• 11.3 Conducting a Feasibility Analysis
  • Introduction
  • 1.1 Entrepreneurship Today
  • 1.2 Entrepreneurial Vision and Goals
  • 1.3 The Entrepreneurial Mindset
  • Review Questions
  • Discussion Questions
  • Case Questions
  • Suggested Resources
  • 2.1 Overview of the Entrepreneurial Journey
  • 2.2 The Process of Becoming an Entrepreneur
  • 2.3 Entrepreneurial Pathways
  • 2.4 Frameworks to Inform Your Entrepreneurial Path
  • 3.1 Ethical and Legal Issues in Entrepreneurship
  • 3.2 Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Entrepreneurship
  • 3.3 Developing a Workplace Culture of Ethical Excellence and Accountability
  • 4.1 Tools for Creativity and Innovation
  • 4.2 Creativity, Innovation, and Invention: How They Differ
  • 4.3 Developing Ideas, Innovations, and Inventions
  • 5.1 Entrepreneurial Opportunity
  • 5.2 Researching Potential Business Opportunities
  • 5.3 Competitive Analysis
  • 6.1 Problem Solving to Find Entrepreneurial Solutions
  • 6.2 Creative Problem-Solving Process
  • 6.3 Design Thinking
  • 6.4 Lean Processes
  • 7.1 Clarifying Your Vision, Mission, and Goals
  • 7.2 Sharing Your Entrepreneurial Story
  • 7.3 Developing Pitches for Various Audiences and Goals
  • 7.4 Protecting Your Idea and Polishing the Pitch through Feedback
  • 7.5 Reality Check: Contests and Competitions
  • 8.1 Entrepreneurial Marketing and the Marketing Mix
  • 8.2 Market Research, Market Opportunity Recognition, and Target Market
  • 8.3 Marketing Techniques and Tools for Entrepreneurs
  • 8.4 Entrepreneurial Branding
  • 8.5 Marketing Strategy and the Marketing Plan
  • 8.6 Sales and Customer Service
  • 9.1 Overview of Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting Strategies
  • 9.2 Special Funding Strategies
  • 9.3 Accounting Basics for Entrepreneurs
  • 9.4 Developing Startup Financial Statements and Projections
  • 10.1 Launching the Imperfect Business: Lean Startup
  • 10.2 Why Early Failure Can Lead to Success Later
  • 10.3 The Challenging Truth about Business Ownership
  • 10.4 Managing, Following, and Adjusting the Initial Plan
  • 10.5 Growth: Signs, Pains, and Cautions
  • 11.1 Avoiding the “Field of Dreams” Approach
  • 11.2 Designing the Business Model
  • 11.4 The Business Plan
  • 12.1 Building and Connecting to Networks
  • 12.2 Building the Entrepreneurial Dream Team
  • 12.3 Designing a Startup Operational Plan
  • 13.1 Business Structures: Overview of Legal and Tax Considerations
  • 13.2 Corporations
  • 13.3 Partnerships and Joint Ventures
  • 13.4 Limited Liability Companies
  • 13.5 Sole Proprietorships
  • 13.6 Additional Considerations: Capital Acquisition, Business Domicile, and Technology
  • 13.7 Mitigating and Managing Risks
  • 14.1 Types of Resources
  • 14.2 Using the PEST Framework to Assess Resource Needs
  • 14.3 Managing Resources over the Venture Life Cycle
  • 15.1 Launching Your Venture
  • 15.2 Making Difficult Business Decisions in Response to Challenges
  • 15.3 Seeking Help or Support
  • 15.4 Now What? Serving as a Mentor, Consultant, or Champion
  • 15.5 Reflections: Documenting the Journey
  • A | Suggested Resources

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Describe the purpose of a feasibility analysis
  • Describe and develop the parts of a feasibility analysis
  • Understand how to apply feasibility outcomes to a new venture

As the name suggests, a feasibility analysis is designed to assess whether your entrepreneurial endeavor is, in fact, feasible or possible. By evaluating your management team, assessing the market for your concept, estimating financial viability, and identifying potential pitfalls, you can make an informed choice about the achievability of your entrepreneurial endeavor. A feasibility analysis is largely numbers driven and can be far more in depth than a business plan (discussed in The Business Plan ). It ultimately tests the viability of an idea, a project, or a new business. A feasibility study may become the basis for the business plan, which outlines the action steps necessary to take a proposal from ideation to realization. A feasibility study allows a business to address where and how it will operate, its competition, possible hurdles, and the funding needed to begin. The business plan then provides a framework that sets out a map for following through and executing on the entrepreneurial vision.

Organizational Feasibility Analysis

Organizational feasibility aims to assess the prowess of management and sufficiency of resources to bring a product or idea to market Figure 11.12 . The company should evaluate the ability of its management team on areas of interest and execution. Typical measures of management prowess include assessing the founders’ passion for the business idea along with industry expertise, educational background, and professional experience. Founders should be honest in their self-assessment of ranking these areas.

Resource sufficiency pertains to nonfinancial resources that the venture will need to move forward successfully and aims to assess whether an entrepreneur has a sufficient amount of such resources. The organization should critically rank its abilities in six to twelve types of such critical nonfinancial resources, such as availability of office space, quality of the labor pool, possibility of obtaining intellectual property protections (if applicable), willingness of high-quality employees to join the company, and likelihood of forming favorable strategic partnerships. If the analysis reveals that critical resources are lacking, the venture may not be possible as currently planned. 46

Financial Feasibility Analysis

A financial analysis seeks to project revenue and expenses (forecasts come later in the full business plan); project a financial narrative; and estimate project costs, valuations, and cash flow projections Figure 11.13 .

The financial analysis may typically include these items:

  • A twelve-month profit and loss projection
  • A three- or four-year profit-and-loss projection
  • A cash-flow projection
  • A projected balance sheet
  • A breakeven calculation

The financial analysis should estimate the sales or revenue that you expect the business to generate. A number of different formulas and methods are available for calculating sales estimates. You can use industry or association data to estimate the sales of your potential new business. You can search for similar businesses in similar locations to gauge how your business might perform compared with similar performances by competitors. One commonly used equation for a sales model multiplies the number of target customers by the average revenue per customer to establish a sales projection:

Another critical part of planning for new business owners is to understand the breakeven point , which is the level of operations that results in exactly enough revenue to cover costs (see Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting for an in-depth discussion on calculating breakeven points and the breakdown of cost types). It yields neither a profit nor a loss. To calculate the breakeven point, you must first understand the two types of costs: fixed and variable. Fixed costs are expenses that do not vary based on the amount of sales. Rent is one example, but most of a business’s other costs operate in this manner as well. While some costs vary from month to month, costs are described as variable only if they will increase if the company sells even one more item. Costs such as insurance, wages, and office supplies are typically considered fixed costs. Variable costs fluctuate with the level of sales revenue and include items such as raw materials, purchases to be sold, and direct labor. With this information, you can calculate your breakeven point—the sales level at which your business has neither a profit nor a loss. 47 Projections should be more than just numbers: include an explanation of the underlying assumptions used to estimate the venture’s income and expenses.

Projected cash flow outlines preliminary expenses, operating expenses, and reserves—in essence, how much you need before starting your company. You want to determine when you expect to receive cash and when you have to write a check for expenses. Your cash flow is designed to show if your working capital is adequate. A balance sheet shows assets and liabilities, necessary for reporting and financial management. When liabilities are subtracted from assets, the remainder is owners’ equity. The financial concepts and statements introduced here are discussed fully in Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting .

Market Feasibility Analysis

A market analysis enables you to define competitors and quantify target customers and/or users in the market within your chosen industry by analyzing the overall interest in the product or service within the industry by its target market Figure 11.14 . You can define a market in terms of size, structure, growth prospects, trends, and sales potential. This information allows you to better position your company in competing for market share. After you’ve determined the overall size of the market, you can define your target market, which leads to a total available market (TAM) , that is, the number of potential users within your business’s sphere of influence. This market can be segmented by geography, customer attributes, or product-oriented segments. From the TAM, you can further distill the portion of that target market that will be attracted to your business. This market segment is known as a serviceable available market (SAM) .

Projecting market share can be a subjective estimate, based not only on an analysis of the market but also on pricing, promotional, and distribution strategies. As is the case for revenue, you will have a number of different forecasts and tools available at your disposal. Other items you may include in a market analysis are a complete competitive review, historical market performance, changes to supply and demand, and projected growth in demand over time.

Are You Ready?

You’ve been hired by a leading hotel chain to determine the market and financial potential for the development of a mixed-use property that will include a full-service hotel in downtown Orlando, located at 425 East Central Boulevard, in Orlando, Florida. The specific address is important so you can pinpoint existing competitors and overall suitability of the site. Using the information given, conduct a market analysis that can be part of a larger feasibility study.

Work It Out

Location feasibility.

You’re considering opening a boutique clothing store in downtown Atlanta. You’ve read news reports about how downtown Atlanta and the city itself are growing and undergoing changes from previous decades. With new development taking place there, you’re not sure whether such a venture is viable. Outline what steps you would need to take to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether downtown Atlanta is the right location for your planned clothing store.

Applying Feasibility Outcomes

After conducting a feasibility analysis, you must determine whether to proceed with the venture. One technique that is commonly used in project management is known as a go-or-no-go decision . This tool allows a team to decide if criteria have been met to move forward on a project. Criteria on which to base a decision are established and tracked over time. You can develop criteria for each section of the feasibility analysis to determine whether to proceed and evaluate those criteria as either “go” or “no go,” using that assessment to make a final determination of the overall concept feasibility. Determine whether you are comfortable proceeding with the present management team, whether you can “go” forward with existing nonfinancial resources, whether the projected financial outlook is worth proceeding, and make a determination on the market and industry. If satisfied that enough “go” criteria are met, you would likely then proceed to developing your strategy in the form of a business plan.

What Can You Do?

Love beyond walls.

When Terence Lester saw a homeless man living behind an abandoned, dilapidated building, he asked the man if he could take him to a shelter. The man scoffed, replying that Lester should sleep in a shelter. So he did—and he saw the problem through the homeless man’s perspective. The shelter was crowded and smelly. You couldn’t get much sleep, because others would try to steal your meager belongings. The dilapidated building provided isolation away from others, but quiet and security in its own way that the shelter could not. This experience led Lester to voluntarily live as a homeless person for a few weeks. His journey led him to create Love Beyond Walls (www.lovebeyondwalls.org), an organization that aids the homeless, among other causes. Lester didn’t conduct a formal feasibility study, but he did so informally by walking in his intended customers’ shoes—literally. A feasibility study of homelessness in a particular area could yield surprising findings that might lead to social entrepreneurial pursuits.

  • What is a social cause you think could benefit from a formal feasibility study around a potential entrepreneurial solution?
  • 46 Ulrich Kaiser. “A primer in Entrepreneurship – Chapter 3 Feasibility analysis” University of Zurich Institute for Strategy and Business Economics . n.d. https://docplayer.net/7775267-A-primer-in-entrepreneurship-chapter-3-feasibility-analysis.html
  • 47 In a preliminary financial model and business plan, startup costs should be allocated, as they are intended for one-time investments in development; pre-launch costs and other necessary expenses will not carry over once the product/solution has launched.

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  • Authors: Michael Laverty, Chris Littel
  • Publisher/website: OpenStax
  • Book title: Entrepreneurship
  • Publication date: Jan 16, 2020
  • Location: Houston, Texas
  • Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/entrepreneurship/pages/1-introduction
  • Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/entrepreneurship/pages/11-3-conducting-a-feasibility-analysis

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  • Project planning |
  • How to use a feasibility study in proje ...

How to use a feasibility study in project management

Julia Martins contributor headshot

It can be exciting to run a large, complex project that has a huge potential impact on your organization. On the one hand, you’re driving real change. On the other, failure is intimidating. 

What is a feasibility study? 

A feasibility study—sometimes called a feasibility analysis or feasibility report—is a way to evaluate whether or not a project plan could be successful. A feasibility study evaluates the practicality of your project plan in order to judge whether or not you’re able to move forward with the project. 

It does so by answering two questions: 

Does our team have the required tools or resources to complete this project? 

Will there be a high enough return on investment to make the project worth pursuing? 

Feasibility studies are important for projects that represent significant investments for your business. Projects that also have a large potential impact on your presence in the market may also require a feasibility study. 

As the project manager , you may not be directly responsible for driving the feasibility study, but it’s important to know what these studies are. By understanding the different elements that go into a feasibility study, you can better support the team driving the feasibility study and ensure the best outcome for your project.

When should you conduct a feasibility study

A feasibility study should be conducted after the project has been pitched but before any work has actually started. The study is part of the project planning process. In fact, it’s often done in conjunction with a SWOT analysis or project risk assessment , depending on the specific project. 

Feasibility studies help: 

Confirm market opportunities before committing to a project

Narrow your business alternatives

Create documentation about the benefits and detriments of your proposed initiative

Provide more information before making a go/no go decision

You likely don’t need a feasibility study if:

You already know the project is feasible

You’ve run a similar project in the past

Your competitors are succeeding with a similar initiative in market

The project is small, straightforward, and has minimal long-term business impact

Your team ran a similar feasibility study within the past three years

One thing to keep in mind is that a feasibility study is not a project pitch. During a project pitch, you’re evaluating whether or not the project is a good idea for your company, and whether the goals of the project are in line with your overall strategic plan. Typically, once you’ve established that the project is a good idea, you’d then run a feasibility study to confirm the project is possible with the tools and resources you have at your disposal. 

Feasibility study vs. project charter

A project charter is a relatively informal document to pitch your project to stakeholders. Think of the charter like an elevator pitch of your project objectives, scope, and responsibilities. Typically, your project sponsor or executive stakeholders reviews the charter before ratifying the project. 

A feasibility study should be implemented after the project charter has been ratified. This isn’t a document to pitch whether or not the project is in line with your team’s goals—rather, it’s a way to ensure the project is something you and your team can accomplish. 

Feasibility study vs. business case

A business case is a more formalized version of the project charter. While you’d typically create a project charter for small or straightforward initiatives, you should create a business case if you are pitching a large, complex initiative that will make a major impact on the business. This longer, more formal document will also include financial information, and typically involves more senior stakeholders. 

After your business case is approved by relevant stakeholders, you’d then run a feasibility study to make sure the work is doable. If you find it isn’t, you might return to your executive stakeholders and request more resources, tools, or time in order to ensure your business case is feasible.

Feasibility study vs. business plan

A business plan is a formal document of your organization’s goals. You typically write a business plan when founding your company, or when your business is going through a significant shift. Your business plan informs a lot of other business decisions, including your three to five year strategic plan . 

As you implement your business and strategic plan, you’ll invest in individual projects. A feasibility study is a way to evaluate the practicality of any given individual project or initiative. 

4 elements of a feasibility analysis

There are four main elements that go into a feasibility study: technical feasibility, financial feasibility, market feasibility (or market fit), and operational feasibility. You may also see these referred to as the four types of feasibility studies, though most feasibility studies actually include a review of all four elements. 

Technical feasibility

A technical feasibility study reviews the technical resources available for your project. This study determines if you have the right equipment, enough equipment, and the right technical knowledge to complete your project objectives . For example, if your project plan proposes creating 50,000 products per month, but you can only produce 30,000 products per month in your factories, this project isn’t technically feasible. 

Financial feasibility

Financial feasibility describes whether or not your project is fiscally viable. A financial feasibility report includes a cost/benefit analysis of the project. It also forecasts an expected return on investment (ROI), as well as outlines any financial risks. The goal at the end of the financial feasibility study is to understand the economic benefits the project will drive. 

Market feasibility

The market feasibility study is an evaluation of how your team expects the project’s deliverables to perform in the market. This part of the report includes a market analysis, market competition breakdown, and sales projections. 

Operational feasibility

An operational feasibility study evaluates whether or not your organization is able to complete this project. This includes staffing requirements, organizational structure, and any applicable legal requirements. At the end of the operational feasibility study, your team will have a sense of whether or not you have the resources, skills, and competencies to complete this work. 

Feasibility study checklist

Most feasibility studies are structured in a similar way. These documents serve as an assessment of the practicality of a proposed business idea. Creating a clear feasibility study helps project stakeholders during the decision making process. 

A feasibility study contains: 

An executive summary describing the project’s overall viability

A description of the product or service being developed during this project

Any technical considerations , including technology, equipment, or staffing

The market survey , including a study of the current market and the marketing strategy 

The operational feasibility study , evaluating whether or not your team’s current organizational structure can support this initiative

The project timeline

Financial projections based on your financial feasibility report

6 steps to conduct a feasibility study

You likely won’t be conducting the feasibility study yourself, but you will probably be called on to provide insight and information. To conduct a feasibility study, hire a trained consultant or, if you have an in-house project management office (PMO) , ask if they take on this type of work. In general, here are the steps they’ll take to complete this work: 

1. Run a preliminary analysis

Creating a feasibility study is a time-intensive process. Before diving into the feasibility study, it’s important to evaluate the project for any obvious and insurmountable roadblocks. For example, if the project requires significantly more budget than your organization has available, you likely won’t be able to complete it. Similarly, if the project deliverables need to be live and in market by a certain date, but they won’t be available for several months after the fact, the project likely isn’t feasible either. These types of large-scale obstacles make a feasibility study unnecessary, because it’s clear the project is not viable. 

2. Evaluate financial feasibility

Think of the financial feasibility study as the projected income statement for the project. This part of the feasibility study clarifies the expected project income and outlines what your organization needs to invest—in terms of time and money—in order to hit the project objectives. 

During the financial feasibility study, take into account whether or not the project will impact your business's cash flow. Depending on the complexity of the initiative, your internal PMO or external consultant may want to work with your financial team to run a cost-benefit analysis of the project. 

3. Run a market assessment

The market assessment, or market feasibility study, is a chance to identify the demand in the market. This study offers a sense of expected revenue for the project, and any potential market risks you could run into. 

The market assessment, more than any other part of the feasibility study, is a chance to evaluate whether or not there’s an opportunity in the market. During this study, it’s critical to evaluate your competitor’s positions and analyze demographics to get a sense of how the project will do. 

4. Consider technical and operational feasibility

Even if the financials are looking good and the market is ready, this initiative may not be something your organization can support. To evaluate operational feasibility, consider any staffing or equipment requirements this project needs. What organizational resources—including time, money, and skills—are necessary in order for this project to succeed? 

Depending on the project, it may also be necessary to consider the legal impact of the initiative. For example, if the project involves developing a new patent for your product, you will need to involve your legal team and incorporate that requirement into the project plan. 

