Every Broadway show starts with a script.
Every building needs a blueprint.
And every successful PMO (Project Management Office) begins with a business case.
It may not sound exciting at first. And yes, I know, “business case” sounds like another stack of paperwork. But it’s the story that decides whether your PMO will become a trusted engine for delivery, or another failed experiment that leaves leaders frustrated and teams burned out.
Picture this:
A healthcare organization sees their projects piling up. There are more IT upgrades, compliance deadlines, new patient programs, etc. All of these additions are critical and urgent. Leadership decides it’s time to stand up a PMO.
They move fast, assign a team, and start rolling. Meetings multiply, spreadsheets fill up with data, and a new dashboard goes live. But six months later, people are asking each other:
👉 Why are we doing this?
👉 What’s the point of all these reports?
👉 How does this help our strategy or our patients?
Team morale dips, the executives stop paying attention, and the well-meaning PMO loses credibility before it ever had the chance to prove value.
What was missing?
A business case.
Think of the business case as the script for your PMO’s performance. It answers the questions everyone will eventually ask, before the doubts set in.
A strong business case:
Explains the “why.” What problem are we solving? Why now?
Defines success. What outcomes will prove this PMO matters?
Shows the investment. Time, money, tools, and people needed.
Weighs the risks. What happens if we delay or if we don’t act at all?
Without it, the PMO risks drifting off into the void (oh no!). With it, though, the PMO launches with clarity and earns trust from day one.
Executives don’t invest in PMOs just to create order. They invest because they need results: faster delivery, better alignment, lower risk, and higher impact.
The business case connects those dots. It links the PMO’s structure to the organization’s mission, so when leaders ask, “What are we getting for this?” The answer is already clear.
And here’s the best part: a business case isn’t just a planning document. It’s a trust-building tool. It reassures executives that their investment is grounded in strategy, not guesswork.
The good news? A business case doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be clear.
Start with these steps:
Anchor to strategy. Show how the PMO directly supports business goals.
Make it measurable. Define clear, trackable outcomes.
Balance cost and benefit. Be transparent about what it takes, and what it saves.
Engage stakeholders early. Build it with the people who will deliver it.
Standing up a PMO is like setting a stage. You can buy the lights, build the set, and rehearse the cast. But if you don’t know what story you’re telling, the audience will tune out.
The business case is that story. It gives your PMO direction, credibility, and purpose before the first meeting even begins.
🚫 Skip it, and you risk confusion, wasted effort, and loss of trust.
🔨 Build it, and you set the stage for a PMO that delivers results people can see and lives up to the promise of real project success.
Bottom line: Don’t treat the business case as paperwork. Treat it as the opening chapter of your PMO success story. So, start strong: download our PMO Launch Checklist and take the first step.