisitions or changes
- Government and business people responsible for capital spending decisions
- Sales and marketing people with a need to show customers that a decision to buy is a good business decision
What You Will Learn
Solution Matrix business case seminars feature "hands on" workshops with real business case examples. Most participants have little or no prior experience in finance or business planning. During the course they build the benefits rationale, cost model, and financial analysis at the heart of a professional quality business case. At "building the Business Case" you will learn:
- The essential building blocks that every business case must have
- What to look for in case reports that makes the difference between a strong case and a weak case
- Important differences between the government business case and the case in private industry
- How to build credibility as you build your case
- How to legitimize and measure the full range of business benefits—even the so-called "intangibles"
- How to build a financial modeling system for asking "what if" questions, finding which assumptions that drive results, and measuring risk and uncertainty in your projections
- How to package and present business case results for maximum impact
The "Business Case Master Class" (one day) provides additional in-depth practical guidance and hands-on experience in:
- The financial model that "makes the case" for proposed projects, programs, products, or capital acquisitions
- Estimating costs and benefits realistically and credibly
- Implementing financial metrics in your financial results (including NPV, IRR, Payback, and IRR)
- Shortcuts and risks in spreadsheet modeling
- Monte Carlo simulation, to ask "What If?" questions, measure risk, and reduce uncertainty in projected business results
- Quantitative methods for bringing non-financial benefits and costs into the case
- Taking the "Soft" out of "Soft Benefits"
- Classroom training
- All training materials
- One copy of the Business Case Guide, 2nd ed (PDF edition)
- The Business Case Templates Package (MS Excel and MS Word)
- Financial Metrics Pro (MS Excel)
- Lunch and refreshments on training days
- Participants in the Business Case Master Class also receive a copy of Financial Modeling Pro.
- Adult Services, Tairawhiti District
- Altis Consulting
- Altitude Group
- Asteron
- Auckland City Council
- Carson Group
- Design Technology
- Eagle Technology
- Eastland Energy
- Eastland Infrastructure
- Equinox
- Fontera Co-operative
- Fulton Hogan
- Gisborne Chamber of Commerce
- IAG
- Infinity Solutions
- Jade Software
- McCullochs New Zealand
- NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
- Otago University School of Business
- Tairawhiti Polytechnic
- Toll NZ
- Wairoa District Council
Venue
"Building the Business Case" and the "Business Case Master Class" will be held at Otago University School of Business, 385 Queen Street, Auckland. Seminar hours will be 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (with a one-hour lunch break) on Wednesday and Thursday, 17-18 October (Building the Business Case), and Friday,19 October (Master Class). Arrival by 8.45 each morning is requested. Further details will be e-mailed to participants upon registration. Lunch both days and refreshments are included in the seminar fee.
Auckland is New Zealand's largest city and one of its most popular destinations. Building the Business Case amd the Business Case Master Class will be held within easy walking distance of public transportation, a wide range of hotels, and some of the city's most interesting sites. Find information on hotels and Auckland attractons at http://www.aucklandnz.com/. The Auckland airport code is AKL.
Seminar Leader
Building the Business Case and Business Case Master Class seminars are led by Dr. Marty J. Schmidt, President and Founder of Solution Matrix Ltd. Dr Schmidt has twenty years business experience, managing software development, international marketing and sales support, and, (since 1987) management consulting on business issues. He is a recognized authority on the application of cost/benefit analysis and business case development.
Dr. Schmidt also taught graduate and undergraduate statistics at the University of New Hampshire, is the author of a college textbook on statistics, and publishes often on professional management and business issues (e.g., The Business Case Guide, 2nd ed., ISBN 1-929500-01-7). He holds the Ph.D. degree from Purdue University and the M.B.A. from Babson College. Click for more information on Solution Matrix Ltd. and our clients.
