Written by Lucy Hall and reviewed, fact-checked and signed off by a SocialDay editor before publication. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy. Spotted something wrong? Tell the newsroom.

Make the decision easy to assess: show the operational problem, compare options, model the full cost and propose a controlled pilot with clear success conditions.

Management does not need a tour of every attractive feature. It needs to understand the problem, the proposed change, its cost and the evidence that the change is likely to help.

A strong business case connects software to an operational or commercial outcome. It also acknowledges uncertainty. You are not asking management to believe a vendor's demonstration. You are asking for a defined decision based on a realistic assessment.

Describe the work in plain language. For example: monthly reporting takes 20 hours, requires exports from four systems and regularly delays the campaign review meeting. Record how that estimate was measured, who does the work and whether the month was representative.

Include the consequence. Delayed reports may mean slower decisions; duplicate inbox work may mean unresolved service cases; inconsistent approval may create avoidable errors. Choose consequences you can substantiate.

Where evidence is incomplete, say so and gather a baseline. A small sample of timed workflows is more credible than an impressive unsupported estimate.

Include improving the current process, using an existing licence differently, reducing requirements and purchasing the proposed product. For larger decisions, compare a suitable alternative vendor.

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