Which statement BEST describes the primary purpose of a business case at the outset of a systems acquisition project?
- ATo document the detailed functional and non-functional requirements that the chosen vendor must satisfy before contract award.
- BTo justify the proposed investment by linking expected benefits, costs and risks to a defined business problem and strategy. Correct
- CTo record the agreed acceptance criteria that the steering committee will use to sign off the system at go-live.
- DTo list the project deliverables, milestones and resource assignments that the project manager will track in the schedule.
Why A is wrong: Detailed functional and non-functional requirements belong in the requirements specification produced after the business case is approved, so this confuses two separate deliverables.
Why B is correct: A business case exists to demonstrate that an investment is justified by linking forecast benefits, whole-of-life costs, risks and strategic fit, which is the basis on which governance bodies authorise funding.
Why C is wrong: Acceptance criteria are part of the user acceptance testing approach near the end of the project, not the early justification artefact reviewed by the investment board.
Why D is wrong: Deliverables, milestones and resource assignments are scheduling outputs that follow approval of the business case rather than the justification it provides.