Better Business Cases™ Practitioner
Upcoming Courses
APMGs Better Business Cases™ Practitioner Certification
Better Business Cases training and certification is based on the ‘Five Case Model’ – the UK government’s best practice approach to developing spending proposals and enabling effective business decisions. This training is mandatory for all those engaged in developing, reviewing or approving spending proposals for the UK government.
Learning Approach:
Classroom & Virtual Classroom
Duration:
2 days
Virtual Course Timings:
9am to 4pm UK time each day
Price:
Virtual Classroom – £1450 + VAT
Exam:
4 questions per paper, with 20 marks available per question
Certification Body:
Certification: On successful completion of the course and examination, course delegates will be certified as Better Business Cases™ accredited.
Pre-Requisites:
No previous experience or knowledge required
Looking to bring the Better Business Cases course in-house? Get in touch here!
The Better Business Cases qualification is suitable for:
- Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), Programme Directors and other Directors with responsibility for the successful delivery of programmes and projects.
- Project Managers, Project Team members and specialist advisers tasked with delivering a business case for investment.
- Officers involved in the scrutiny and review of investment proposals.
- PMO Professionals.
Virtual classroom training takes place with a live instructor throughout the online course and you will be learning alongside other virtual learners – you’ll be able to see and hear them too!
All you need for virtual classroom training is a decent broadband connection, a webcam and a microphone [Test your setup here]
You’ll receive:
- PMO Learning Delegate Workbook hard copy
- Business case guidance for projects pdf
- Business case guidance for programmes pdf
- Pre-course material
- Practice examination paper
- Examination voucher [find out how it works] (valid for 3 months)
Classroom courses can be held for organisations looking to run the course In-House. Get in touch here.
- Objective testing
- 4 questions per paper, with 20 marks available per question
- 40 marks or more required to pass (out of 80 available) – 50%
- 2 ½ hours duration
- Open book exam (International Guide to developing the Project Business Case and International Guide to developing the Programme Business Case only)
- APMG exams use an online proctoring system which allows you to take your exam anytime. Their ProctorU system, will access your exam as you take it to monitor the exam environment through your computer’s desktop, webcam and microphone.
- Please make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements. To check if you can use the online exam system please run this test before booking the course.
We’ll issue you with a voucher and all you need to do is book your examination time slot. You can choose to do the exam when it suits you – same day or later. There are lots of times available – including in the evening.
You’ll do the exam at your own PC and log in to the testing environment.
Got a question? [Get in touch]
Book Your Course
Virtual classroom £1450 + VAT (includes exam, printed course materials and course textbooks)
Course Outline
The Better Business Cases Practitioner course builds on the Foundation-level understanding and focuses on applying the Five Case Model in real-world settings. It is designed for professionals responsible for developing, reviewing, or approving business cases.
This practical course equips learners to:
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Effectively contribute to the creation of robust business cases
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Apply and tailor the Five Case Model to different types of projects and programmes
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Prepare to pass the APMG Practitioner-level certification exam
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In the Course
In the course, learners will cover four areas:
1. Applying the Five Case Model
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Strategic Case: Clarifying context and rationale for investment.
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Economic Case: Options appraisal, longlist/shortlist creation, risk and sensitivity analysis.
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Commercial Case: Structuring procurement and contract approaches.
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Financial Case: Testing affordability and funding over time.
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Management Case: Delivery plans, governance, risk and benefit tracking.
2. Developing Business Cases Through Each Stage
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Strategic Outline Case (SOC): Case for change and preferred way forward.
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Outline Business Case (OBC): Full appraisal, funding and procurement preparation.
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Full Business Case (FBC): Final approval with confirmed commercial terms.
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Business Justification Case (BJC): For low-risk, low-value procurements.
3. Workshops and Exercises
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Practical group exercises on:
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SMART investment objectives.
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Identifying risks and benefits.
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Creating and appraising options.
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Completing economic and sensitivity analyses.
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Drafting elements of a real business case.
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4. Assurance and Governance
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Understanding project and programme assurance.
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Aligning business cases with strategic planning processes.
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Role of review points and approval authorities.
Benefits to Individuals
Why should you consider the Better Business Cases Practitioner?
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Apply theory to practice: Develop strong, actionable business cases aligned to public value.
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Increased capability: Confidently handle the complexity of real projects and programmes.
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Recognition: Gain a respected Practitioner-level qualification from APMG International.
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Professional growth: Enhance your value to teams, boards, and stakeholders.
Benefits to Organisations
There are also numerous benefits to the organisation with employees taking the Better Business Cases Practitioner course, these include:
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Better business case quality: Reduce investment risk by ensuring consistency and clarity.
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Stronger decision-making: Improve governance with well-evidenced cases.
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Value for money: Ensure projects align with strategic priorities and deliver public value.
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Capability building: Enable teams to independently develop and appraise business cases.
After the Course
After the course, learners will be able to:
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Draft or critically evaluate business cases using best practice
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Lead workshops on benefits, risks, and option analysis
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Support strategic investment decisions in programmes or portfolios
What Next?
If you’ve completed the Better Business Cases™ Practitioner course, then there are a few ways you can continue your training.
If you want to carry on certifications we have the House of PMO Essentials™ certifications, and the P3O Foundation course.
If you’re looking for something more specific to your organisation, whether it’s implementing Agile or getting a grip on Benefits Management, browse our specialist courses.