Seminar Co-Facilitator
Seminar Co-facilitatior is Jeff Jackson, CA, CMA, FNIZM, AMP 86. Jeff is Currently the Managing Director of Solution Matrix Pacific Ltd a consulting firm specialising in strategic performance management. Jeff has many years of business and industry experience at director and senior management level as Chief Executive and Director of a number of New Zealand companies involved in agribusiness, textiles, energy, biotechnology and human capital. Jeff is a Chartered Accountant, a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, and a Harvard Business School - Advanced Management Programme alumni. Jeff is a Strategy Coach for the Institute of Strategic Leadership and lectures on Corporate Governance for the University of Otago EMBA Programme.
Price
Enrollment in each seminar is strictly limited to 24 participants in each seminar, and available space will be filled in the order registrations are received. Seminar Fees:
Building the Business Case (2 days): NZ $1750 (US $1,340) Early bird registraion: Register four weeks or more in advance (by 19 September 2007) and attend for NZ $1600 (US $1,230).
Business Case Master Class (1 day): NZ $875 (US $670) Early bird registration: Register four weeks or more in advance (by 21 September 2007) and attend for NZ $800 (US $615).
The seminar fee for each seminar includes:
Download your copies of these resources immediately after registering!
Team Discount: When five participants from the same organisation register with payment at the same time, the fifth participant attends free. Send requests for a free fifth participant by email to smatrix@solutionmatrix.com. Please identify the participant, his or her contact information, organization, and names of the other four registered participants.
No Hassle Money-Back Guarantee: If you are not completely satisfied with Building the Business Case or Business Case Master Class, please let us know in writing within 15 days after seminar completion, and we will refund 100% of your seminar fee. Reservations may be cancelled up to 15 days before the seminar, subject to a NZ$150 cancellation fee. Substitutions may be made at any time up to the start of the seminar.
Registration
Submitting a registration request affirms that you have read and accept the seminar cancellation and substitution policy (above).
Register online for Auckland Seminars
The links below take you to our secure online shopping cart page, where you will be asked to provide the name of the registered participant(s), contact information, and credit card details to complete payment of the seminar fee. Online registration is processed in US$
Register one participant for 17-18 October 2007 Auckland seminar, Building the Business Case
Register one participant for 19 October 2007 Auckland seminar, Business Case Master Class
Register one participant for both seminars (17-19 October) in Auckland
To register by mail or fax click for printable registration form (PDF Format)
Join the Leaders
A few of the New Zealand organisations and companies in previous seminars include
For more information please contact:
Jeff Jackson, Managing Director, Solution Matrix Pacific, Auckland, NZ
jeff@solutionmatrixpacific.com Ph +64 9 366 2250
Marty Schmidt, President, Solution Matrix Ltd., Boston, USA
mschmidt@solutionmatrix.com Ph +1 617 267 9607
Building the Business Case Agenda - Day 1Day 1 Morning (900 - 1200) Introductions and Overview Designing the Case Workshop Practical Exercise 1: Subject, Purpose, and Scope Lunch (1200 - 1300) Day 1 Afternoon (1300 - 1700) • Essential financial concepts Part II Designing the Case (Continued) Workshop Practical Exercise 2: The Cost Model Building the Case Day I Summary and Wrap Up Building the Business Case Agenda - Day 1Day 2 Morning (900 - 1200) • Review of Day 1, overview of Day 2 Building the Business Case (Continued) Workshop practical exercise 3: Benefits Lunch (1200 - 1300) Day 2 Afternoon (1300 - 1700) Building the Case (Continued) Workshop Practical Exercise 4: The Financial Model Packaging and Presenting the Case Workshop Practical Exercise 5: Non Financial Results Recommendations and conclusions Your next steps Course summary and wrap up |
Register one participant for 17-18 October 2007 Auckland seminar, Building the Business Case
Register one participant for 19 October 2007 Auckland seminar, Business Case Master Class
Register one participant for both seminars (17-19 October) in Aucklandseminars (17-19 October) in AucklandTo register by mail or fax click for printable registration form (PDF Format)
To register by mail or fax (PDF Format)To register by mail or fax (PDF Format)© Copyright Solution Matrix Ltd. 2004 - 2008