5. Review project points of vulnerability

At this stage, your internal PMO team or external consultant have looked at all four elements of your feasibility study—financials, market analysis, technical feasibility, and operational feasibility. Before running their recommendations by you and your stakeholders, they will review and analyze the data for any inconsistencies. This includes ensuring the income statement is in line with your market analysis. Similarly, now that they’ve run a technical feasibility study, are any liabilities too big of a red flag? (If so, create a contingency plan !) 

Depending on the complexity of your project, there won’t always be a clear answer. A feasibility analysis doesn’t provide a black and white decision for a complex problem. Rather, it helps you come to the table with the right questions—and answers—so you can make the best decision for your project and for your team. 

6. Propose a decision

The final step of the feasibility study is an executive summary touching on the main points and proposing a solution. 

Depending on the complexity and scope of the project, your internal PMO or external consultant may share the feasibility study with stakeholders or present it to the group in order to field any questions live. Either way, with the study in hand, your team now has the information you need to make an informed decision. 

Achieve project success with Asana

Done with your feasibility study? You’re ready to run a project! Set your project up for success by tracking your progress in a work management tool , like Asana. From the small stuff to the big picture, Asana organizes work so teams know what to do, why it matters, and how to get it done. 

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How to conduct a feasibility study: Template and examples

feasibility analysis for business plan

Opportunities are everywhere. Some opportunities are small and don’t require many resources. Others are massive and need further analysis and evaluation.

How To Conduct A Feasibility Study: Template And Examples

One of your key responsibilities as a product manager is to evaluate the potential success of those opportunities before investing significant money, time, and resources. A feasibility study, also known as a feasibility assessment or feasibility analysis, is a critical tool that can help product managers determine whether a product idea or opportunity is viable, feasible, and profitable.

So, what is a feasibility analysis? Why should product managers use it? And how do you conduct one?

What is a feasibility study?

A feasibility study is a systematic analysis and evaluation of a product opportunity’s potential to succeed. It aims to determine whether a proposed opportunity is financially and technically viable, operationally feasible, and commercially profitable.

A feasibility study typically includes an assessment of a wide range of factors, including the technical requirements of the product, resources needed to develop and launch the product, the potential market gap and demand, the competitive landscape, and economic and financial viability.

Based on the analysis’s findings, the product manager and their product team can decide whether to proceed with the product opportunity, modify its scope, or pursue another opportunity and solve a different problem.

Conducting a feasibility study helps PMs ensure that resources are invested in opportunities that have a high likelihood of success and align with the overall objectives and goals of the product strategy .

What are feasibility analyses used for?

Feasibility studies are particularly useful when introducing entirely new products or verticals. Product managers can use the results of a feasibility study to:

  • Assess the technical feasibility of a product opportunity — Evaluate whether the proposed product idea or opportunity can be developed with the available technology, tools, resources, and expertise
  • Determine a project’s financial viability — By analyzing the costs of development, manufacturing, and distribution, a feasibility study helps you determine whether your product is financially viable and can generate a positive return on investment (ROI)
  • Evaluate customer demand and the competitive landscape — Assessing the potential market size, target audience, and competitive landscape for the product opportunity can inform decisions about the overall product positioning, marketing strategies, and pricing
  • Identify potential risks and challenges — Identify potential obstacles or challenges that could impact the success of the identified opportunity, such as regulatory hurdles, operational and legal issues, and technical limitations
  • Refine the product concept — The insights gained from a feasibility study can help you refine the product’s concept, make necessary modifications to the scope, and ultimately create a better product that is more likely to succeed in the market and meet users’ expectations

How to conduct a feasibility study

The activities involved in conducting a feasibility study differ from one organization to another. Also, the threshold, expectations, and deliverables change from role to role.

For a general set of guidelines to help you get started, here are some basic steps to conduct and report a feasibility study for major product opportunities or features.

1. Clearly define the opportunity

Imagine your user base is facing a significant problem that your product doesn’t solve. This is an opportunity. Define the opportunity clearly, support it with data, talk to your stakeholders to understand the opportunity space, and use it to define the objective.

2. Define the objective and scope

Each opportunity should be coupled with a business objective and should align with your product strategy.

feasibility analysis for business plan

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feasibility analysis for business plan

Determine and clearly communicate the business goals and objectives of the opportunity. Align those objectives with company leaders to make sure everyone is on the same page. Lastly, define the scope of what you plan to build.

3. Conduct market and user research

Now that you have everyone on the same page and the objective and scope of the opportunity clearly defined, gather data and insights on the target market.

Include elements like the total addressable market (TAM) , growth potential, competitors’ insights, and deep insight into users’ problems and preferences collected through techniques like interviews, surveys, observation studies, contextual inquiries, and focus groups.

4. Analyze technical feasibility

Suppose your market and user research have validated the problem you are trying to solve. The next step should be to, alongside your engineers, assess the technical resources and expertise needed to launch the product to the market.

Dig deeper into the proposed solution and try to comprehend the technical limitations and estimated time required for the product to be in your users’ hands.

5. Assess financial viability

If your company hasa product pricing team, work closely with them to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) and devise a monetization strategy for the new feature.

Conduct a comprehensive financial analysis, including the total cost of development, revenue streams, and the expected return on investment (ROI) based on the agreed-upon monetization strategy.

6. Evaluate potential risks

Now that you have almost a complete picture, identify the risks associated with building and launching the opportunity. Risks may include things like regulatory hurdles, technical limitations, and any operational risks.

7. Decide, prepare, and share

Based on the steps above, you should end up with a report that can help you decide whether to pursue the opportunity or not. Either way, prepare your findings, including any recommended modifications to the product scope, and present your final findings and recommendations to your stakeholders.

Make sure to prepare an executive summary for your C-suite; they will be the most critical stakeholders and the decision-makers at the end of the meeting.

Feasibility study example

Imagine you’re a product manager at a digital software company that specializes in building project management tools.

Your team has identified a potential opportunity to expand the product offering by developing a new AI-based feature that can automatically prioritize tasks for users based on their deadlines, workload, and importance.

To assess the viability of this opportunity, you can conduct a feasibility study. Here’s how you might approach it according to the process described above:

  • Clearly define the opportunity — In this case, the opportunity is the development of an AI-based task prioritization feature within the existing project management software
  • Define the objective and scope — The business objective is to increase user productivity and satisfaction by providing an intelligent task prioritization system. The scope includes the integration of the AI-based feature within the existing software, as well as any necessary training for users to understand and use the feature effectively
  • Conduct market and user research — Investigate the demand for AI-driven task prioritization among your target audience. Collect data on competitors who may already be offering similar features and determine the unique selling points of your proposed solution. Conduct user research through interviews, surveys, and focus groups to understand users’ pain points regarding task prioritization and gauge their interest in the proposed feature
  • Analyze technical feasibility — Collaborate with your engineering team to assess the technical requirements and challenges of developing the AI-based feature. Determine whether your team has the necessary expertise to implement the feature and estimate the time and resources required for its development
  • Assess financial viability — Work with your pricing team to estimate the costs associated with developing, launching, and maintaining the AI-based feature. Analyze the potential revenue streams and calculate the expected ROI based on various pricing models and user adoption rates
  • Evaluate potential risks — Identify any risks associated with the development and implementation of the AI-based feature, such as data privacy concerns, potential biases in the AI algorithm, or the impact on the existing product’s performance
  • Decide, prepare, and share — Based on your analysis, determine whether the AI-based task prioritization feature is a viable opportunity for your company. Prepare a comprehensive report detailing your findings and recommendations, including any necessary modifications to the product scope or implementation plan. Present your findings to your stakeholders and be prepared to discuss and defend your recommendations

Feasibility study template

The following feasibility study template is designed to help you evaluate the feasibility of a product opportunity and provide a comprehensive report to inform decision-making and guide the development process.

Remember that each study will be unique to your product and market, so you may need to adjust the template to fit your specific needs.

  • Briefly describe the product opportunity or feature you’re evaluating
  • Explain the problem it aims to solve or the value it will bring to users
  • Define the business goals and objectives for the opportunity
  • Outline the scope of the product or feature, including any key components or functionality
  • Summarize the findings from your market research, including data on the target market, competitors, and unique selling points
  • Highlight insights from user research, such as user pain points, preferences, and potential adoption rates
  • Detail the technical requirements and challenges for developing the product or feature
  • Estimate the resources and expertise needed for implementation, including any necessary software, hardware, or skills
  • Provide an overview of the costs associated with the development, launch, and maintenance of the product or feature
  • Outline potential revenue streams and calculate the expected ROI based on various pricing models and user adoption rates
  • Identify any potential risks or challenges associated with the development, implementation, or market adoption of the product or feature
  • Discuss how these risks could impact the success of the opportunity and any potential mitigation strategies
  • Based on your analysis, recommend whether to proceed with the opportunity, modify the scope, or explore other alternatives
  • Provide a rationale for your recommendation, supported by data and insights from your research
  • Summarize the key findings and recommendations from your feasibility study in a concise, easily digestible format for your stakeholders

Overcoming stakeholder management challenges

The ultimate challenge that faces most product managers when conducting a feasibility study is managing stakeholders .

Stakeholders may interfere with your analysis, jumping to conclude that your proposed product or feature won’t work and deeming it a waste of resources. They may even try to prioritize your backlog for you.

Here are some tips to help you deal with even the most difficult stakeholders during a feasibility study:

  • Use hard data to make your point — Never defend your opinion based on your assumptions. Always show them data and evidence based on your user research and market analysis
  • Learn to say no — You are the voice of customers, and you know their issues and how to monetize them. Don’t be afraid to say no and defend your team’s work as a product manager
  • Build stakeholder buy-in early on — Engage stakeholders from the beginning of the feasibility study process by involving them in discussions and seeking their input. This helps create a sense of ownership and ensures that their concerns and insights are considered throughout the study
  • Provide regular updates and maintain transparency — Keep stakeholders informed about the progress of the feasibility study by providing regular updates and sharing key findings. This transparency can help build trust, foster collaboration, and prevent misunderstandings or misaligned expectations
  • Leverage stakeholder expertise — Recognize and utilize the unique expertise and knowledge that stakeholders bring to the table. By involving them in specific aspects of the feasibility study where their skills and experience can add value, you can strengthen the study’s outcomes and foster a more collaborative working relationship

Final thoughts

A feasibility study is a critical tool to use right after you identify a significant opportunity. It helps you evaluate the potential success of the opportunity, analyze and identify potential challenges, gaps, and risks in the opportunity, and provides a data-driven approach in the market insights to make an informed decision.

By conducting a feasibility study, product teams can determine whether a product idea is profitable, viable, feasible, and thus worth investing resources into. It is a crucial step in the product development process and when considering investments in significant initiatives such as launching a completely new product or vertical.

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What Is a Feasibility Study? How to Conduct One for Your Project

ProjectManager

Table of Contents

What is a feasibility study, what’s the importance of a feasibility study, what is included in a feasibility study report, types of feasibility study.

  • 7 Steps To Do a Feasibility Study

Feasibility Study Examples

Why is a feasibility study so important in project management? For one, the feasibility study or feasibility analysis is the foundation upon which your project plan resides. That’s because the feasibility analysis determines the viability of your project. Now that you know the importance, read on to learn what you need to know about feasibility studies.

A feasibility study is simply an assessment of the practicality of a proposed project plan or method. This is done by analyzing technical, economic, legal, operational and time feasibility factors. Just as the name implies, you’re asking, “Is this feasible?” For example, do you have or can you create the technology that accomplishes what you propose? Do you have the people, tools and resources necessary? And, will the project get you the ROI you expect?

feasibility analysis for business plan

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Feasibility study template

Use this free Feasibility Study Template for Word to manage your projects better.

A project feasibility study should be done during the project management life cycle after the business case has been completed. So, that’s the “what” and the “when” but how about the “why?” Why is it important to conduct a feasibility study?

An effective feasibility study points a project in the right direction by helping decision-makers have a holistic view of the potential benefits, disadvantages, barriers and constraints that could affect its outcome. The main purpose of a feasibility study is to determine whether the project can be not only viable but also beneficial from a technical, financial, legal and market standpoint.

The findings of your project feasibility study are compiled in a feasibility report that usually includes the following elements.

  • Executive summary
  • Description of product/service
  • Technology considerations
  • Product/service marketplace
  • Marketing strategy
  • Organization/staffing
  • Financial projections
  • Findings and recommendations

Free Feasibility Study Template

Use this free feasibility study template for Word to begin your own feasibility study. It has all the fundamental sections for you to get started, and it’s flexible enough to adapt to your specific needs. Download yours today.

Free feasibility study template

There are many things to consider when determining project feasibility, and there are different types of feasibility studies you might conduct to assess your project from different perspectives.

Pre-Feasibility Study

A pre-feasibility study, as its name suggests, it’s a process that’s undertaken before the feasibility study. It involves decision-makers and subject matter experts who will prioritize different project ideas or approaches to quickly determine whether the project has fundamental technical, financial, operational or any other evident flaws. If the project proposal is sound, a proper feasibility study will follow.

Technical Feasibility Study

A technical feasibility study consists in determining if your organization has the technical resources and expertise to meet the project requirements . A technical study focuses on assessing whether your organization has the necessary capabilities that are needed to execute a project, such as the production capacity, facility needs, raw materials, supply chain and other inputs. In addition to these production inputs, you should also consider other factors such as regulatory compliance requirements or standards for your products or services.

Economic Feasibility Study

Also called financial feasibility study, this type of study allows you to determine whether a project is financially feasible. Economic feasibility studies require the following steps:

  • Before you can start your project, you’ll need to determine the seed capital, working capital and any other capital requirements, such as contingency capital. To do this, you’ll need to estimate what types of resources will be needed for the execution of your project, such as raw materials, equipment and labor.
  • Once you’ve determined what project resources are needed, you should use a cost breakdown structure to identify all your project costs.
  • Identify potential sources of funding such as loans or investments from angel investors or venture capitalists.
  • Estimate the expected revenue, profit margin and return on investment of your project by conducting a cost-benefit analysis , or by using business forecasting techniques such as linear programming to estimate different future outcomes under different levels of production, demand and sales.
  • Estimate your project’s break-even point.
  • Conduct a financial benchmark analysis with industrial averages and specific competitors in your industry.
  • Use pro forma cash flow statements, financial statements, balance sheets and other financial projection documents.

Legal Feasibility Study

Your project must meet legal requirements including laws and regulations that apply to all activities and deliverables in your project scope . In addition, think about the most favorable legal structure for your organization and its investors. Each business legal structure has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to liability for business owners, such as limited liability companies (LLCs) or corporations, which reduce the liability for each business partner.

Market Feasibility Study

A market feasibility study determines whether your project has the potential to succeed in the market. To do so, you’ll need to analyze the following factors:

  • Industry overview: Assess your industry, such as year-over-year growth, identify key direct and indirect competitors, availability of supplies and any other trends that might affect the future of the industry and your project.
  • SWOT analysis: A SWOT analysis allows organizations to determine how competitive an organization can be by examining its strengths, weaknesses and the opportunities and threats of the market. Strengths are the operational capabilities or competitive advantages that allow an organization to outperform its competitors such as lower costs, faster production or intellectual property. Weaknesses are areas where your business might be outperformed by competitors. Opportunities are external, such as an underserved market, an increased demand for your products or favorable economic conditions. Threats are also external factors that might affect your ability to do well in the market such as new competitors, substitute products and new technologies.
  • Market research: The main purpose of market research is to determine whether it’s possible for your organization to enter the market or if there are barriers to entry or constraints that might affect your ability to compete. Consider variables such as pricing, your unique value proposition, customer demand, new technologies, market trends and any other factors that affect how your business will serve your customers. Use market research techniques to identify your target market, create buyer personas, assess the competitiveness of your niche and gauge customer demand, among other things.

7 Steps to Do a Feasibility Study

If you’re ready to do your own feasibility study, follow these 7 steps. You can use this free feasibility study template to help you get started.

1. Conduct a Preliminary Analysis

Begin by outlining your project plan . You should focus on an unserved need, a market where the demand is greater than the supply and whether the product or service has a distinct advantage. Then, determine if the feasibility factors are too high to clear (i.e. too expensive, unable to effectively market, etc.).

2. Prepare a Projected Income Statement

This step requires working backward. Start with what you expect the income from the project to be and then what project funding is needed to achieve that goal. This is the foundation of an income statement. Factor in what services are required and how much they’ll cost and any adjustments to revenues, such as reimbursements, etc.

Related: Free Project Management Templates

3. Conduct a Market Survey or Perform Market Research

This step is key to the success of your feasibility study, so make your market analysis as thorough as possible. It’s so important that if your organization doesn’t have the resources to do a proper one, then it is advantageous to hire an outside firm to do so.

Market research will give you the clearest picture of the revenues and return on investment you can realistically expect from the project. Some things to consider are the geographic influence on the market, demographics, analyzing competitors, the value of the market and what your share will be and if the market is open to expansion (that is, in response to your offer).

4. Plan Business Organization and Operations

Once the groundwork of the previous steps has been laid, it’s time to set up the organization and operations of the planned project to meet its technical, operational, economic and legal feasibility factors. This isn’t a superficial, broad-stroke endeavor. It should be thorough and include start-up costs, fixed investments and operating costs.

These costs address things such as equipment, merchandising methods, real estate, personnel, supply availability, overhead, etc.

5. Prepare an Opening Day Balance Sheet

This includes an estimate of the assets and liabilities, one that should be as accurate as possible. To do this, create a list that includes items, sources, costs and available financing. Liabilities to consider are such things as leasing or purchasing land, buildings and equipment, financing for assets and accounts receivables.

6. Review and Analyze All Data

All of these steps are important, but the review and analysis are especially important to ensure that everything is as it should be and that nothing requires changing or tweaking. Take a moment to look over your work one last time.

Reexamine your previous steps, such as the income statement, and compare them with your expenses and liabilities. Is it still realistic? This is also the time to think about risk and come up with any contingency plans .

7. Make a Go/No-Go Decision

You’re now at the point to make a decision about whether or not the project is feasible. That sounds simple, but all the previous steps lead to this decision-making moment. A couple of other things to consider before making that binary choice are whether the commitment is worth the time, effort and money and whether it aligns with the organization’s strategic goals and long-term aspirations.

Here are some simple feasibility study examples so you have a better idea of what a feasibility study is used for in different industries.

Construction Feasibility Study

For this construction feasibility study example, let’s imagine a large construction company that’s interested in starting a new project in the near future to generate profits.

