S6-Ep3 | Why Most Business Cases Fail and How to Fix Them with Joe Flanagan

In this episode, Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International, sits down with a true pioneer of modern business-case development: Joe Flanagan, architect of the Five Case Model and author of internationally adopted guidance for programme and project business cases.

Across a remarkable 45-year career in public service - from HM Treasury to NHS Wales - Joe has helped shape how governments and organisations think, plan, appraise, and invest. Now retired (in theory at least), he continues to support the global Better Business Case community as joint Chief Examiner.

Richard and Joe explore the real purpose of a business case, why proportionality matters, and how the Five Case Model helps decision-makers think “slowly but quickly” by structuring complex choices. Joe shares stories from decades of experience, including surprising workshop outcomes, challenges in major national programmes like IT modernisation and HS2, and how strategic portfolios, options analysis, and the “five Ps” (procurement, project, program, portfolio, policy) create the essential “golden thread” for successful investment.

Joe proceeds to clarify when rigorous analysis is essential and when a lighter touch is more appropriate. He unpacks why organisations so often blur the lines between projects, programmes, and portfolios, and how early scoping, skilled facilitation, and having the right stakeholders in the room can prevent costly misalignment. 

Whether you're a practitioner, senior leader, policymaker, or simply curious about how major decisions get made, this conversation offers deep insight into the methods, thinking, and discipline required for robust, defensible business cases.

LINKS:

🌐 Find out more about the Better Business Cases certification: https://apmg-international.com/product/better-business-cases

🌐 Find out more about APMG certifications: apmg-international.com/certifications-solutions