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Guide Origin: Official | ArcKit Version: [VERSION]

Use /arckit:sobc to produce HM Treasury Green Book Strategic Outline Business Cases. The command pulls from stakeholders, risks, and principles to assemble the five-case model with traceability back to ArcKit artefacts.


Flow at a Glance

1. /arckit:principles
2. /arckit:stakeholders
3. /arckit:risk
4. /arckit:sobc   ← generates SOBC (`projects/<id>/ARC-<id>-SOBC-v1.0.md`)
5. /arckit:requirements (only if SOBC approved)

Do not skip steps 2–3: stakeholder drivers feed benefits; risks drive optimism bias and management case.


Five-Case Matrix

Case Key Questions ArcKit Inputs Output Highlights
Strategic Why change? Who cares? Stakeholder map, principles, problem statement Problem/vision, stakeholder alignment, scope
Economic Which option wins? Risk register, research, Wardley map (optional) Option shortlist, cost/benefit table, NPV & ROI
Commercial How will we buy? Procurement strategy, supplier insights Route to market (G-Cloud/DOS/open tender), contract model
Financial Can we afford it? Cost estimates, finance constraints Funding profile, affordability analysis, sensitivity
Management Can we deliver it? Project plan, risk register, governance model Delivery approach, roles (SRO/SI), change plan, benefits realisation

Command Usage

# minimal
/arckit:sobc Create SOBC for NHS appointment booking modernisation

# emphasise public sector controls
/arckit:sobc Create SOBC for HMRC cloud migration referencing TCoP and spend controls

Outputs are markdown-first (projects/<id>/ARC-<id>-SOBC-v1.0.md). Use Docs → Export to produce PDF if needed.


Review Checklist

  • Executive summary states investment ask, recommendation, and headline benefits.
  • Benefits map back to stakeholder goals (IDs referenced in text).
  • Risk section cites HIGH risks with mitigation owners and review cadence.
  • Procurement route aligns with spend controls (Digital Marketplace, OJEU, etc.).
  • Management case lists governance forums and stage gates.
  • Annex includes dependencies on related programmes (if any).

After the SOBC

If outcome is… Next step
Approved Proceed to /arckit:requirements, update project plan, and start procurement preparation.
Conditional Address actions (often risk mitigations or cost refinements) then re-run /arckit:sobc.
Rejected Revisit stakeholder goals, problem statement, or option appraisal; consider discovery reset.

Store the final SOBC alongside board minutes and upload to approval tooling as evidence.