The Phantom Project: A Case Study in Procrastination

Chapter 2: Developing a New Business Case

Step 1: Research

Conduct an exhaustive study of the competition, including:

1. Reading 17 articles on the subject
2. Watching 5 YouTube videos on the topic
3. Tweeting about it 5 times

Step 2: Brainstorming

Engage in 3 hours of free-associative thinking, generating 27 potential business cases, including:

• A mobile app that does nothing
• A social media platform for cats
• A line of artisanal, small-batch pickles

Step 3: Refining the Concept

Narrow down the list to 2 viable options, then spend 4 hours researching the market demand and viability of each.

Step 4: Creating the Business Case

Write a 17-page document, complete with:

• Executive summary
• Market analysis
• Financial projections
• Product roadmap

Step 5: Pitching the Idea

Meet with key stakeholders to present the business case, using a combination of slides, anecdotes, and hand gestures.

Optional: Create a fake PowerPoint presentation to practice the pitch, complete with:

• A dramatic reading of the executive summary
• A slide titled "The Future is Now!"
• A gratuitous use of pie charts

For more on the Phantom Project, see:

Subpage 3: Cold Call Culture

Or, for a more in-depth exploration of the subject, see:

Subpage 4: The Procrastinator's Dilemma