You know that you have dirty data. You know that there are valid reasons for cleansing it, such as a pending Salesforce implementation. Now all you need is to obtain approval for the project. A well-crafted business case can help you receive the authorizations you need to proceed. However, the first step is to understand thoroughly just what a business case really is.
A business case justifies a specific course of action. Many people interpret this in terms of “dollars and cents.” The financial benefit or return on investment is certainly one aspect of a solid business case, but other aspects should be included. Make sure that your business case also covers:
Including these details can help garner support for data cleansing. Often, management is unaware of how dirty data can affect employees, customers, and profitability. Your business plan may be the first that management has heard of the issue or the first view that includes specifics about the problems that are being created.
Companies have a variety of reasons for needing to cleanse their data. Some perform the task as part of an extensive IT modernization effort. Others need clean data to personalize marketing campaigns, while still other enterprises fear they would soon find themselves out of business if they provide inaccurate data. Regardless of motive, the basic steps for crafting a business case justifying the project are the same.
Now that you have an idea of just how dirty your data is, it is time to quantify the results. The first thing you must determine is how much of an effect the dirty data actually has. If the impact is minimal, you might prefer to invest your time and budget in other endeavors. However, if you feel you need to proceed with data cleansing, you will need to support your decision. Use all facts at your disposal to build a strong business case, such as:
This is the section where you should detail the financial impact that dirty data has on the enterprise. Intangibles should be listed elsewhere — reserve this section strictly for the monetary impact. This is also where you demonstrate the projected return on investment for the data cleansing.