As part of building the overall project scope, a technical author will first need to design justification documentation. This document, which can also be considered a “business case”, sets out the fundamental reasons for implementing the project. Here is a simple guide on how to create a project justification.

Pose a problem

Companies do not carry out projects for fun; They perform them to solve a specific problem or problems. You must describe the problem clearly and precisely at the beginning of your document so that you can present the solution to that problem later.

For example, if you intend to implement a new HRMS (Human Resource Management System), your problem may be; “The HR team currently spends nearly 80% of their time on non-productive administrative tasks, dramatically reducing the effectiveness of the function.”

indicate the solution

This should be a simple statement to define your project. This allows your reader to understand what he is proposing.

“We intend to implement an automated HRMS system to cut manual administration in half.”

Supplies Support Information

The problem and solution are not going to justify your project to stakeholders and decision makers, so you need to provide the right level of information so they can support your recommendation.

Examples of the type of information you should use:

• market demand – Not always the strongest argument, but if you can show that all of your competitors are implementing similar systems, it certainly suggests that it may be worth considering in your organization.
• Business Need – In this example, the business need is clear, the HR team spends most of their working time on unskilled tasks, and that costs money.
• customer demands – What are your customers crying out for? Don’t forget to include both internal and external customers.
• Technological progress – What is happening in the world around you? Is there a compelling case to tell in terms of the way IT and systems are developing?
• Legal – Don’t forget the important obligation of the law, if you can show that your project meets or facilitates compliance with those requirements, you have a stronger case.

Writing a business case or project justification is an essential part of the larger project scoping process. Ideally, you should write this early in your project’s life cycle to help you get funding and support. Then you’ll also be able to clearly identify your task goals so team members have a clear message to carry.