adr-format-business-case

name	adr-format-business-case
description	This skill should be used when the user asks about "business case ADR", "MBA-style ADR", "cost-benefit ADR", "SWOT ADR", "executive ADR", "ROI ADR", or needs guidance on creating ADRs using the business case format for executive and financial analysis.

Business Case ADR Format

The Business Case format is designed for decisions requiring financial analysis, stakeholder sign-off, and executive-level documentation. It includes SWOT analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and ROI assessment.

About Business Case Format

The Business Case format is:

• Executive-focused - Clear for non-technical stakeholders
• Financial - Includes cost-benefit and ROI analysis
• Comprehensive - SWOT, risks, and implementation planning
• Formal - Stakeholder sign-off section

Template Structure

# {NUMBER}. {TITLE}

Date: {DATE}

## Status

{STATUS}

## Executive Summary

{2-3 sentence overview}

## Business Context

{Business situation description}

## Problem Statement

{Business problem or opportunity}

## SWOT Analysis

### Strengths
### Weaknesses
### Opportunities
### Threats

## Options Considered

### Option 1: {Title}
**Cost**: {Estimate}
**Effort**: {High/Medium/Low}
**Risk**: {High/Medium/Low}
**Alignment**: {Strategic alignment}

## Decision

{Chosen option and justification}

## Cost-Benefit Analysis

### Costs
### Benefits
### ROI Assessment

## Implementation

### Timeline
### Resources Required
### Success Metrics

## Risk Assessment

{Risk table with likelihood, impact, mitigation}

## Stakeholder Sign-off

{Sign-off table}

Section Guide

Executive Summary

Brief overview for executives:

• What decision was made
• Why it matters to the business
• Key financial impact

Business Context

Describe business situation:

• Market conditions
• Competitive pressures
• Customer needs
• Organizational goals

SWOT Analysis

Category	Focus
Strengths	Internal positive factors
Weaknesses	Internal limitations
Opportunities	External potential gains
Threats	External risks

Options with Business Metrics

For each option, document:

• Cost: Initial and ongoing
• Effort: Implementation effort
• Risk: Overall risk level
• Alignment: Fit with strategic goals

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Costs:

• Initial investment
• Ongoing operational costs
• Opportunity costs

Benefits:

• Short-term gains
• Long-term value
• Intangible benefits

ROI Assessment:

• Expected return
• Payback period
• Break-even point

Implementation Planning

Include:

• Phased timeline
• Resource requirements
• Key milestones
• Success metrics (KPIs)

Risk Assessment

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation
{Risk 1}	High/Med/Low	High/Med/Low	{Strategy}

Stakeholder Sign-off

Role	Name	Date	Signature
Sponsor
Technical Lead
Finance

When to Use Business Case Format

Best for:

• Executive-level decisions
• Significant financial impact
• Decisions requiring formal approval
• Cross-departmental decisions
• Compliance/governance requirements

Consider other formats when:

• Purely technical decisions
• Small scope/low cost
• Quick documentation needed
• Internal team decisions

Business Case Best Practices

Executive Communication

• Lead with business impact
• Quantify benefits where possible
• Be clear about costs and risks
• Provide actionable recommendations

Financial Analysis

• Include all cost categories
• Consider total cost of ownership
• Project multi-year costs
• Account for opportunity costs

Additional Resources

Templates

Template available at: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/business-case/adr-template.md