  • Pre-Feasibility Study: The first step is to conduct a preliminary feasibility study. It can be as simple as a meeting where decision-makers will prioritize projects and discuss different project ideas to determine which poses a bigger financial benefit for the organization.
  • Technical Feasibility Study: Now it’s time to estimate what resources are needed to execute the construction project, such as raw materials, equipment and labor. If there’s work that can’t be executed by the company with its current resources, a subcontractor will be hired to fill the gap.
  • Economic Feasibility Study: Once the construction project management team has established what materials, equipment and labor are needed, they can estimate costs. Cost estimators use information from past projects, construction drawings and documents such as a bill of quantities to come up with an accurate cost estimate. Then, based on this estimate, a profit margin and financial forecasts will be analyzed to determine if there’s economic feasibility.
  • Legal Feasibility Study: Now the company needs to identify all potential regulations, building codes and laws that might affect the project. They’ll need to ask for approval from the local government so that they can begin the construction project .
  • Market Feasibility Study: Market feasibility will be determined depending on the nature of the project. For this feasibility example, let’s assume a residential construction project will be built. To gauge market potential, they’ll need to analyze variables such as the average income of the households in the city, crime rate, population density and any trends in state migration.

Manufacturing Feasibility Study

Another industry that uses feasibility studies is manufacturing. It’s a test run of the steps in the manufacturing production cycle to ensure the process is designed properly. Let’s take a look at what a manufacturing feasibility study example would look like.

  • Feasibility Study: The first step is to look at various ideas and decide which is the best one to pursue. You don’t want to get started and have to stop. That’s a waste of time, money and effort. Look at what you intend to manufacture, does it fill an unserved need, is the market able to support competition and can you manufacture a quality product on time and within your budget?
  • Financial Feasibility Study: Find out if your estimated income from the sale of this product is going to cover your costs, both direct and indirect costs. Work backward from the income you expect to make and the expenses you’ll spend for labor, materials and production to determine if the manufacturing of this product is financially feasible.
  • Market Feasibility Study: You’ve already determined that there’s a need that’s not being served, but now it’s time to dig deeper to get realistic projections of revenue. You’ll want to define your target demographic, analyze the competitive landscape, determine the total market volume and what your market share will be and estimate what market expansion opportunities there are.
  • Technical Feasibility Study: This is where you’ll explore the production , such as what resources you’ll need to produce your product. These findings will inform your financial feasibility study as well as labor, material, equipment, etc., costs have to be within your budget. You’ll also figure out the processes you’ll use to produce and deliver your product to the market, including warehousing and retail distribution.

There could be other feasibility studies you’ll have to make depending on the product and the market, but these are the essential ones that all manufacturers have to look at before they can make an educated decision as to whether to go forward or abandon the idea.

Best Practices for a Feasibility Study

  • Use project management software like ProjectManager to organize your data and work efficiently and effectively
  • Use templates or any data and technology that gives you leverage
  • Involve the appropriate stakeholders to get their feedback
  • Use market research to further your data collection
  • Do your homework and ask questions to make sure your data is solid

If your project is feasible, then the real work begins. ProjectManager helps you plan more efficiently. Our online Gantt chart organizes tasks, sets deadlines, adds priority and links dependent tasks to avoid delays. But unlike other Gantt software, we calculate the critical path for you and set a baseline to measure project variance once you move into the execution phase.

ProjectManager's Gantt chart is ideal for tracking feasibility studies

Watch a Video on Feasibility Studies

There are many steps and aspects to a project feasibility study. If you want yours to be accurate and forecast correctly whether your project is doable, then you need to have a clear understanding of all its moving parts.

Jennifer Bridges, PMP, is an expert on all aspects of project management and leads this free training video to help you get a firm handle on the subject.

Here’s a screenshot for your reference!

feasibility study definition and template

Pro tip: When completing a feasibility study, it’s always good to have a contingency plan that you test to make sure it’s a viable alternative.

ProjectManager Improves Your Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is a project, so get yourself a project management software that can help you execute it. ProjectManager is an award-winning software that can help you manage your feasibility study through every phase.

Once you have a plan for your feasibility study, upload that task list to our software and all your work is populated in our online Gantt chart. Now you can assign tasks to team members, add costs, create timelines, collect all the market research and attach notes at the task level. This gives people a plan to work off of, and a collaborative platform to collect ideas and comments.

ProjectManager's Gantt chart, ideal to track your feasibility study

If you decide to implement the project, you already have it started in our software, which can now help you monitor and report on its progress. Try it for yourself with this free 30-day trial.

Transcription

Today we’re talking about How to Conduct A Feasibility Study, but first of all, I want to start with clarifying what a feasibility study is.

Feasibility Analysis Definition

Basically, it’s an assessment of the practicality of a proposed plan or method. Basically, we’ll want to want to know, is this feasible. Some of the questions that may generate this or we can hear people asking are, “Do we have or can we create the technology to do this? Do we have the people resource who can produce this and will we get our ROI, our Return On Investment?”

When to Do a Feasibility Study

So when do we do the feasibility study? So it’s done during a project lifecycle and it’s done after the business case because the business case outlines what we’re proposing. Is it a product or service that we’re proposing?

So why do we do this? The reason we do this is that we need to determine the factors that will make the business opportunity a success.

How to Conduct a Feasibility Study

Well, let’s talk about a few steps that we do in order to conduct the feasibility study.

Well, first of all, we conduct a preliminary analysis of what all’s involved in the business case and what we’re analyzing and what we’re trying to determine is feasible.

Then we prepare a projected income statement. We need to know what are the income streams, how are we gonna make money on this. Where’s the revenue coming from? We also need to conduct a market survey.

We need to know, is this a demand? Is there a market for this? Are customers willing to use this product or use this service?

The fourth one is to plan the business organization and operations. What is the structure, what kind of resources do we need? What kind of staffing requirements do we have?

We also want to prepare an opening day balance sheet. What are the…how again, what are the expenses, what’s the revenue and to ensure that being able to determine if we’re gonna make our ROI.

So we want to review and analyze all of the data that we have and with that, we’re going to determine, we’re going to make a go, no-go decision. Meaning, are we going to do this project or this business opportunity or not.

Well, here are some of the best practices to use during your feasibility study.

One is to use templates, tools and surveys that exist today. The great news is, data is becoming more and more prevalent. There are all kinds of technologies. There are groups that they do nothing but research. Things that we can leverage today.

We want to involve the appropriate stakeholders to ensure that input is being considered from the different people involved.

We also want to use again the market research to ensure we’re bringing in good, reliable data.

Do your homework, meaning act like is if this is your project, if it’s your money. So do your homework and do it well and make sure you give credible data.

What Is a Feasibility Report?

So ultimately in the end what we’re doing is, we’re producing and we’re providing a feasibility report. So in that report, think of this is like a template.

So what you’re gonna do is give it an executive summary of the business opportunity that you’re evaluating and the description of the product or the service.

You want to look at different technology considerations. Is it technology that you’re going to use? Are you going to build the technology?

What kind of product and service marketplace and being able again, to identify the specific market you’re going to be targeting? Also, what is the marketing strategy you’re going to use to target the marketplace?

And also what’s the organizational structure? What are the staffing requirements? What people do you need to deliver the product or service and even support it?

So also we want to know the schedule to be able to have the milestones to ensure that as we’re building things, that as we’re spending money that we’re beginning to bring in income to pay and knowing when we’re going to start recuperating some of the funding. Again, which also ties into the financial projections.

Ultimately in this report, you’re going to provide the findings and the recommendations.

Again, we’ll probably talk about technology. Are you going to build it? Are you going to buy it? What are the marketing strategies for the specific marketplace organization? You may have some recommendations for whether you’re going to insource the staff, maybe you are going to outsource some staff and what that looks like and also financial recommendation.

If you’ve been looking for an all-in-one tool that can help with your feasibility study, consider ProjectManager. We offer five project views and countless features that make it seamless to plan projects, organize tasks and stay connected with your team. See what our software can do for you by taking this free 30-day trial.

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What Is a Feasibility Study?

Understanding a feasibility study, how to conduct a feasibility study.

  • Feasibility Study FAQs

The Bottom Line

  • Business Essentials

Feasibility Study

feasibility analysis for business plan

A feasibility study is a detailed analysis that considers all of the critical aspects of a proposed project in order to determine the likelihood of it succeeding.

Success in business may be defined primarily by return on investment , meaning that the project will generate enough profit to justify the investment. However, many other important factors may be identified on the plus or minus side, such as community reaction and environmental impact.

Although feasibility studies can help project managers determine the risk and return of pursuing a plan of action, several steps should be considered before moving forward.

Key Takeaways

  • A company may conduct a feasibility study when it's considering launching a new business, adding a new product line, or acquiring a rival.
  • A feasibility study assesses the potential for success of the proposed plan or project by defining its expected costs and projected benefits in detail.
  • It's a good idea to have a contingency plan on hand in case the original project is found to be infeasible.

Investopedia / Lara Antal

A feasibility study is an assessment of the practicality of a proposed plan or project. A feasibility study analyzes the viability of a project to determine whether the project or venture is likely to succeed. The study is also designed to identify potential issues and problems that could arise while pursuing the project.

As part of the feasibility study, project managers must determine whether they have enough of the right people, financial resources, and technology. The study must also determine the return on investment, whether this is measured as a financial gain or a benefit to society, as in the case of a nonprofit project.

The feasibility study might include a cash flow analysis, measuring the level of cash generated from revenue versus the project's operating costs . A risk assessment must also be completed to determine whether the return is enough to offset the risk of undergoing the venture.

When doing a feasibility study, it’s always good to have a contingency plan that is ready to test as a viable alternative if the first plan fails.

Benefits of a Feasibility Study

There are several benefits to feasibility studies, including helping project managers discern the pros and cons of undertaking a project before investing a significant amount of time and capital into it.

Feasibility studies can also provide a company's management team with crucial information that could prevent them from entering into a risky business venture.

Such studies help companies determine how they will grow. They will know more about how they will operate, what the potential obstacles are, who the competition is, and what the market is.

Feasibility studies also help convince investors and bankers that investing in a particular project or business is a wise choice.

The exact format of a feasibility study will depend on the type of organization that requires it. However, the same factors will be involved even if their weighting varies.

Preliminary Analysis

Although each project can have unique goals and needs, there are some best practices for conducting any feasibility study:

  • Conduct a preliminary analysis, which involves getting feedback about the new concept from the appropriate stakeholders
  • Analyze and ask questions about the data obtained in the early phase of the study to make sure that it's solid
  • Conduct a market survey or market research to identify the market demand and opportunity for pursuing the project or business
  • Write an organizational, operational, or business plan, including identifying the amount of labor needed, at what cost, and for how long
  • Prepare a projected income statement, which includes revenue, operating costs, and profit
  • Prepare an opening day balance sheet
  • Identify obstacles and any potential vulnerabilities, as well as how to deal with them
  • Make an initial "go" or "no-go" decision about moving ahead with the plan

Suggested Components

Once the initial due diligence has been completed, the real work begins. Components that are typically found in a feasibility study include the following:

  • Executive summary : Formulate a narrative describing details of the project, product, service, plan, or business.
  • Technological considerations : Ask what will it take. Do you have it? If not, can you get it? What will it cost?
  • Existing marketplace : Examine the local and broader markets for the product, service, plan, or business.
  • Marketing strategy : Describe it in detail.
  • Required staffing : What are the human capital needs for this project? Draw up an organizational chart.
  • Schedule and timeline : Include significant interim markers for the project's completion date.
  • Project financials .
  • Findings and recommendations : Break down into subsets of technology, marketing, organization, and financials.

Examples of a Feasibility Study

Below are two examples of a feasibility study. The first involves expansion plans for a university. The second is a real-world example conducted by the Washington State Department of Transportation with private contributions from Microsoft Inc.

A University Science Building

Officials at a university were concerned that the science building—built in the 1970s—was outdated. Considering the technological and scientific advances of the last 20 years, they wanted to explore the cost and benefits of upgrading and expanding the building. A feasibility study was conducted.

In the preliminary analysis, school officials explored several options, weighing the benefits and costs of expanding and updating the science building. Some school officials had concerns about the project, including the cost and possible community opposition. The new science building would be much larger, and the community board had earlier rejected similar proposals. The feasibility study would need to address these concerns and any potential legal or zoning issues.

The feasibility study also explored the technological needs of the new science facility, the benefits to the students, and the long-term viability of the college. A modernized science facility would expand the school's scientific research capabilities, improve its curriculum, and attract new students.

Financial projections showed the cost and scope of the project and how the school planned to raise the needed funds, which included issuing a bond to investors and tapping into the school's endowment . The projections also showed how the expanded facility would allow more students to be enrolled in the science programs, increasing revenue from tuition and fees.

The feasibility study demonstrated that the project was viable, paving the way to enacting the modernization and expansion plans of the science building.

Without conducting a feasibility study, the school administrators would never have known whether its expansion plans were viable.

A High-Speed Rail Project

The Washington State Department of Transportation decided to conduct a feasibility study on a proposal to construct a high-speed rail that would connect Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The goal was to create an environmentally responsible transportation system to enhance the competitiveness and future prosperity of the Pacific Northwest.

The preliminary analysis outlined a governance framework for future decision-making. The study involved researching the most effective governance framework by interviewing experts and stakeholders, reviewing governance structures, and learning from existing high-speed rail projects in North America. As a result, governing and coordinating entities were developed to oversee and follow the project if it was approved by the state legislature.

A strategic engagement plan involved an equitable approach with the public, elected officials, federal agencies, business leaders, advocacy groups, and indigenous communities. The engagement plan was designed to be flexible, considering the size and scope of the project and how many cities and towns would be involved. A team of the executive committee members was formed and met to discuss strategies, lessons learned from previous projects and met with experts to create an outreach framework.

The financial component of the feasibility study outlined the strategy for securing the project's funding, which explored obtaining funds from federal, state, and private investments. The project's cost was estimated to be between $24 billion to $42 billion. The revenue generated from the high-speed rail system was estimated to be between $160 million and $250 million.

The report bifurcated the money sources between funding and financing. Funding referred to grants, appropriations from the local or state government, and revenue. Financing referred to bonds issued by the government, loans from financial institutions, and equity investments, which are essentially loans against future revenue that needs to be paid back with interest.

The sources for the capital needed were to vary as the project moved forward. In the early stages, most of the funding would come from the government, and as the project developed, funding would come from private contributions and financing measures. Private contributors included Microsoft Inc., which donated more than $570,000 to the project.

The benefits outlined in the feasibility report show that the region would experience enhanced interconnectivity, allowing for better management of the population and increasing regional economic growth by $355 billion. The new transportation system would provide people with access to better jobs and more affordable housing. The high-speed rail system would also relieve congested areas from automobile traffic.

The timeline for the study began in 2016 when an agreement was reached with British Columbia to work together on a new technology corridor that included high-speed rail transportation. The feasibility report was submitted to the Washington State land Legislature in December 2020.

What Is the Main Objective of a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study is designed to help decision-makers determine whether or not a proposed project or investment is likely to be successful. It identifies both the known costs and the expected benefits.

In business, "successful" means that the financial return exceeds the cost. In a nonprofit, success may be measured in other ways. A project's benefit to the community it serves may be worth the cost.

What Are the Steps in a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study starts with a preliminary analysis. Stakeholders are interviewed, market research is conducted, and a business plan is prepared. All of this information is analyzed to make an initial "go" or "no-go" decision.

If it's a go, the real study can begin. This includes listing the technological considerations, studying the marketplace, describing the marketing strategy, and outlining the necessary human capital, project schedule, and financing requirements.

Who Conducts a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study may be conducted by a team of the organization's senior managers. If they lack the expertise or time to do the work internally it may be outsourced to a consultant.

What Are the 4 Types of Feasibility?

The study considers the feasibility of four aspects of a project:

Technical: A list of the hardware and software needed, and the skilled labor required to make them work.

Financial: An estimate of the cost of the overall project and its expected return.

Market: An analysis of the market for the product or service, the industry, competition, consumer demand, sales forecasts, and growth projections

Organizational: An outline of the business structure and the management team that will be needed.

Feasibility studies help project managers determine the viability of a project or business venture by identifying the factors that can lead to its success. The study also shows the potential return on investment and any risks to the success of the venture.

A feasibility study contains a detailed analysis of what's needed to complete the proposed project. The report may include a description of the new product or venture, a market analysis, the technology and labor needed, as well as the sources of financing and capital. The report will also include financial projections, the likelihood of success, and ultimately, a go-or-no-go decision.

Washington State Department of Transportation. " Ultra-High-Speed Ground Transportation Study ."

GeekWire. " Microsoft donates $223K to finish Seattle-Vancouver high-speed rail feasibility study by 2020 ."

StartRunGrow. " Who Conducts Feasibility? "

feasibility analysis for business plan

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What Is a Feasibility Study and How to Conduct It? (+ Examples)

Appinio Research · 26.09.2023 · 27min read

What Is a Feasibility Study and How to Conduct It Examples

Are you ready to turn your project or business idea into a concrete reality but unsure about its feasibility? Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or a first-time project manager, understanding the intricate process of conducting a feasibility study is vital for making informed decisions and maximizing your chances of success.

This guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools to navigate the complexities of market, technical, financial, and operational feasibility studies. By the end, you'll have a clear roadmap to confidently assess, plan, and execute your project.

What is a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study is a systematic and comprehensive analysis of a proposed project or business idea to assess its viability and potential for success. It involves evaluating various aspects such as market demand, technical feasibility, financial viability, and operational capabilities. The primary goal of a feasibility study is to provide you with valuable insights and data to make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the project.

Why is a Feasibility Study Important?

Conducting a feasibility study is a critical step in the planning process for any project or business. It helps you:

  • Minimize Risks: By identifying potential challenges and obstacles early on, you can develop strategies to mitigate risks.
  • Optimize Resource Allocation: A feasibility study helps you allocate your resources more efficiently, including time and money.
  • Enhance Decision-Making: Armed with data and insights, you can make well-informed decisions about pursuing the project or exploring alternative options.
  • Attract Stakeholders: Potential investors, lenders, and partners often require a feasibility study to assess the project's credibility and potential return on investment.

Now that you understand the importance of feasibility studies, let's explore the various types and dive deeper into each aspect.

Types of Feasibility Studies

Feasibility studies come in various forms, each designed to assess different aspects of a project's viability. Let's delve into the four primary types of feasibility studies in more detail:

1. Market Feasibility Study

Market feasibility studies are conducted to determine whether there is a demand for a product or service in a specific market or industry. This type of study focuses on understanding customer needs, market trends, and the competitive landscape. Here are the key elements of a market feasibility study:

  • Market Research and Analysis: Comprehensive research is conducted to gather market size, growth potential , and customer behavior data. This includes both primary research (surveys, interviews) and secondary research (existing reports, data).
  • Target Audience Identification: Identifying the ideal customer base by segmenting the market based on demographics, psychographics, and behavior. Understanding your target audience is crucial for tailoring your product or service.
  • Competitive Analysis : Assessing the competition within the market, including identifying direct and indirect competitors, their strengths, weaknesses, and market share.
  • Demand and Supply Assessment: Analyzing the balance between the demand for the product or service and its supply. This helps determine whether there is room for a new entrant in the market.

2. Technical Feasibility Study

Technical feasibility studies evaluate whether the project can be developed and implemented from a technical standpoint. This assessment focuses on the project's design, technical requirements, and resource availability. Here's what it entails:

  • Project Design and Technical Requirements: Defining the technical specifications of the project, including hardware, software, and any specialized equipment. This phase outlines the technical aspects required for project execution.
  • Technology Assessment: Evaluating the chosen technology's suitability for the project and assessing its scalability and compatibility with existing systems.
  • Resource Evaluation: Assessing the availability of essential resources such as personnel, materials, and suppliers to ensure the project's technical requirements can be met.
  • Risk Analysis: Identifying potential technical risks, challenges, and obstacles that may arise during project development. Developing risk mitigation strategies is a critical part of technical feasibility.

3. Financial Feasibility Study

Financial feasibility studies aim to determine whether the project is financially viable and sustainable in the long run. This type of study involves estimating costs, projecting revenue, and conducting financial analyses. Key components include:

  • Cost Estimation: Calculating both initial and ongoing costs associated with the project, including capital expenditures, operational expenses, and contingency funds.
  • Revenue Projections: Forecasting the income the project is expected to generate, considering sales, pricing strategies, market demand, and potential revenue streams.
  • Investment Analysis: Evaluating the return on investment (ROI), payback period, and potential risks associated with financing the project.
  • Financial Viability Assessment: Analyzing the project's profitability, cash flow, and financial stability to ensure it can meet its financial obligations and sustain operations.

4. Operational Feasibility Study

Operational feasibility studies assess whether the project can be effectively implemented within the organization's existing operational framework. This study considers processes, resource planning, scalability, and operational risks. Key elements include:

  • Process and Workflow Assessment: Analyzing how the project integrates with current processes and workflows, identifying potential bottlenecks, and optimizing operations.
  • Resource Planning: Determining the human, physical, and technological resources required for successful project execution and identifying resource gaps.
  • Scalability Evaluation: Assessing the project's ability to adapt and expand to meet changing demands and growth opportunities, including capacity planning and growth strategies.
  • Operational Risks Analysis: Identifying potential operational challenges and developing strategies to mitigate them, ensuring smooth project implementation.

Each type of feasibility study serves a specific purpose in evaluating different facets of your project, collectively providing a comprehensive assessment of its viability and potential for success.

How to Prepare for a Feasibility Study?

Before you dive into the nitty-gritty details of conducting a feasibility study, it's essential to prepare thoroughly. Proper preparation will set the stage for a successful and insightful study. In this section, we'll explore the main steps involved in preparing for a feasibility study.

1. Identify the Project or Idea

Identifying and defining your project or business idea is the foundational step in the feasibility study process. This initial phase is critical because it helps you clarify your objectives and set the direction for the study.

  • Problem Identification: Start by pinpointing the problem or need your project addresses. What pain point does it solve for your target audience?
  • Project Definition: Clearly define your project or business idea. What are its core components, features, or offerings?
  • Goals and Objectives: Establish specific goals and objectives for your project. What do you aim to achieve in the short and long term?
  • Alignment with Vision: Ensure your project aligns with your overall vision and mission. How does it fit into your larger strategic plan?

Remember, the more precisely you can articulate your project or idea at this stage, the easier it will be to conduct a focused and effective feasibility study.

2. Assemble a Feasibility Study Team

Once you've defined your project, the next step is to assemble a competent and diverse feasibility study team. Your team's expertise will play a crucial role in conducting a thorough assessment of your project's viability.

  • Identify Key Roles: Determine the essential roles required for your feasibility study. These typically include experts in areas such as market research, finance, technology, and operations.
  • Select Team Members: Choose team members with the relevant skills and experience to fulfill these roles effectively. Look for individuals who have successfully conducted feasibility studies in the past.
  • Collaboration and Communication: Foster a collaborative environment within your team. Effective communication is essential to ensure everyone is aligned on objectives and timelines.
  • Project Manager: Designate a project manager responsible for coordinating the study, tracking progress, and meeting deadlines.
  • External Consultants: In some cases, you may need to engage external consultants or specialists with niche expertise to provide valuable insights.

Having the right people on your team will help you collect accurate data, analyze findings comprehensively, and make well-informed decisions based on the study's outcomes.

3. Set Clear Objectives and Scope

Before you begin the feasibility study, it's crucial to establish clear and well-defined objectives. These objectives will guide your research and analysis efforts throughout the study.

Steps to Set Clear Objectives and Scope:

  • Objective Clarity: Define the specific goals you aim to achieve through the feasibility study. What questions do you want to answer, and what decisions will the study inform?
  • Scope Definition: Determine the boundaries of your study. What aspects of the project will be included, and what will be excluded? Clarify any limitations.
  • Resource Allocation: Assess the resources needed for the study, including time, budget, and personnel. Ensure that you allocate resources appropriately based on the scope and objectives.
  • Timeline: Establish a realistic timeline for the feasibility study. Identify key milestones and deadlines for completing different phases of the study.

Clear objectives and a well-defined scope will help you stay focused and avoid scope creep during the study. They also provide a basis for measuring the study's success against its intended outcomes.

4. Gather Initial Information

Before you delve into extensive research and data collection, start by gathering any existing information and documents related to your project or industry. This initial step will help you understand the current landscape and identify gaps in your knowledge.

  • Document Review: Review any existing project documentation, market research reports, business plans, or relevant industry studies.
  • Competitor Analysis: Gather information about your competitors, including their products, pricing, market share, and strategies.
  • Regulatory and Compliance Documents: If applicable, collect information on industry regulations, permits, licenses, and compliance requirements.
  • Market Trends: Stay informed about current market trends, consumer preferences, and emerging technologies that may impact your project.
  • Stakeholder Interviews: Consider conducting initial interviews with key stakeholders, including potential customers, suppliers, and industry experts, to gather insights and feedback.

By starting with a strong foundation of existing knowledge, you'll be better prepared to identify gaps that require further investigation during the feasibility study. This proactive approach ensures that your study is comprehensive and well-informed from the outset.

How to Conduct a Market Feasibility Study?

The market feasibility study is a crucial component of your overall feasibility analysis. It focuses on assessing the potential demand for your product or service, understanding your target audience, analyzing your competition, and evaluating supply and demand dynamics within your chosen market.

Market Research and Analysis

Market research is the foundation of your market feasibility study. It involves gathering and analyzing data to gain insights into market trends, customer preferences, and the overall business landscape.

  • Data Collection: Utilize various methods such as surveys, interviews, questionnaires, and secondary research to collect data about the market. This data may include market size, growth rates, and historical trends.
  • Market Segmentation: Divide the market into segments based on factors such as demographics, psychographics , geography, and behavior. This segmentation helps you identify specific target markets.
  • Customer Needs Analysis: Understand the needs, preferences, and pain points of potential customers . Determine how your product or service can address these needs effectively.
  • Market Trends: Stay updated on current market trends, emerging technologies, and industry innovations that could impact your project.
  • SWOT Analysis: Conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to identify internal and external factors that may affect your market entry strategy.

In today's dynamic market landscape, gathering precise data for your market feasibility study is paramount. Appinio offers a versatile platform that enables you to swiftly collect valuable market insights from a diverse audience.

With Appinio, you can employ surveys, questionnaires, and in-depth analyses to refine your understanding of market trends, customer preferences, and competition.

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Target Audience Identification

Knowing your target audience is essential for tailoring your product or service to meet their specific needs and preferences.

  • Demographic Analysis: Define the age, gender, income level, education, and other demographic characteristics of your ideal customers.
  • Psychographic Profiling: Understand the psychographics of your target audience, including their lifestyle, values, interests, and buying behavior.
  • Market Segmentation: Refine your target audience by segmenting it further based on shared characteristics and behaviors.
  • Needs and Pain Points: Identify your target audience's unique needs, challenges, and pain points that your product or service can address.
  • Competitor's Customers: Analyze the customer base of your competitors to identify potential opportunities for capturing market share.

Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis helps you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors, positioning your project strategically within the market.

  • Competitor Identification: Identify direct and indirect competitors within your industry or market niche.
  • Competitive Advantage: Determine the unique selling points (USPs) that set your project apart from competitors. What value can you offer that others cannot?
  • SWOT Analysis for Competitors: Conduct a SWOT analysis for each competitor to assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
  • Market Share Assessment: Analyze each competitor's market share and market penetration strategies.
  • Pricing Strategies: Investigate the pricing strategies employed by competitors and consider how your pricing strategy will compare.

Leveraging the power of data collection and analysis is essential in gaining a competitive edge. With Appinio , you can efficiently gather critical insights about your competitors, their strengths, and weaknesses. Seamlessly integrate these findings into your market feasibility study, empowering your project with a strategic advantage.

Demand and Supply Assessment

Understanding supply and demand dynamics is crucial for gauging market sustainability and potential challenges.

  • Market Demand Analysis: Estimate the current and future demand for your product or service. Consider factors like seasonality and trends.
  • Supply Evaluation: Assess the availability of resources, suppliers, and distribution channels required to meet the expected demand.
  • Market Saturation: Determine whether the market is saturated with similar offerings and how this might affect your project.
  • Demand Forecasting: Use historical data and market trends to make informed projections about future demand.
  • Scalability: Consider the scalability of your project to meet increased demand or potential fluctuations.

A comprehensive market feasibility study will give you valuable insights into your potential customer base, market dynamics, and competitive landscape. This information will be pivotal in shaping your project's direction and strategy.

How to Conduct a Technical Feasibility Study?

The technical feasibility study assesses the practicality of implementing your project from a technical standpoint. It involves evaluating the project's design, technical requirements, technological feasibility, resource availability, and risk analysis. Let's delve into each aspect in more detail.

1. Project Design and Technical Requirements

The project design and technical requirements are the foundation of your technical feasibility study. This phase involves defining the technical specifications and infrastructure needed to execute your project successfully.

  • Technical Specifications: Clearly define the technical specifications of your project, including hardware, software, and any specialized equipment.
  • Infrastructure Planning: Determine the physical infrastructure requirements, such as facilities, utilities, and transportation logistics.
  • Development Workflow: Outline the workflow and processes required to design, develop, and implement the project.
  • Prototyping: Consider creating prototypes or proof-of-concept models to test and validate the technical aspects of your project.

2. Technology Assessment

A critical aspect of the technical feasibility study is assessing the technology required for your project and ensuring it aligns with your goals.

  • Technology Suitability: Evaluate the suitability of the chosen technology for your project. Is it the right fit, or are there better alternatives?
  • Scalability and Compatibility: Assess whether the chosen technology can scale as your project grows and whether it is compatible with existing systems or software.
  • Security Measures: Consider cybersecurity and data protection measures to safeguard sensitive information.
  • Technical Expertise: Ensure your team or external partners possess the technical expertise to implement and maintain the technology.

3. Resource Evaluation

Resource evaluation involves assessing the availability of the essential resources required to execute your project successfully. These resources include personnel, materials, and suppliers.

  • Human Resources: Evaluate whether you have access to skilled personnel or if additional hiring or training is necessary.
  • Material Resources: Identify the materials and supplies needed for your project and assess their availability and costs.
  • Supplier Relationships: Establish relationships with reliable suppliers and consistently assess their ability to meet your resource requirements.

4. Risk Analysis

Risk analysis is a critical component of the technical feasibility study, as it helps you anticipate and mitigate potential technical challenges and setbacks.

  • Identify Risks: Identify potential technical risks, such as hardware or software failures, technical skill gaps, or unforeseen technical obstacles.
  • Risk Mitigation Strategies: Develop strategies to mitigate identified risks, including contingency plans and resource allocation for risk management.
  • Cost Estimation for Risk Mitigation: Assess the potential costs associated with managing technical risks and incorporate them into your project budget.

By conducting a thorough technical feasibility study, you can ensure that your project is technically viable and well-prepared to overcome technical challenges. This assessment will also guide decision-making regarding technology choices, resource allocation, and risk management strategies.

How to Conduct a Financial Feasibility Study?

The financial feasibility study is a critical aspect of your overall feasibility analysis. It focuses on assessing the financial viability of your project by estimating costs, projecting revenue, conducting investment analysis, and evaluating the overall financial health of your project. Let's delve into each aspect in more detail.

1. Cost Estimation

Cost estimation is the process of calculating the expenses associated with planning, developing, and implementing your project. This involves identifying both initial and ongoing costs.

  • Initial Costs: Calculate the upfront expenses required to initiate the project, including capital expenditures, equipment purchases, and any development costs.
  • Operational Costs: Estimate the ongoing operating expenses, such as salaries, utilities, rent, marketing, and maintenance.
  • Contingency Funds: Allocate funds for unexpected expenses or contingencies to account for unforeseen challenges.
  • Depreciation: Consider the depreciation of assets over time, as it impacts your financial statements.

2. Revenue Projections

Revenue projections involve forecasting the income your project is expected to generate over a specific period. Accurate revenue projections are crucial for assessing the project's financial viability.

  • Sales Forecasts: Estimate your product or service sales based on market demand, pricing strategies, and potential growth.
  • Pricing Strategy: Determine your pricing strategy, considering factors like competition, market conditions, and customer willingness to pay.
  • Market Penetration: Analyze how quickly you can capture market share and increase sales over time.
  • Seasonal Variations: Account for any seasonal fluctuations in revenue that may impact your cash flow.

3. Investment Analysis

Investment analysis involves evaluating the potential return on investment (ROI) and assessing the attractiveness of your project to potential investors or stakeholders.

  • Return on Investment (ROI): Calculate the expected ROI by comparing the project's net gains against the initial investment.
  • Payback Period: Determine how long it will take for the project to generate sufficient revenue to cover its initial costs.
  • Risk Assessment: Consider the level of risk associated with the project and whether it aligns with investors' risk tolerance.
  • Sensitivity Analysis: Perform sensitivity analysis to understand how changes in key variables, such as sales or costs, affect the investment's profitability.

4. Financial Viability Assessment

A financial viability assessment evaluates the project's ability to sustain itself financially in the long term. It considers factors such as profitability, cash flow, and financial stability.

  • Profitability Analysis: Assess whether the project is expected to generate profits over its lifespan.
  • Cash Flow Management: Analyze the project's cash flow to ensure it can cover operating expenses, debt payments, and other financial obligations.
  • Break-Even Analysis: Determine the point at which the project's revenue covers all costs, resulting in neither profit nor loss.
  • Financial Ratios: Calculate key financial ratios, such as debt-to-equity ratio and return on equity, to evaluate the project's financial health.

By conducting a comprehensive financial feasibility study, you can gain a clear understanding of the project's financial prospects and make informed decisions regarding its viability and potential for success.

How to Conduct an Operational Feasibility Study?

The operational feasibility study assesses whether your project can be implemented effectively within your organization's operational framework. It involves evaluating processes, resource planning, scalability, and analyzing potential operational risks.

1. Process and Workflow Assessment

The process and workflow assessment examines how the project integrates with existing processes and workflows within your organization.

  • Process Mapping: Map out current processes and workflows to identify areas of integration and potential bottlenecks.
  • Workflow Efficiency: Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of existing workflows and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Change Management: Consider the project's impact on employees and plan for change management strategies to ensure a smooth transition.

2. Resource Planning

Resource planning involves determining the human, physical, and technological resources needed to execute the project successfully.

  • Human Resources: Assess the availability of skilled personnel and consider whether additional hiring or training is necessary.
  • Physical Resources: Identify the physical infrastructure, equipment, and materials required for the project.
  • Technology and Tools: Ensure that the necessary technology and tools are available and up to date to support project implementation.

3. Scalability Evaluation

Scalability evaluation assesses whether the project can adapt and expand to meet changing demands and growth opportunities.

  • Scalability Factors: Identify factors impacting scalability, such as market growth, customer demand, and technological advancements.
  • Capacity Planning: Plan for the scalability of resources, including personnel, infrastructure, and technology.
  • Growth Strategies: Develop strategies for scaling the project, such as geographic expansion, product diversification, or increasing production capacity.

4. Operational Risk Analysis

Operational risk analysis involves identifying potential operational challenges and developing mitigation strategies.

  • Risk Identification: Identify operational risks that could disrupt project implementation or ongoing operations.
  • Risk Mitigation: Develop risk mitigation plans and contingency strategies to address potential challenges.
  • Testing and Simulation: Consider conducting simulations or testing to evaluate how the project performs under various operational scenarios.
  • Monitoring and Adaptation: Implement monitoring and feedback mechanisms to detect and address operational issues as they arise.

Conducting a thorough operational feasibility study ensures that your project aligns with your organization's capabilities, processes, and resources. This assessment will help you plan for a successful implementation and minimize operational disruptions.

How to Write a Feasibility Study?

The feasibility study report is the culmination of your feasibility analysis. It provides a structured and comprehensive document outlining your study's findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Let's explore the key components of the feasibility study report.

1. Structure and Components

The structure of your feasibility study report should be well-organized and easy to navigate. It typically includes the following components:

  • Executive Summary: A concise summary of the study's key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
  • Introduction: An overview of the project, the objectives of the study, and a brief outline of what the report covers.
  • Methodology: A description of the research methods , data sources, and analytical techniques used in the study.
  • Market Feasibility Study: Detailed information on market research, target audience, competitive analysis, and demand-supply assessment.
  • Technical Feasibility Study: Insights into project design, technical requirements, technology assessment, resource evaluation, and risk analysis.
  • Financial Feasibility Study: Comprehensive information on cost estimation, revenue projections, investment analysis, and financial viability assessment.
  • Operational Feasibility Study: Details on process and workflow assessment, resource planning, scalability evaluation, and operational risks analysis.
  • Conclusion: A summary of key findings and conclusions drawn from the study.

Recommendations: Clear and actionable recommendations based on the study's findings.

2. Write the Feasibility Study Report

When writing the feasibility study report, it's essential to maintain clarity, conciseness, and objectivity. Use clear language and provide sufficient detail to support your conclusions and recommendations.

  • Be Objective: Present findings and conclusions impartially, based on data and analysis.
  • Use Visuals: Incorporate charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate key points and make the report more accessible.
  • Cite Sources: Properly cite all data sources and references used in the study.
  • Include Appendices: Attach any supplementary information, data, or documents in appendices for reference.

3. Present Findings and Recommendations

When presenting your findings and recommendations, consider your target audience. Tailor your presentation to the needs and interests of stakeholders, whether they are investors, executives, or decision-makers.

  • Highlight Key Takeaways: Summarize the most critical findings and recommendations upfront.
  • Use Visual Aids: Create a visually engaging presentation with slides, charts, and infographics.
  • Address Questions: Be prepared to answer questions and provide additional context during the presentation.
  • Provide Supporting Data: Back up your findings and recommendations with data from the feasibility study.

4. Review and Validation

Before finalizing the feasibility study report, conducting a thorough review and validation process is crucial. This ensures the accuracy and credibility of the report.

  • Peer Review: Have colleagues or subject matter experts review the report for accuracy and completeness.
  • Data Validation: Double-check data sources and calculations to ensure they are accurate.
  • Cross-Functional Review: Involve team members from different disciplines to provide diverse perspectives.
  • Stakeholder Input: Seek input from key stakeholders to validate findings and recommendations.

By following a structured approach to creating your feasibility study report, you can effectively communicate the results of your analysis, support informed decision-making, and increase the likelihood of project success.

Feasibility Study Examples

Let's dive into some real-world examples to truly grasp the concept and application of feasibility studies. These examples will illustrate how various types of projects and businesses undergo the feasibility assessment process to ensure their viability and success.

Example 1: Local Restaurant

Imagine you're passionate about opening a new restaurant in a bustling urban area. Before investing significant capital, you'd want to conduct a thorough feasibility study. Here's how it might unfold:

  • Market Feasibility: You research the local dining scene, identify target demographics, and assess the demand for your cuisine. Market surveys reveal potential competitors, dining preferences, and pricing expectations.
  • Technical Feasibility: You design the restaurant layout, plan the kitchen setup, and assess the technical requirements for equipment and facilities. You consider factors like kitchen efficiency, safety regulations, and adherence to health codes.
  • Financial Feasibility: You estimate the initial costs for leasing or purchasing a space, kitchen equipment, staff hiring, and marketing. Revenue projections are based on expected foot traffic, menu pricing, and seasonal variations.
  • Operational Feasibility: You create kitchen and service operations workflow diagrams, considering staff roles and responsibilities. Resource planning includes hiring chefs, waitstaff, and kitchen personnel. Scalability is evaluated for potential expansion or franchising.
  • Risk Analysis: Potential operational risks are identified, such as food safety concerns, labor shortages, or location-specific challenges. Risk mitigation strategies involve staff training, quality control measures, and contingency plans for unexpected events.

Example 2: Software Development Project

Now, let's explore the feasibility study process for a software development project, such as building a mobile app:

  • Market Feasibility: You analyze the mobile app market, identify your target audience, and assess the demand for a solution in a specific niche. You gather user feedback and conduct competitor analysis to understand the competitive landscape.
  • Technical Feasibility: You define the technical requirements for the app, considering platforms (iOS, Android), development tools, and potential integrations with third-party services. You evaluate the feasibility of implementing specific features.
  • Financial Feasibility: You estimate the development costs, including hiring developers, designers, and ongoing maintenance expenses. Revenue projections are based on app pricing, potential in-app purchases, and advertising revenue.
  • Operational Feasibility: You map out the development workflow, detailing the phases from concept to deployment. Resource planning includes hiring developers with the necessary skills, setting up development environments, and establishing a testing framework.
  • Risk Analysis: Potential risks like scope creep, technical challenges, or market saturation are assessed. Mitigation strategies involve setting clear project milestones, conducting thorough testing, and having contingency plans for technical glitches.

These examples demonstrate the versatility of feasibility studies across diverse projects. Whatever type of venture or endeavor you want to embark on, a well-structured feasibility study guides you toward informed decisions and increased project success.

In conclusion, conducting a feasibility study is a crucial step in your project's journey. It helps you assess the viability and potential risks, providing a solid foundation for informed decision-making. Remember, a well-executed feasibility study not only enables you to identify challenges but also uncovers opportunities that can lead to your project's success.

By thoroughly examining market trends, technical requirements, financial aspects, and operational considerations, you are better prepared to embark on your project confidently. With this guide, you've gained the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the intricate terrain of feasibility studies.

How to Conduct a Feasibility Study in Minutes?

Speed and precision are paramount for feasibility studies, and Appinio delivers just that. As a real-time market research platform, Appinio empowers you to seamlessly conduct your market research in a matter of minutes, putting actionable insights at your fingertips.

Here's why Appinio stands out as the go-to tool for feasibility studies:

  • Rapid Insights: Appinio's intuitive platform ensures that anyone, regardless of their research background, can effortlessly navigate and conduct research, saving valuable time and resources.
  • Lightning-Fast Responses: With an average field time of under 23 minutes for 1,000 respondents, Appinio ensures that you get the answers you need when you need them, making it ideal for time-sensitive feasibility studies.
  • Global Reach: Appinio's extensive reach spans over 90 countries, allowing you to define the perfect target group from a pool of 1,200+ characteristics and gather insights from diverse markets.

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Project Management

Mastering project viability: 7-step guide to a flawless feasibility study.

Sarah Burner

ClickUp Contributor

December 30, 2023

Coming up with a groundbreaking project idea that could skyrocket your company’s success is thrilling! But before diving headfirst into making it a reality, it’s crucial to pause and assess its feasibility . Can this project really succeed? Do you have the necessary tools and resources? Will the results be worth the investment? 

Enter feasibility study—the key to answering these critical questions and shaping the destiny of your project. 

In this article, we’re delving deep into the world of feasibility studies. We’ll equip you with everything you need to know about conducting a feasibility study and determining whether your project has what it takes to flourish. 🌷

What is a Feasibility Study?

What are the benefits of a feasibility study, types of feasibility studies, step 1: do the preliminary analysis, step 2: make a project scope outline, step 3: prepare a projected income statement, step 4: perform market research, step 5: create an opening-day balance sheet, step 6: review and analyze all data, step 7: reach a go or no-go decision.

A feasibility study examines if a proposed project is doable and evaluates its chances of success. While doing this study, you should pinpoint project goals , delve into market research , and outline the necessary resources and budget for successful project execution. 

After the study, the decision-making executives or investors determine whether the project should get the green light based on the feasibility analysis. ✅

The importance of a feasibility study lies in the following:

  • Establishing whether a company, team, or organization can fulfill its promises within a reasonable timeframe
  • Stopping a company from taking on risky projects 
  • Providing details on the company’s operations, potential challenges, competitors, and funding sources, along with their allocation

A feasibility study evaluates if your project or product is viable and has the potential to succeed. The main benefits of having a feasibility study report include:

  • Risk assessment: It helps identify potential risks and challenges that may arise during project implementation so you can mitigate them in due time
  • Cost evaluation: It aids in determining if the project is financially viable and if the potential ROI justifies the expenses
  • Resource allocation: It assists in determining the necessary resources —human, financial, and technological—required for the project, helping in effective resource allocation and management
  • Market analysis: Feasibility studies help you understand the demand, competition, and potential customer base through market research, shaping the product to fit market needs
  • Decision-making: The insights gained from a feasibility study help stakeholders make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the project, modify it, or abandon it altogether
  • Legal and regulatory compliance: It helps ensure that the project complies with laws and regulations, minimizing potential legal issues in the future

Conducting various feasibility studies allows you to evaluate your project from diverse angles and perspectives. Feasibility studies can be broadly categorized into several types based on the focus of the assessment:

  • Technical feasibility: Evaluates if the proposed project can be implemented from a technical standpoint. It assesses the availability of technology, expertise, and infrastructure required
  • Economic feasibility: Analyzes the cost-effectiveness of the project. It estimates potential costs, returns on investment , and the overall financial viability
  • Legal feasibility: Examines legal aspects like compliance with laws, regulations, permits, and any potential legal hurdles
  • Operational feasibility: Evaluates if the project can meet the organization’s needs and to what extent 
  • Scheduling feasibility: Digs into the project’s timeframe , assessing if it can be completed within a reasonable and acceptable time 
  • Market feasibility: Focuses on understanding the market demand, competition, and potential customers suitable for the project’s products or services

How to Conduct a Feasibility Study in 7 Easy Steps

For a successful feasibility study, following the correct steps and ensuring every aspect is thoroughly analyzed is vital. We’re here to guide you through seven simple steps to assess feasibility , ensuring your project is fully prepared for its long-anticipated launch. Let’s take a look!

Running a full feasibility study can eat up time and technical resources. Instead of diving straight into the assessment, try dipping your toes in first by doing a preliminary analysis. Think of it like a test before the big test. 🤓

Here are four simple steps for this initial check :

  • Start by laying out what you want from this project and why it matters to your team or business
  • Look for similar projects out there and see if they’ve been successful
  • Figure out what sets your idea apart—maybe it’s your team, the location, or the technology you use
  • Determine the risks by listing out the things that could go wrong

Once you’ve done this check, you’ll better understand whether it’s worth digging deeper into the project’s feasibility. 

To gather and easily share all this information, you can rely on ClickUp —a one-stop shop for all your business and project needs! 

ClickUp Docs feature is excellent for collecting information in a single document so everything is accessible to all your team members. You can write, edit, leave comments, and collaborate in Docs in real-time. 

ClickUp Docs Subpages

Need to assign tasks or tag teammates? You can do it in Docs with ease! Plus, you can jazz up your documents with tables and subsections to ensure all data is presented in a structured manner. 🎺

You can also effortlessly create dedicated subpages for each preliminary analysis stage, ensuring streamlined organization of all data. On top of this, you can create easily shareable links and manage permissions efficiently for your team members and stakeholders.

If starting a feasibility report from scratch seems daunting, leverage the ClickUp Project Outline Template ! It breaks things down into steps so you don’t miss a beat. 🥁

It has separate pages for:

  • Project timeline
  • Budget and investments
  • Constraints and assumptions 

Like all ClickUp Docs, the template is fully customizable , so feel free to rename pages or create new ones to match your feasibility analysis needs. 

ClickUp Project Outline Template

To determine your project’s impact, you have to nail down what the project is all about. That means getting a clear idea of its goals, tasks, costs, and deadlines . Plus, you’ll have to identify everyone involved, from stakeholders to clients and customers. 

When it’s brainstorming time , nothing beats a good old whiteboard. It’s your canvas for creativity, color-coded organization, and ensuring everyone’s on the same page. But if you’re operating with remote or hybrid teams , the ClickUp Project Scope Whiteboard Template is the perfect solution! ✨

ClickUp Project Scope Whiteboard Template

This template has all the benefits of a physical whiteboard but goes the extra mile with additional features, making it a more versatile tool. It includes seven components—information, justification, scope, business objectives, deliverables, exclusions, and assumptions. 

You have the freedom to customize it by:

  • Adding or removing sticky notes
  • Including text, links, files, photos, and drawings 
  • Sharing it for seamless collaboration 🤝

This ClickUp Whiteboard is a great starting point for organizing your project and brainstorming its key elements. Plus, you can personalize it by adding, erasing, or renaming elements as needed.

Crafting a projected income statement is like looking into your business’s crystal ball for the upcoming year. It tells you all about the estimated revenue and expenses, serving as a vital tool for informed business decisions. Factors shaping this statement include:

  • Services provided
  • Service fees
  • Service volume
  • Revenue adjustments

Create a personalized income statement effortlessly with the ClickUp General Ledger Template ! Think of this handy tool as your financial assistant. It easily manages your income statement and your company’s entire financial records, staying on as a powerful sidekick even after your project passes the feasibility analysis! 💪

ClickUp General Ledger Template

This template comes with Custom Fields tailor-made to capture every nitty-gritty transaction detail, including transaction dates, receipts, and entry numbers.

After recording transactions, leverage the document’s four main views to generate diverse financial statements:

  • Profit & Loss Board view : Provides a financial scoreboard and helps you visualize revenues, expenses, and profits from recorded transactions. It lets you easily track and reclassify items by dragging them across the board
  • Balance Sheets Board view : Maps out your assets, liabilities, and equity in one neat ClickUp Dashboard , making sure your financial ship stays on course
  • General Ledger and Transaction List views : Allows day-to-day transaction tracking grouped by account title or other parameters

With the template’s comprehensive financial overview, every detail will be accounted for. This gives you the confidence to make accurate financial decisions and successfully navigate the feasibility analysis for your project.

Market research is crucial for understanding what your potential customers want and need , helping you understand whether there’s a market for your product or service. It also lets you size up your competition and determine the best way to position your business for success. 🎉

There are different ways to do market research; one popular method is sending a market survey. ClickUp AI makes creating market research surveys a breeze! Take advantage of its quick, generative power to craft surveys tailored to your brand and audience in the blink of an eye. 

All you need to do is ask the right questions and target the desired audience. Then, leave it to the AI assistant to generate significant trends , preferences, and opinions that will shape your business decisions .

Speaking of AI, you can also conduct speedy market research with the ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Market Research And Analysis Template ! This handy tool offers hundreds of AI prompts to generate content useful for analyzing market trends and preferences. 

ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Market Research And Analysis Template

Let’s say you need information on the latest industry trends for your marketing strategy. Try the prompt: Can you provide a report on market trends and predictions for [insert name] industry to inform our business strategy? And you’ll get the results you were looking for in a jiff! ⚡

To make sure you cover all the steps in your research and nothing slips through the cracks, leverage the ClickUp Market Research Template as your personal task list .

This Task template guides you through the intricacies of research, encompassing your methodology, data collection methods, and the invaluable findings acquired from existing or prospective customers using Custom Fields.

Within this template, every task is accompanied by a subtask list, enabling you to closely monitor each research step. These tasks include critical actions like defining research scopes and assembling a proficient research team. 🕵🏼‍♂️

Assignees can easily oversee the progress of each subtask by employing Custom Statuses like Open, Under Review, or Closed, streamlining the monitoring process.

ClickUp Market Research Template

One of the smartest ways to collect all your assets, liabilities, and equity is by starting with an opening-day balance sheet. It’s like a snapshot of where your company stands regarding finances and assets when you’re launching a new project or business venture.

First, input all the assets you’ll need to run your operations smoothly. This includes cash for day-to-day expenses, inventory, equipment, property—all the essentials. Next, list liabilities like loans and leases and how much you’ll need to invest. It may take time, but having these details puts you on the right financial track. 

Want to skip the hassle of crafting your balance sheet? The ClickUp Balance Sheet Sample Template has your back! It comes loaded with ready-made tables and fields you can tweak with your financial specifics, and voila—your balance sheet is good to go! 👌

ClickUp Balance Sheet Sample Template

This Doc template comes with dedicated tables for:

  • Financial assets
  • Non-financial assets
  • Liabilities

Feel free to add more rows and columns to fit your business needs and share the document with the whole team for an easy financial rundown. 

Now, take a breather and reflect on your plan again. Checking and analyzing things ensures everything’s on track and there’s no need for further customization. 

Cross-check the data against its original sources and flag any inconsistencies . The whole point of a feasibility study is to help you make better decisions, so the data you collect needs to back up those choices. 

You should review the feasibility study by considering both the upsides and downsides of the project. When it comes to the finances, leave no stone unturned—document all the assumptions. 

During this stage, it’s crucial to pinpoint potential risks and have mitigation strategies to tackle them. This can make or break your project feasibility—if the risks involved are worth the reward, your project may get the green light. Otherwise, you may want to reconsider your business idea.

Visualize your project’s risk landscape using the ClickUp Risk Analysis Whiteboard Template ! Pinpoint the probability and severity of each risk from your feasibility study by placing sticky notes on the color-coded Whiteboard map.

ClickUp Risk Analysis Whiteboard Template

When the probability and severity of a potential risk rank as High or Serious, it might signal a need to rethink your approach or brainstorm solutions with your team. Conversely, if most risks fall into the Medium/Low category , your project stands a better chance of getting the thumbs-up. 👍

Congrats, you’ve reached the exciting moment of deciding whether the project will get the green light! 

Before taking the plunge, it’s up to relevant clients or stakeholders to decide whether the project is worth their time, effort, and money and if it syncs up with the organization’s big-picture goals. 🖼️

To wrap up and pitch your feasibility study, grab the ClickUp Feasibility Study Executive Summary Template . Leverage its pre-designed layout to provide: 

  • Project Overview
  • Focused Issue
  • Proposed Solution 

Then, dive into the Project Highlights —impress the stakeholders by summarizing crucial findings like market analysis and project strengths and rely on charts and graphs for that visual punch. 👊

Use the provided tables to note resources, timelines, and other success strategies. Finally, don’t forget the financial forecast —charts and graphs also come in handy here, as they will paint a more vivid picture of the project’s value for money. 

ClickUp Feasibility Study Executive Summary Template

Presenting all this information in a slick, structured way will help stakeholders wrap their heads around your idea, making their decision-making journey much smoother.

Conduct a Feasibility Study Effortlessly with ClickUp

Running a comprehensive feasibility study doesn’t happen in a flash. But navigating it becomes much more relaxed when you stick to the seven key steps we’ve laid out and use the appropriate project management tools.

For a seamless journey through your analysis objectives, sign up for a free ClickUp account today ! This powerful tool not only aids in every step of the feasibility study but also serves as an all-in-one project management wizard !

Once your project gets the green light, you’ll love using ClickUp’s treasure trove of project management tools , a library of 1,000+ templates , and numerous collaboration tools to stay on top of your project like a pro! 😎

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Feasibility analysis for new businesses

Feasibility analysis involves assessing your new business idea in detail to determine if it will be viable. This can build on any initial research you've already done.

A feasibility analysis helps you consider the costs and activities required to set up and run a business, and how to make an informed decision about whether to start a business and how to do it.

Most importantly, it will give you a picture of the costs involved that you'll need to consider and the revenue and profit you can realistically expect to generate.

To determine if your business idea is practical and achievable, there are areas you can investigate and study.

Ask yourself these practical questions and how they relate to your situation as a starting point.

  • Is the business logistically achievable?
  • Does current technology meet your needs?
  • What are the risks?
  • How will your products or service differ from what is on the market?
  • What is the trajectory of the market?
  • Do you have the finances to make the business achievable?
  • Is there a time constraint for establishing the business?

How to analyse the feasibility of your business

To conduct a feasibility analysis, you will need a detailed understanding of:

  • your business idea, product or service
  • the nature of the market
  • the needs of your customers
  • the costs involved and the revenue you are forecasting
  • your business model and plan
  • the human resources and skills available to support the business.

A feasibility analysis – to provide details for a formal business plan – may be necessary when preparing a pitch to investors, lenders or potential partners for your business, and when applying for government funding.

Steps for feasibility analysis

Follow these steps to analyse the feasibility of your business.

  • the financial feasibility of starting the business (read below)
  • the legal requirements for operating it
  • the operational capacity as outlined in your business plan .
  • Research the industry, market, customers, business model and staffing – how will they affect the feasibility of your business?
  • Review your research findings to determine if the business idea, product or service is viable.

Types of feasibility analysis

There are different types of feasibility analysis that you can use. Each type will focus on a specific part of your business operations.

Use this type of analysis to determine if your business has adequate economic resources to meet its goals (e.g. funding, capital, profit).

  • What is the financial position of the business?
  • Is the business able to access necessary funding?
  • Can the business make a profit?
  • Does the business have enough money to meet its obligations?

Use this type of analysis to determine if your business successfully meets the necessary legal requirements to operate (e.g. business registrations, permits and licences).

  • Does the business have all relevant registrations, licences and permits in place?
  • Does the business have access to legal advice as necessary?

Use this type of analysis to determine if your business has the operational resources it requires to be successful (e.g. business structure, premises, suppliers, human resources and equipment).

  • Is the business structure confirmed?
  • Are the business premises and location suitable?
  • Does the business have access to a variety of suppliers?
  • Does the business have the necessary staffing and equipment to operate?

Include feasibility analysis in your business plan

The business plan template contains an action checklist that you can use to help assess your business's financial, legal and operational feasibility.

Read more about writing a business plan .

Financial viability

Financial viability is your business's capacity to generate enough income to meet its operating costs while maintaining required service levels.

Make sure you've calculated the costs required to start your business and that you have funds to cover these.

To assess the financial viability of your business, consider if your business:

  • is profitable
  • can give you an income, salary or return on investment
  • is meeting all business obligations
  • has adequate cash resources
  • could sustain operations through a phase of no profit.

Assessing your business's financial viability

You will need to:

  • calculate key profit figures
  • determine the break-even point of your business
  • develop a cash flow statement and use it to estimate how long the business can survive without making profit

Your cash flow, key profit figures and budget will contribute to your business plan. You might choose to compile this financial information yourself or work with a financial adviser.

For more information, see:

  • budgets and forecasts
  • cash flow management
  • working with accountants, bookkeepers and tax agents .

Starting lean

'Starting lean' describes the method for starting a business or introducing a product or service as efficiently as possible.

Starting lean can help you to determine the feasibility of your business while minimising costs, time commitment and resources.

Starting lean may involve:

  • scheduling a research phase early in your start-up preparation before the business opens or new product launches
  • starting with a concept or product that can be developed and tested quickly and at low cost – this will help you validate the level of demand in the market before making a larger financial commitment
  • continuing the testing phase for as long as necessary – viability increases when you make improvements between a series of tests, as opposed to a one-off test.

When the business concept, idea or product is validated, you can proceed to establishing your business.

Product and service viability

Product and service viability is a type of analysis that looks specifically at considerations associated with business products and services, rather than the business itself.

Product viability refers to the potential that business products have to generate demand in the market and be profitable.

To help you determine if a product is viable, consider the following:

  • Is the product safe?
  • Will the product fit into the market?
  • How quickly can we get the product into the market?
  • Does the current product need to be improved?
  • How will you manage the research and development?
  • Can you partner with industry or research partners to innovate? Take the innovation readiness quiz .
  • Do you have the time and money available to innovate?
  • Is there a gap in the market for this product?
  • Do you have the funding to develop the new product?
  • How will you manage and protect intellectual property ?

Long-term viability of products and services

It can be beneficial to consider the long-term value of your business products or services when determining their viability and how much to invest in production or marketing.

Consider the following:

  • Will your products and services be viable in 5–10 years or will trends diminish their value?
  • Are the products and services dependent on other products and services (e.g. maintenance, parts, servicing requirements)? If so, will those still be available in 5–10 years?
  • Can your products and services adapt to industry changes and meet market needs in new ways in the future (e.g. integrate with new technologies, such as renewables)?
  • What capital requirements will be needed in the long term?
  • Will the potential income be worth the capital investment?

Customer needs now and in the future

Customers are the end-users of your products and services. Considering both the current and future needs of your customers is key to determining if your business idea, product or service is feasible.

To help ensure that your customer needs are met, consider:

  • conducting usability testing—the process of testing a product or design with a group of users that are representative of your target customers
  • implementing universal design principles—used to ensure products and services are accessible to the widest range of customers.

Customer feasibility checklist

You can use the following checklist to help you consider if your business idea, product or service will be feasible.

  • Will you conduct usability testing?
  • Will you apply universal design principles?
  • How will your pricing affect the size of the market?
  • How will competitors affect your price position in the market?
  • Will the customer need to purchase maintenance packages or pay for regular upgrades?

Business model considerations

A business model outlines the core attributes of a business. It defines the business products and services, target market and costs, and details a high-level strategy for how the business plans to make a profit.

You should consider the long-term operation of the business when assessing its feasibility – the business must be viable in the start-up phase and be able to maintain this viability into the future.

  • The ownership structure of the business – is it fit for purpose? Could it be changed to better suit your business goals?
  • The capital required from lenders or investors – what capital do you need to make your business profitable in the short and long term?
  • The distribution channels available – do you have channels available to distribute your products and services efficiently?
  • The potential to licence or sell products and services in the future – will you require specific licences to sell your products and services? Will you be able to meet the necessary requirements?
  • The future export potential – will you export your products or services? If so, are they any existing or potential trade barriers?

Choosing the ideal team

Part of analysing a business's feasibility is analysing its human resources. You should consider the attributes people, within and outside the business, should have to help your business succeed.

  • The owner or director is responsible for the business.
  • Are they the right person to manage and lead the business now and in the future?
  • Will they be the best person to help the business grow or will you need more people to provide support?
  • What kind of capital does your business need?
  • Equity partners might help you reach your business goals.
  • Make sure you have identified the amount of equity you are prepared to give to others before engaging in partnership discussions.
  • Your staff are vital to your business success.
  • Both managers and general staff are needed to lead and operate the business.
  • Think about the staff you have and the staff you may need in the future.
  • Independent contractors can help you meet specialist needs in both the short and long term.
  • Consider the potential skills gaps within your business and opportunities for outsourcing.

Other key people may benefit your business and help you build capacity for growth and improvement, such as:

  • researchers
  • financial advisers
  • intellectual property specialists
  • accountants
  • bookkeepers
  • IT specialists
  • advertising and marketing managers.

Also consider...

  • Learn about marketing and customer research .
  • Understand the process of researching customers .
  • Read customer stories from the Entrepreneurs’ Programme .
  • Find out about Australian Government grants and programs .
  • Read about the Advance Queensland initiative .
  • Get export support .
  • Learn about grants for innovation .
  • Take the business readiness health check .
  • Understand patents .
  • Last reviewed: 10 Oct 2022
  • Last updated: 10 Oct 2022

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11.3: Conducting a Feasibility Analysis

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  • Michael Laverty and Chris Littel et al.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Describe the purpose of a feasibility analysis
  • Describe and develop the parts of a feasibility analysis
  • Understand how to apply feasibility outcomes to a new venture

As the name suggests, a feasibility analysis is designed to assess whether your entrepreneurial endeavor is, in fact, feasible or possible. By evaluating your management team, assessing the market for your concept, estimating financial viability, and identifying potential pitfalls, you can make an informed choice about the achievability of your entrepreneurial endeavor. A feasibility analysis is largely numbers driven and can be far more in depth than a business plan (discussed in The Business Plan ). It ultimately tests the viability of an idea, a project, or a new business. A feasibility study may become the basis for the business plan, which outlines the action steps necessary to take a proposal from ideation to realization. A feasibility study allows a business to address where and how it will operate, its competition, possible hurdles, and the funding needed to begin. The business plan then provides a framework that sets out a map for following through and executing on the entrepreneurial vision.

Organizational Feasibility Analysis

Organizational feasibility aims to assess the prowess of management and sufficiency of resources to bring a product or idea to market Figure 11.12 . The company should evaluate the ability of its management team on areas of interest and execution. Typical measures of management prowess include assessing the founders’ passion for the business idea along with industry expertise, educational background, and professional experience. Founders should be honest in their self-assessment of ranking these areas.

11.3.1.jpeg

Resource sufficiency pertains to nonfinancial resources that the venture will need to move forward successfully and aims to assess whether an entrepreneur has a sufficient amount of such resources. The organization should critically rank its abilities in six to twelve types of such critical nonfinancial resources, such as availability of office space, quality of the labor pool, possibility of obtaining intellectual property protections (if applicable), willingness of high-quality employees to join the company, and likelihood of forming favorable strategic partnerships. If the analysis reveals that critical resources are lacking, the venture may not be possible as currently planned. 47

Financial Feasibility Analysis

A financial analysis seeks to project revenue and expenses (forecasts come later in the full business plan); project a financial narrative; and estimate project costs, valuations, and cash flow projections Figure 11.13 .

11.3.2.jpeg

The financial analysis may typically include these items:

  • A twelve-month profit and loss projection
  • A three- or four-year profit-and-loss projection
  • A cash-flow projection
  • A projected balance sheet
  • A breakeven calculation

The financial analysis should estimate the sales or revenue that you expect the business to generate. A number of different formulas and methods are available for calculating sales estimates. You can use industry or association data to estimate the sales of your potential new business. You can search for similar businesses in similar locations to gauge how your business might perform compared with similar performances by competitors. One commonly used equation for a sales model multiplies the number of target customers by the average revenue per customer to establish a sales projection:

T×A=ST×A=S

Target(ed) Customers/Users×Average Revenue per Customer=Sales ProjectionTarget(ed) Customers/Users×Average Revenue per Customer=Sales Projection

Another critical part of planning for new business owners is to understand the breakeven point , which is the level of operations that results in exactly enough revenue to cover costs (see Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting for an in-depth discussion on calculating breakeven points and the breakdown of cost types). It yields neither a profit nor a loss. To calculate the breakeven point, you must first understand the two types of costs: fixed and variable. Fixed costs are expenses that do not vary based on the amount of sales. Rent is one example, but most of a business’s other costs operate in this manner as well. While some costs vary from month to month, costs are described as variable only if they will increase if the company sells even one more item. Costs such as insurance, wages, and office supplies are typically considered fixed costs. Variable costs fluctuate with the level of sales revenue and include items such as raw materials, purchases to be sold, and direct labor. With this information, you can calculate your breakeven point—the sales level at which your business has neither a profit nor a loss. 48 Projections should be more than just numbers: include an explanation of the underlying assumptions used to estimate the venture’s income and expenses.

Projected cash flow outlines preliminary expenses, operating expenses, and reserves—in essence, how much you need before starting your company. You want to determine when you expect to receive cash and when you have to write a check for expenses. Your cash flow is designed to show if your working capital is adequate. A balance sheet shows assets and liabilities, necessary for reporting and financial management. When liabilities are subtracted from assets, the remainder is owners’ equity. The financial concepts and statements introduced here are discussed fully in Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting .

Market Feasibility Analysis

A market analysis enables you to define competitors and quantify target customers and/or users in the market within your chosen industry by analyzing the overall interest in the product or service within the industry by its target market Figure 11.14 . You can define a market in terms of size, structure, growth prospects, trends, and sales potential. This information allows you to better position your company in competing for market share. After you’ve determined the overall size of the market, you can define your target market, which leads to a total available market (TAM) , that is, the number of potential users within your business’s sphere of influence. This market can be segmented by geography, customer attributes, or product-oriented segments. From the TAM, you can further distill the portion of that target market that will be attracted to your business. This market segment is known as a serviceable available market (SAM) .

11.3.3.jpeg

Figure 11.14

Projecting market share can be a subjective estimate, based not only on an analysis of the market but also on pricing, promotional, and distribution strategies. As is the case for revenue, you will have a number of different forecasts and tools available at your disposal. Other items you may include in a market analysis are a complete competitive review, historical market performance, changes to supply and demand, and projected growth in demand over time.

ARE YOU READY?

You’ve been hired by a leading hotel chain to determine the market and financial potential for the development of a mixed-use property that will include a full-service hotel in downtown Orlando, located at 425 East Central Boulevard, in Orlando, Florida. The specific address is important so you can pinpoint existing competitors and overall suitability of the site. Using the information given, conduct a market analysis that can be part of a larger feasibility study.

WORK IT OUT

Location feasibility.

11.3.4.png

You’re considering opening a boutique clothing store in downtown Atlanta. You’ve read news reports about how downtown Atlanta and the city itself are growing and undergoing changes from previous decades. With new development taking place there, you’re not sure whether such a venture is viable. Outline what steps you would need to take to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether downtown Atlanta is the right location for your planned clothing store.

Applying Feasibility Outcomes

After conducting a feasibility analysis, you must determine whether to proceed with the venture. One technique that is commonly used in project management is known as a go-or-no-go decision . This tool allows a team to decide if criteria have been met to move forward on a project. Criteria on which to base a decision are established and tracked over time. You can develop criteria for each section of the feasibility analysis to determine whether to proceed and evaluate those criteria as either “go” or “no go,” using that assessment to make a final determination of the overall concept feasibility. Determine whether you are comfortable proceeding with the present management team, whether you can “go” forward with existing nonfinancial resources, whether the projected financial outlook is worth proceeding, and make a determination on the market and industry. If satisfied that enough “go” criteria are met, you would likely then proceed to developing your strategy in the form of a business plan.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Love beyond walls.

When Terence Lester saw a homeless man living behind an abandoned, dilapidated building, he asked the man if he could take him to a shelter. The man scoffed, replying that Lester should sleep in a shelter. So he did—and he saw the problem through the homeless man’s perspective. The shelter was crowded and smelly. You couldn’t get much sleep, because others would try to steal your meager belongings. The dilapidated building provided isolation away from others, but quiet and security in its own way that the shelter could not. This experience led Lester to voluntarily live as a homeless person for a few weeks. His journey led him to create Love Beyond Walls (www.lovebeyondwalls.org), an organization that aids the homeless, among other causes. Lester didn’t conduct a formal feasibility study, but he did so informally by walking in his intended customers’ shoes—literally. A feasibility study of homelessness in a particular area could yield surprising findings that might lead to social entrepreneurial pursuits.

  • What is a social cause you think could benefit from a formal feasibility study around a potential entrepreneurial solution?

Get started

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How to use a feasibility study in project management

feasibility analysis for business plan

Making decisions can be challenging, especially when those decisions can have a significant, lasting impact on the future success of your company. In project management, it’s crucial you understand how to determine which projects are worthwhile. To do this, you may be using tools like scheduling software and workflow charts in order to understand deadlines, staffing requirements, and necessary resource allocation.

If a feasibility analysis isn’t already in your decision-making repertoire, now is the time to include one. With a feasibility study, you can more accurately determine any project’s return on investment (ROI) to help fuel smarter decisions.

In this article, you’ll learn how to conduct a feasibility study and why you should do so. You’ll also learn about some industries that use feasibility reports and how monday.com can help streamline the process.

What is a feasibility study?

A feasibility study determines how practical a proposed project, plan, or method is. Although it’s most often used in project management, you can conduct a feasibility study to test a new business idea or even the operational feasibility of a change in workflow for an existing business.

Using feasibility studies to accurately compare the cost-benefit of any proposal can significantly improve your decision-making abilities by giving you all the information you need to confidently give a project the go-ahead — or not. But how does a feasibility study work to accurately understand the potential successes of project proposals?

How does a feasibility study work?

A feasibility study looks at all applicable information, studies, data, and other relevant resources to determine the viability of a proposed project or venture. For most businesses, a feasibility study will primarily be based on financial implications like ROI.

A project manager will review and analyze the man-hours, tools, technology, and other resources necessary to complete the project successfully. Then, using market research, they’ll see what the financial projections are most likely to be in terms of incoming cash flow.

One way to determine whether a project is worthwhile is by seeing if the ROI is positive. However, a feasibility study isn’t solely based on financial implications, since not every benefit your company receives from a project is monetarily qualitative. Other factors are also taken into consideration. For example:

  • How will the community or your customers respond to this plan or project?
  • How might the plan improve your company’s operations moving forward?
  • What are the non-financial pros and cons associated with this plan?
  • Are there other aspects specific to your industry that you need to consider?
Feasibility studies offer a comprehensive understanding of the risks and benefits associated with any given project plan. They can also identify points of vulnerability within a proposed project.

What are some industries that use feasibility studies?

Most industries can benefit from using feasibility studies. That said, this valuable decision-making tool is most commonly used in project management, real estate, and the food industry.

As a project manager, you might use a feasibility study to:

  • Determine viability:  Using a feasibility study, you can accurately determine whether a proposed product and service is viable based on financial implications and how your target audience will respond. Defining the risks, benefits, and financial implications of proposed plans and projects can help fuel more confident decision-making.
  • Understand time feasibility:  Finances aren’t the only thing you’ll need to be concerned with as a project manager. You’ll also need to consider whether the time investment from yourself and your team members is worthwhile.
  • Understand technical feasibility:  Do you have the tools and technology necessary to bring a plan to fruition? If not, do you have the financial and time resources required to implement a new tool or technology?

Real estate

In the real estate industry, brokers and agents might use feasibility studies to:

  • Determine legal requirements:  A feasibility study can help determine if the legal requirements of a bid, sale, purchase, or development project are within the realm of possibility. If they are, the feasibility study can further determine whether those legal requirements can be met while retaining a profit.
  • Decide if a purchase is worthwhile:  When deciding if a purchase is financially beneficial, a feasibility study can be used to compare the costs of buying, renovating, and potential upkeep until sale.
  • Understand whether development is possible:  Potential land development projects have many moving parts and considerations. A feasibility study can determine if a development project is possible and if it will be financially prosperous for the real estate company and its client.

The food industry

Feasibility studies work a little differently in the food industry because they focus on financial and  community implications. For example, you might use a feasibility study to:

  • Decide if expanding is worthwhile:  Not every location is ideal for every restaurant type. Food industry executives and buying managers can use feasibility studies to determine if a single potential new location is a financially solid choice. Alternatively, these studies can be used to compare two or more potential new venues to see which makes the most business sense.
  • Help expand menus:  In terms of community implications, a food industry feasibility study might be used to determine what new menu items should be added based on client feedback. These studies can also be used to determine whether a restaurant’s audience would have a positive reaction to a proposed menu item.

How to use monday.com to easily create and execute a feasibility study

Creating a thorough feasibility study that will help you make better-informed decisions can be challenging. Thankfully, the monday.com Work OS has numerous useful features that simplify the process. For example:

  • Collaborate with team members in real time:  Our Work OS facilitates real-time collaboration so you can keep the ball rolling on your feasibility study without roadblocks, from conception to completion.
  • Save all your important documents with workdocs: monday.com’s workdocs feature  lets you store, organize, and track your most important feasibility study documents. You can have all your reports, case studies, and more on hand when you need them most to save time.
  • Use Gantt software to track the progress of your feasibility study: Gantt software  can help you track your timeline to completion. Alternatively, you can use it to create a theoretical representation of a proposed project or plan to see if you can make it work.
  • Compare and contrast information on  customizable dashboards :  Our dashboards are customizable, so you can choose the information you most want to see. Compare and contrast to help fuel final decisions on your feasibility study.

The difference between a feasibility study and a business plan

Feasibility studies are filled with calculations and analyses for proposed projects. Estimated projections for business costs versus returns play a vital role in these studies. The final goal of a feasibility study is to decide whether a proposed project, plan, or idea is possible and worthwhile.

On the other hand, business plans are detailed outlines of how a business can be grown. You’ll generally find tactics and strategies alongside some projections inside a business plan. The final goal of a business plan is to help an organization grow, expand, or succeed as a startup.

Frequently asked questions about feasibility studies

How much does a feasibility study cost.

The cost of a feasibility study can vary significantly based on a variety of factors, including your location, who is conducting the study, and what the study is for. Generally, having someone within your company perform the feasibility study is the most cost-effective option. Using outside sources can cost thousands of dollars.

What is a feasibility study relative to a business plan?

A feasibility study can be used to determine whether a proposed project is viable. If it is, a business plan can then be used to map out your organization’s future steps.

How to do a feasibility study

To do a feasibility study, you should:

  • Start with a preliminary analysis that screens for any insurmountable obstacles or roadblocks
  • Prepare a projected income statement
  • Conduct a market survey
  • Plan business operations and organization in detail
  • Prepare a balance sheet for opening day
  • Review and analyze all the data you’ve collected
  • Decide whether a proposed project or plan is worthwhile or not

Customize and manage feasibility studies with ease

A feasibility study is a valuable decision-making tool that can help you improve your organization’s future success. However, conducting a thorough feasibility study alone can be challenging and tedious based on the amount of research, data, and detail involved. The monday.com Work OS can make feasibility studies easier by allowing for more efficient management and unrivaled customization.

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Feasibility Analysis: What It is and How to Conduct One

Russell Heisler · February 18, 2018 · Leave a Comment

A feasibility analysis is useful when you want to see how feasible a business, a project, or an idea is. The concept is not a complicated one, and it comes in handy when you want to launch a new project. Today we are going to see a definition of it, together with a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a feasibility analysis.

Feasibility Analysis Definition

Also called a feasibility study, this analysis looks at how much success can a project achieve. It considers factors such as scheduling, economic, legal, technological, etc. Project managers tend to use the feasibility studies to see what are the potential positive and negative outcomes of a project. This step is usually taken before they invest time and money into it, which makes sense. At the end of the study, you need to know whether the idea, plan, project, or business you have deserves to be implemented.

Keep in mind that a feasibility study is not the same thing as a business plan. While the business plan has a planning function and it shows the actions you need to take if you want to follow your business idea, the feasibility analysis investigates a certain function and finds out if it’s viable or not.

feasibility analysis template

How to Conduct a Feasibility Study

1. have a preliminary analysis.

It may sound weird to have a feasibility analysis before you run a feasibility analysis, but it’s necessary. The thing here is that a feasibility study takes time and it can cost you a lot. That’s why it’s important to think well beforehand and see if you really need such a study. Try to assess the demand for your product or service, see what the competition is, what challenges you will need to face, etc.

2. Hire Expert Consultants

The next in conducting a feasibility analysis is to see whether you need an expert consultant or not. If you’re done with the first step and you’re sure it’s worth it, there’s no shame in asking for professional advice. An expert can lead the analysis and take some things off your to-do list. However, depending on your project, you may need to get some commission reports from various professionals (such as engineers).

3. Set a Timetable

Whether you do it yourself or you hire a specialist, you need to set a timetable for the entire study. It can easily extend over a period longer than you’d wish for, which is why it’s useful to have a schedule. If you don’t have a deadline set by others, decide on one yourself and see when should each phase be completed.

4. Market Research and Analysis

Next, you need to perform a market research and analysis. For this, you should start by learning about the market. Helping companies grow using Salesforce CRM https://www.fansfactory.net/ . How would your product or service fit into it? Try to talk to other people in the same field and find as much information as you can about their business/ project/ idea, etc. In this sense, you can use some data from the Economic Census. This is a poll taken every 5 years which offers information about the number of employees, business expenses, sales, types of products, etc.

Alternatively, you can use other methods to assess the market. Identify your potential customers and ask them directly about their needs and wishes. Create a survey and mail it to the people who are directly interested or would have a benefit from your idea. Telephone and email surveys are also a good solution, and so is social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

5. Organizational and Technical Analysis

First, you need to see where you would be working. You may need an office space, a plot of land, etc. Then, think about how would your company need to be restructured. Maybe you need to employ specialized staff, case in which you need to inform yourself if there are such people available. Next, assess the materials you need. Do a thorough research and make a list of all the materials you need for each stage of the project. Are there enough suppliers in the area? Is the material expensive? Also, include information about the technology you may need.

6. Financial Analysis

If you plan to invest in a business, you will need to find out that startup costs. Make up a budget, including all the expenses we listed earlier. Besides, you also need to estimate the operating costs. These refer to the cost of running a business (rent, materials, wages, etc.). It’s useful to have some revenue predictions as well, based on your previous research. Next, think about the funding sources. Can you cover all the costs? Do you have any savings, or can you identify potential investors? Finally, add it all and see whether you can make profit or not.

7. Complete the Feasibility Study

Put together all the information you found. Once you went through all the stages of the study, organize the findings. Look at the profit predictions and see if those make you happy. Do you have enough financing sources to achieve them? Balance the estimated profits against the personal financial needs. Many people often forget to include the human costs as well: time, effort, and attention.

Finally, have a close look at all your findings. Consider the risks and potential benefits. Does the project look promising? Write it all up and spread it around. If you have been commissioned to do this analysis, then you need to hand it over to the person who asked it. If it’s just for yourself, try to get an expert opinion on it from specialists. It’s better to have everything clearly sorted out for any future reference, so make sure you have all the information compiled and organized.

You can see an example of this process in the following clip:

To draw a conclusion, starting a feasibility analysis is a logical project if you take it step by step. Keep in mind that it does require an effort when it comes to time and money, so it’s useful to have a schedule and set deadlines for each phase of the study.

Image source: depositphotos.com

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Everything You Need to Know About Business Feasibility Studies

feasibility analysis for business plan

  • Abstrakt Marketing
  • February 23, 2023

Studies show that of all the factors involved in new business undertakings, proper planning is the strongest indicator of project success . It’s 2023—there are mountains of research available on every topic. If you want to achieve organizational success, you have to take advantage of it.

One of the best ways to prepare your business is with a business feasibility study. A feasibility study breaks down the practicality of a project and determines how likely it is to succeed. Keep reading to learn more about feasibility studies, how they can benefit your business, and to see an example!

What Is a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study is an in-depth analysis that examines whether or not a business can successfully pursue a project or other new process. It examines the state of your business as well as the opportunities and threats in a project to determine whether it’s worth attempting. This is accomplished by pooling together a wide array of resources to come to a definitive conclusion.

What’s the point of a feasibility study?

It’s in the name—a feasibility study determines whether or not something is feasible or realistically able to be accomplished. It’s usually prepared for high-level executives with the purpose of helping them make the most informed decision.

Feasibility studies are versatile and can be conducted for a wide range of business undertakings, including:

  • Opening a new retail location or production facility
  • Introducing a new product or adjusting your product lineup
  • Expanding into a new market sector or geographic region
  • Investing in or implementing new technology
  • Acquiring a new company or merging with a competitor

You can even conduct a feasibility study for a new business! Feasibility studies are the best way to prepare for any new business undertaking.

How’s a feasibility study relative to a business plan?

Many confuse feasibility studies with business plans. While the two are somewhat similar, they answer fundamentally different questions.

A feasibility plan answers:

Should we do this?

A business plan answers:

How do we do this?

Think of a feasibility study as a saddle and a business plan as a horse. Just like you need a saddle and stirrups to control a horse, you need a feasibility study to guide and inform your business plan. Sure, you can try to form a business plan without any prep, but just like riding a horse without a saddle, you’ll probably get bucked.

Interested in Learning More About Business Plans?

How much does a feasibility study cost.

Feasibility analysis isn’t easy—it requires time and exhaustive research to be executed correctly. It’s hard to put an exact number on the cost of a study because it’s highly dependent on factors like:

  • The type of feasibility study being conducted
  • The scope of a proposed plan
  • The size of the business involved

Generally speaking, a feasibility plan for a small business costs between $5,000 to $10,000. However, this can widely vary due to several factors.

How long does a feasibility plan take to prepare?

It takes an average of 60 to 120 days to prepare a feasibility study correctly. A properly conducted feasibility study demands an enormous amount of research.

What’s included in a feasibility study?

Now that we better understand the purpose of a feasibility study, let’s dive into what you can expect from one. A feasibility study should have these elements:

Executive Summary

Every feasibility study begins with an executive summary. This should be an easily digestible, high-level overview of the report’s findings. Keep your executive summary as short as possible and don’t forget to include your final recommendation.

Technological Considerations and Requirements

This section outlines the technological considerations and operational factors that influence your project’s success. These considerations should cover what’s necessary to execute your plan, including:

  • Tools & Equipment
  • Hardware & Software
  • Necessary Programs & Technology

This section’s objective is to answer whether or not you have the technological resources to complete a project. If the answer is no, it should find out if those resources can be acquired.

Young Man Having A Bussines Presentation With Client At The Office_

Market Research

Market research is the bulk of most business feasibility studies. This portion of the feasibility report should examine the markets involved in your project’s success. This section should include consumer attitudes and behaviors and competitive analysis. The ultimate purpose of a market research section is to better understand your position in the environment and how your project fits into it. 

Marketing Strategy

The marketing strategy section should break down specific marketing tactics. What’s your target market? It should answer questions about:

  • Demographics
  • Psychographics
  • Geographics

How do you plan on meeting their needs? What unique benefits does your company offer when compared to the competition? How do you plan on meeting your target market’s needs? This section is responsible for answering all of these questions and more.

Resource and Staffing Requirements

This portion of a business feasibility plan should examine your human capital needs. Do you have the necessary manpower to execute your project? A feasibility report should break down the required human capital to complete your project, including what specific roles are involved, how much time they have to invest, and more.

Estimated Timeline

How long would the project take to execute? Would this timeline work with your organization’s business cycle and stage of growth? What would be significant markers of progress and success toward the long-term success of the project? The timeline question should answer these questions and serve as an overarching assessment of the practicality of your project’s timeline.

Financial Details

If you don’t have the financial resources to execute a project, it simply isn’t feasible. Your study should break down the financial projections , costs, and risks associated with your project. Analysis should include costs such as:

  • Human Resources
  • Real Estate

Additionally, this section should analyze the consequences that project failure would have on your business’s overarching financial health.

Findings and Recommendations

The final portion of the feasibility study should organize all of the information above and make a final recommendation for the project. Is it feasible? If not, why? If so, what are the key takeaways?

What stage of growth is your business in? What are your goals? How are the two related? Combine this information to better understand what your KPIs should be.

Feasibility Study Sample

Still not sure how to choose the right KPI? GreenGate is here to lend a hand. We’re expert business consultants and can help your business define, achieve, and exceed its goals. Contact us today to learn how we can help take your business to the next level. Now that we understand what’s included in a feasibility study, let’s look at an example of a business feasibility study’s executive summary.

In this example, Snoop’s Unicycles (a sole proprietorship owned by Snoop Shepard) is considering expanding from its single location in St. Louis, Missouri into Armenia. All of Snoop’s European friends love unicycles, so he’s sure his business will be a hit in the untapped Armenian unicycling market. 

Fortunately, Snoop is a shrewd businessman, so he got in touch with professionals that developed a feasibility report for him. Here’s what they had to say: 

In regards to your proposal for organizational expansion into Armenia (codenamed Operation Cyclops per your insistence), we’ve deemed the project to be unfeasible and do not recommend moving forward with it. 

We reached this conclusion by analyzing relevant factors, including:

  • Technological Limitations : Your current unicycle supply chain is based entirely in St. Louis, MO. Acquiring and outfitting a manufacturer to develop unicycles in Armenia would be financially unfeasible. Additionally, unicycle importation is impossible, as you lack the technical resources to transport your Missouri-made product.
  • Market Factors: After conducting extensive research in the Armenian market, we’ve discovered that the Armenian populace is exceptionally averse to unicycles. Popular forms of Armenian transport include cars, public transportation, and cycling. While this interest in cycling seemed promising, 98.4% of Armenians flew into a violent rage and attacked the interviewer when asked about unicycles. The market is unprepared for your product at this time.
  • Lacking Resources: There are minimal commercial real estate opportunities that would meet your needs. Acquiring a suitable location without extensive retrofitting would be near impossible. Furthermore, your organization’s patented unicycle formulation relies on zinc, which we’ve learned is difficult to source in Armenia.
  • Insufficient Financing : Assuming that 2% of your uncollected accounts become bad debt, your business has $0.24 in working capital. This is not enough to finance Armenian expansion, and frankly, not enough to cover the cost of this feasibility study. 

With these factors in mind, we cannot recommend moving forward with Operation Cyclops and must relay that it is an infeasible project. We suggest improving your working capital before exploring other territories, particularly those within the Southern Caucasus.

Looks like Snoop saved himself a world of trouble! Had he not done this feasibility study, he would have gone all in on Operation Cyclops and may have gone out of business!

Get a Comprehensive Feasibility Study With GreenGate

Too many businesses attempt ambitious undertakings without the proper preparation and end up closing their doors. Give yourself a foundation for success with a business feasibility study from GreenGate. Contact us today to get started on your feasibility study!

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Starting a Business | What is

What Is a Feasibility Study for Small Business?

Published July 17, 2020

Published Jul 17, 2020

Blake Stockton

WRITTEN BY: Blake Stockton

This article is part of a larger series on Starting a Business .

A feasibility study for small business is an in-depth research and financial analysis that recommends if one should pursue a business idea or product. The study contains estimates of items such as income, costs, obstacles, and technical challenges. Typically, a feasibility study for a small business costs a minimum of $5,000. However, they can cost up to $100,000 for businesses that have a multimillion dollar startup budget.

Throughout this article, we discuss what a feasibility study is and how it differs from a business plan, so that you can decide whether or not you really need one for your business.

How the Feasibility Study Works

Usually, businesses conduct feasibility studies to determine if their idea or product is worth pursuing. It’s one of the more complicated and costly ways to test a business idea.

Depending on the idea’s complexity and scope, a study can take weeks or months to prepare. With the help of templates or programs, business owners can conduct feasibility studies on their own. However, because of the in-depth research and complicated financial projections, they often hire an expert to create the study.

Feasibility studies do not determine the final decision but present all the evidence and make a strong recommendation on whether or not it’s best to move forward. The entrepreneur, stakeholders, and/or other authorities decide whether to go ahead with the business idea or product, using the study as a guide.

Who Should Get a Feasibility Study?

Small business entrepreneurs use a feasibility study to prevent the costly mistake of launching an unsuccessful business, product, or project. You can use a study to help make strategic decisions, such as determining whether you should:

  • Start a new business
  • Open a new store or factory
  • Change product lineup or approach
  • Expand to a new area or market
  • Acquire another company
  • Make a significant investment in new technology
  • Enter an already crowded or competitive market segment
  • Invest personal capital into a project

Feasibility Study vs Business Plan

A feasibility study often comes before the business plan, because the information and data uncovered in the study are included in the business plan. Plus, if the feasibility gives a recommendation not to move forward, you may want to rethink your business idea or product altogether before creating a plan.

What Should Be in a Feasibility Study?

Depending on the project or business, you will use each of the aspects below to a certain degree. The feasibility study’s organization may vary depending on its focus—you may have a section for each of these topics:

  • Executive Summary: This summarizes the project and business. The ultimate conclusions are outlined here. It should be about a page long.
  • Demand: A marketing analysis determines the need for your product or business in the industry you want to sell. Even if you have a brick-and-mortar business, you should consider online aspects as well.
  • Technical issues: What tool, hardware, or software do you need to create your business or product? Will you create the tech, buy it, or rent it? This section also includes the facilities, including layout, shelving, offices, and manufacturing space.
  • Logistics issues: This piece outlines vendors, pricing schedules, exclusive agreements, and franchised product contracts. It may include getting supplies and delivering finished products or working online elements like an ecommerce site. Location issues can be placed here.
  • Legal concerns: Do you need permits? Are there regulations or prohibitions to consider? What about environmental, historical, or legacy issues to negotiate?
  • Marketing strategy: This section will define the target market as specific as possible: How you will meet their needs, and how you will target them?
  • Required staffing: How many employees will you need? What are their qualifications? What is the typical salary in your area? You can include a sample organizational chart along with a corresponding discussion of who among your current employees may change jobs to fill new positions.
  • Scheduling: This section includes milestones for financials as well as physical projects and a timeline for completion.
  • Financials: In addition to anticipated expenses and potential profits, this section will include an opening day balance sheet that lists total assets and liabilities on your business’s first day. This financial data gives you an indication of your return on investment (ROI).
  • ROI: If you don’t see a return on investment, it makes no sense to start or expand your business. A feasibility study estimates when you’ll earn profits and what or how much they may be.
  • Analysis: You will see discussions answering questions like: Does it seem realistic? Are the sources strong? Are there outlying data points to consider? Also, analyze potential risks: What are the worst-case scenarios, and how likely are they?
  • Recommendations: This gives a go or no-go recommendation and breaks down specific suggestions based on the main elements. If the project is not feasible, it may offer alternatives.

Cost of a Feasibility Study

A feasibility study for small business takes an average of 60 to 90 days to complete and may cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. As a general rule of thumb, a feasibility study will cost 1% of the business’s total cost to open or a product’s cost to build. So if you’re requesting a feasibility study for a complicated business with millions in startup costs, be prepared to spend more than $10,000.

The cost is also determined by the study’s depth, the tools needed to conduct it—survey software, focus groups, and lawyers—and the scope of the project. For example, a study to determine if a business should bring manufacturing back to the US from overseas will cost more than a study on whether to open a restaurant.

Here are costs for various feasibility study projects:

Who Provides Feasibility Studies?

You may find it challenging to find a firm that only produces feasibility studies. Often, a market research firm will provide feasibility studies in addition to other services. For example, Drive Research in Syracuse, New York, offers a host of market research services, including feasibility studies .

There are also business plan writing companies that specialize in feasibility studies. Wise Business Plans provides a study with in-depth market research and industry analysis.

If you’d like to connect one-on-one and choose your own independent market researcher for a feasibility study, you could look to the freelancer platform Upwork . You can find several market research experts and analysts that may be interested in tackling your specific project. Upwork is an excellent platform to find market researchers, because you can review a freelancer’s past work to see if they’d be a good fit.

Tips and Best Practices to Follow When Purchasing a Feasibility Study

  • Conduct a preliminary analysis first: Before paying thousands of dollars for a feasibility study, do a minor check to ensure there are no insurmountable technical, legal, or financial obstacles to the business idea or product.
  • Involve stakeholders: Before, during, and after the study, keep people relevant to the business in the loop. Get their input, suggestions, and feedback.
  • Review research: Review the feasibility study data and see if you come to a similar conclusion as the research analyst. You may also want to pay for a second expert’s opinion on the final determination.
  • Assess your current company or situation: Before making any decision on a business idea or product, consider your own strengths, weaknesses, and financial situation in the final decision to move forward or not.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for a Feasibility Study

Is it better to hire out for a feasibility study.

Most likely, yes. Feasibility studies typically contain in-depth expert data analysis and financial projections. Hiring out the work will ensure you get an objective evaluation of the project and its potential downfalls and successes. It’s human nature to bias our own ideas, and a third party can avoid.

How much should I invest in a feasibility study?

For a simpler study on a business idea or product, expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. The general rule of thumb is that a feasibility study will cost 1% of the expected project budget or business’s cost to build.

Should feasibility studies include solutions as well as pointing out obstacles?

Yes, the more information the study provides, the better it will aid in the decision-making process. Feasibility studies should provide an objective determination because of the time and expense involved.

Can my feasibility study become my business plan?

Many times, yes. With some changes in focus and scope, a feasibility study can be re-imagined into a business plan. However, be sure it meets the purpose, which outlines the strategic and tactical steps needed to make the business work.

Bottom Line

Feasibility studies can cost thousands of dollars, but they can save you millions you may lose from making a poor business decision. They examine a new business or product idea by researching the endeavor’s technological, financial, and operational aspects. The study analyzes the data and offers a recommendation on if you should move ahead with your project or idea and how to maximize its success.

About the Author

Blake Stockton

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Blake Stockton

Blake Stockton is a staff writer at Fit Small Business focusing on how to start brick-and-mortar and online businesses. He is a frequent guest lecturer at several undergraduate business and MBA classes at University of North Florida . Prior to joining Fit Small Business, Blake consulted with over 700 small biz owners and assisted with starting and growing their businesses.

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Feasibility Analysis: Meaning, Importance, Report, Types, Process, Objectives and Advantages | Business

feasibility analysis for business plan

In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Meaning & Concept of Feasibility Analysis 2. Importance of FSR 3. Steps in Writing a FSR 4. Contents of a Feasibility Report 5. Types of Feasibility Analysis 6. Steps Involved in Conducting a Feasibility Study 7. Objectives of Feasibility Analysis 8. Advantages of Feasibility Analysis.

  • Advantages of Feasibility Analysis

1. Meaning & Concept of Feasibility Analysis:

A feasibility study aims to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of an existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats present in the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest terms, the two criteria to judge feasibility are cost required and value to be attained.

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A well-designed feasibility study should provide a historical background of the business or project, a description of the product or service, accounting statements, details of the operations and management, marketing research and policies, financial data, legal requirements and tax obligations. Generally, feasibility studies precede technical development and project implementation.

A feasibility study evaluates the project’s potential for success; therefore, perceived objectivity is an important factor in the credibility of the study for potential investors and lending institutions. It must, therefore, be conducted with an objective, unbiased approach to provide information upon which decisions can be based.

Investment proposals, involving huge capital outlay are invariably irreversible. Therefore, before starting a project/proposal, it is necessary and imperative to find out whether the same is feasible or not.

Feasibility is an analysis and evaluation of a proposed project to determine if it is :

a. Technically feasible

b. Feasible within the estimated cost

c. Profitable.

Feasibility studies are almost always conducted where large sums are at stake and are also called Feasibility Analysis.

Feasibility study is an assessment of the practicality of a proposed project or system.

Four Test for Feasibility :

a. Operational feasibility is a measure of how well the solution will in the organization. It is also a measure of how people feel about the system/project.

b. Technical feasibility is a measure of the practicality of a specific technical solution and the availability of technical resources and expertise.

c. Schedule feasibility is a measure of how reasonable the project timetable is.

d. Economic feasibility is a measure of the cost effectiveness of a project or solution.

Designing a Feasibility Report :

A feasibility study is one of the key activities within the project initiation phase. It aims to analyze and justify the project in terms of technical feasibility, business viability and cost-effectiveness. The study serves as a way to prove the project’s reasonability and justify the need for launch.

Once the study is done, a feasibility study report (FSR) should be developed to summarize the activity and state if the particular project is realistic and practical.

Let us learn what FSR means and contents of a good feasibility report :

Meaning of Feasibility Study Report (FSR):

It is just a document that aims to identify, explore, and evaluate a project’s solutions to save time and money. The following definition gives a broader understanding of the document: A Feasibility Study Report (FSR) is a formally documented output of feasibility study that summarizes results of the analysis and evaluations conducted to review the proposed solution and investigate project alternatives for the purpose of identifying if the project is really feasible, cost-effective and profitable. It describes and supports the most feasible solution applicable to the project.

The report gives a brief description of the project and some background information. Formally this document is the starting point for running the Pre-Charter Sub-Phase. In practice, it signifies that the sponsor can proceed with deciding on project investment and make necessary assignments to the project manager.

2. Importance of FSR :

The process to write the report is called feasibility study reporting. Often it is a responsibility of the project manager to control such a process.

The importance of writing the report can be summarised as follows:

(i) It helps in providing legal and technical evidence of the project’s vitality, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

(ii) The reporting process allows the senior management to get the nec­essary information required for making key decisions on budgeting and investment planning.

(iii) A well-written feasibility study report template helps in developing solutions for Project Analysis

(iv) FSR helps link project efficiency to budgeted costs.

(v)It helps in Risk Mitigation because it helps with contingency planning and risk treatment strategy development.

(vi) The report can be used by senior management to identify staffing needs as well as acquire and train necessary specialists.

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 3. Steps in Writing a FSR :

(i) Write Project Description:

At this step, you need to collect background information on your project to write the description. A brief and candid description will help the reader to know the purpose of the FSR.

(ii) Describe Possible Solutions:

In this step you are required to perform an alternatives analysis and make a description of possible solutions for your project.

(iii) List Evaluation Criteria:

Under this third step, set and define evaluation criteria for possible solutions. This step of feasibility study report writing requires you to investigate the solutions and put them against a set of evaluation criteria.

(iv) Propose the Most Feasible Solution:

The next step for writing a feasibility study report is to determine the most economically reasonable and technically feasible solution which lets the company (1) keep to optimal use of project resources and (2) gain the best possible benefit. The report might include: “After the evaluation of the possible solutions, the most feasible solution for this project is identified and selected, so the project turns to be cost-effective, vital and practical.”

(v) Write Conclusions:

The final step of the feasibility study reporting process requires you to make a conclusion by summarizing the project’s aim and stating the most feasible solution.

4. Contents of a Feasibility Report :

The content of sample feasibility report is formatted and structured according to a range of requirements which may vary from organization to organization but there are common suggestions, which are listed below.

(i) Title Page or Front Matter :

To begin with writing a sample feasibility report, first you need to create a title page that provides a descriptive yet concise title, con­taining the name of the writer, email, job position, and also the or­ganization for which you are writing the report.

Next, you must include an itemized list of contents that provides headings and sub-headings sequenced the same way as they are structured in the report body. Also add a list of all material such as tables, figures, illustrations, annexes etc. which have been used within the document.

Keep in mind that the title page should not be numbered and that no more than 4-5 pages should be dedicated to the front matter.

(ii) Body of the Report :

There are many different styles and requirements for formatting the body of feasibility study report, it may be difficult to select right format.

However, there are several common suggestions which are as follows:

a. Each page of the report body needs to include a descriptive header with an abbreviated title for the report, the author’s name and page number

b. Structure the report by headings and sub-headings and indicate this structure within the document content

c. Make sure headings are properly formatted (i.e., flush left, indented, etc.) on each page

d. Use the same style for headings throughout the entire report template

e. Never use too larger or too small font (font should have a professional look, 10-12 point)

f. Use the same citation style (e.g., CBE, APA, etc.) for formatting sources used in your feasibility study.

(iii) Sections of the Report :

The following list provides an outline of the key sections to be included in report content:

a. Executive Summary – A description of the problem/opportu­nity highlighted in the study, the purpose of the report, and the importance of the research for your target audience

b. Background – A more detailed description of the feasibility study, who it was carried out, and whether it was implemented elsewhere

c. Analysis – An examination and evaluation method employed in the conducting your feasibility study

d. Alternatives and Options – An overview of any alternative proposals or options and their features in comparison to the main proposal of the study

e. Cost-Benefit Evaluation – A rigorous analysis method that was implemented to examine and evaluate the main proposal for cost-benefit effectiveness and to demonstrate the tech feasibility, economic practicality, social desirability, and eco soundness of the proposal.

f. Conclusion – A summary of the work done and your own conclusions regarding your analysis

g. Recommendations & Suggestions – A series of recommendations practices and follow-up actions based on your conclusions

(iv) Back or End Matter/Last Page :

One last thing you need to consider when writing your feasibility study report is that the report should include a Reference page that lists all reference material such as articles, books, web pages, period­icals, reports, etc. cited in your document. This page should be styled appropriately.

Additionally, you can create an Appendix page that provides detailed discussions of all criteria used in analyzing feasibility and examples of each criterion. This page should also be styled appropriately.

5. Types of Feasibility Analysis :

This feasibility can be ascertained on following parameters:

(i) Financial Feasibility

(ii) Commercial Feasibility

(iii)Technical Feasibility

(iv) Economic Feasibility

(v) Social Feasibility

(vi) Environmental feasibility

(vii) Legal feasibility

(viii) Operational feasibility

(ix) Schedule feasibility

(x) Market and real estate feasibility

(xi) Resource feasibility

Each one is being discussed in brief below:

(i) Financial Feasibility:

In order to ascertain financial viability, finan­cial projections are made and on the basis of such projections which need to be objective and realistic, the followings broad parameters are evaluated for determining the feasibility of the project-

a. Return on Investment

b. Payback period of the outlay

c. Internal rate of return

d. Profitability index.

In case of a new project, financial viability can be judged on the following parameters:

a. Total estimated cost of the project

b. Financing of the project in terms of its capital structure, debt to equity ratio and promoter’s share of total cost

c. Existing investment by the promoter in any other business

d. Projected cash flow and profitability

The financial viability of a project should provide the following information:

a. Full details of the assets to be financed and how liquid those assets are

b. Rate of conversion to cash-liquidity

c. Project’s funding potential and repayment terms

d. Sensitivity in the repayments capability to the following factors

e. Mild slowing of sales

f. Acute reduction/slowing of sales

g. Small increase in cost

h. Large increase in cost

i. Adverse economic conditions.

If, on the above mentioned parameters, the project is found suitable, then only further feasibility tests are carried out.

(ii) Commercial Feasibility:

Commercial Feasibility is ascertained by finding out the following:

a. Current and Potential competition

b. Profit margin

c. Size of the market.

d. Degree of demand for the product

e. Future growth of market

(iii) Technical Feasibility:

This assessment is based on an outline design of system requirements, to determine whether the company has the technical expertise to handle completion of the project. When writing a feasibility report, the following should be taken to consid­eration.

The technical feasibility assessment is focused on gaining an understanding of the present technical resources of the organization and their applicability to the expected needs of the proposed system. It is an evaluation of the hardware and software and how it meets the need of the proposed system.

An in depth and critical study of following parameters is done:

a. Plant location

c. Plant & machinery and equipment

d. Manufacturing process

e. Infrastructure

f. Technology

g. Efficient waste disposal.

(iv) Economic Feasibility:

The purpose of an economic feasibility study (EFS) is to demonstrate the net benefit of a proposed project for accepting or disbursing electronic funds/benefits, taking into consideration the benefits and costs to the agency, other state agencies, and the general public as a whole.

In sync with the phrase “Parity between haves and have not’s”, a social cost-benefit analysis (SCBA) of the project should be carried out. This ensures that the organization is contributing to the GDP of the economy and is also discharging its social obligations, by providing employment opportunities and bringing in improvement in quality of life.

The purpose of business in a capitalist society is to turn a profit, or to earn positive income. While some ideas seem excellent when they are first presented, they are not always economically feasible. That is, that they are not always profitable or even possible within a company’s budget. Since companies often determine their budget’s several months in advance, it is necessary to know how much of the budget needs to be set aside for future projects.

Economic feasibili­ty helps companies determine what that amount is before a project is ultimately approved. This allows companies to carefully manage their money to insure the most profitable projects are undertaken. Economic feasibility also helps companies determine whether or not revisions to a project that at first seems unfeasible will make it feasible.

(v) Social Feasibility:

Social feasibility is a detailed study on how one interacts with others within a system or an organization. Social impact analysis is an exercise aimed at identifying and analyzing such impacts in order to understand the scale and reach of the project’s social impacts.

At a minimum, all projects demand a review of project data at the Appraisal Phase, so as to identify if material social impacts exist. Social impact analysis greatly reduces the overall risks of the project, as it helps to reduce resistance, strengthens general support, and allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the costs and benefits of the project.

However, social impact analysis can be expensive and time consuming, so the full analysis process cannot be justified for all projects. At a minimum, all projects demand a review of project data at the Appraisal Phase, so as to identify if material social impacts exist. If they do, a full social impact analysis should be conducted.

(vi) Environmental Feasibility:

The environmental feasibility study considers both human and environmental health factors. The ES is a comparative process that looks at all potential solutions, and then evaluates them against specific criteria to ultimately find the best choice. It is a fact that external environment exerts considerable influence on the organizations. In fact the climatic conditions in a particular area/region have a significant impact on the existence of an enterprise. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain the environment viability as well.

The parameters considered are:

a. Overall protection of public and environmental health

b. Effective reduction of hazardous waste toxicity, mobility and volume.

c. Long-term and short-term effectiveness of environmental policies of the company

d. Potential consequences of the remedial measures taken for protecting environment

(vii) Legal Feasibility:

It should first be determined whether the proposed project conflicts with legal requirements, and if the proposed venture is acceptable in accordance to the laws of the land. The project team has to make a thorough analysis of the legal issues surrounding the project, across several dimensions.

A detailed legal due diligence should be done to ensure that all foreseeable legal requirements, which have not or will not be dealt with, in other appraisal exercises, are met for the development of the project.

The main objectives of the legal feasibility analysis are as follows :

a. To ensure that the project is legally doable;

b. To facilitate risk management, indicating the risks and obstacles that need to be addressed within the technical analyses, the financial model and/or the Value for Money analysis; and

c. To avoid, to the extent possible, major problems in the project’s development and implementation, specifying the requirements that need to be considered at subsequent stages of the PPP process, [public private partnership]

(viii) Operational Feasibility:

Operational feasibility is the measure of how well a proposed system solves the problems, and takes advantage of the opportunities identified during scope definition and how it satisfies the requirements identified in the requirements analysis phase of system development.

The operational feasibility assessment focuses on the degree to which the proposed development projects fits in with the existing business environment and objectives with regard to development schedule, delivery date, corporate culture and existing business processes.

To ensure success, desired operational outcomes must be imparted during design and development. These include such design-dependent parameters as reliability, maintainabili ty, supportability, usability, producibility, disposability, sustainability, affordability and others.

These parameters are required to be considered at the early stages of design if desired operational behaviours are to be realised.

(ix) Schedule Feasibility:

A project will fail if it takes too long to be completed before it is useful. Typically this means estimating how long the system will take to develop, and if it can be completed in a given time period using some methods like payback period. Schedule feasibility is a measure of how reasonable the project timetable is.

Some projects are initiated with specific deadlines. It is necessary to determine whether the deadlines are mandatory or desirable. To do proper scheduling, the versatile techniques like PERT & CPM are adopted.

(x) Market and Real Estate Feasibility:

Market feasibility studies involve testing geographic locations for a real estate development project, and usually involve parcels of real estate land. Developers often conduct market studies to determine the best location within a jurisdiction, and to test alternative land uses for given parcels. Jurisdictions often require developers to complete feasibility studies before they will approve a permit application for retail, commercial, industrial, man­ufacturing, housing, office or mixed-use project. Market Feasibility takes into account the importance of the business in the selected area.

(xi) Resource Feasibility:

This involves questions such as how much time is available to build the new system, when it can be built, whether it interferes with normal business operations, type and amount of resources required, dependencies, and developmental procedures with company revenue prospects.

There are resources necessary to complete any project. All the important resources like human resource, artificial resources, financial resource etc. are taken care of by indulging in complete research on feasibility of the resources needed to complete the project.

6. Steps Involved in Conducting a Feasibility Study :

(i) Conduct a Preliminary Analysis:

The primary purpose of the preliminary analysis is to screen project ideas before extensive time, effort, and money are invested. Two sets of activities are involved. In this step the planned services, target markets, and unique char­acteristics of the services are described or outlined, as specifically as possible by answering following questions-

a. Does the practice serve a currently unserved need?

b. Does the practice serve an existing market in which demand exceeds supply?

c. Can the practice successfully compete with existing practices?

d. Are capital requirements for entry or continuing operations unavailable or unaffordable?

e. Do any factors prevent effective marketing to any or all referral sources?

If the information gathered so far indicates that the idea has potential, then it is continued with a detailed feasibility study.

(ii) Prepare a Projected Income Statement:

Anticipated income must cover direct and indirect costs, taking into account the expected in­come growth curve. Working backward from the anticipated income, the revenue necessary to generate that income can be derived in order to build a projected income statement. Factors that determine this statement are services provided, fees for services, volume of services, and adjustments to revenues etc.

(iii) Conduct a Market Survey:

A good market survey is crucial. If the planner cannot perform this survey, an outside firm should be hired. The primary objective of a market survey is a realistic projection of revenues.

The major steps include:

a. Defining the geographic influence on the market.

b. Reviewing population trends, demographic features, cultural factors, and purchasing power in the community.

c. Analyzing competing services in the community to determine their major strengths and weaknesses. Factors to consider include pricing, product lines, sources of referral, location, promotional activities, quality of service, consumer loyalty and satisfaction, and sales.

d. Determining total volume in the market area and estimate expected market share.

e. Estimating market expansion opportunities (e.g., responsiveness to new/enhanced services).

(iv) Plan Business Organization and Operations:

At this point, the organization and operations of the business should be planned in sufficient depth to determine the technical feasibility and costs involved in start-up, fixed investment, and operations.

Extensive effort is necessary to develop detailed plans for:

a. Equipment

b. Merchandising methods

c. Facility location and design & layout

d. Availability and cost of personnel

e. Supply availability (e.g., vendors, pricing schedules exclusive or franchised products)

f. Overheads

(v) Prepare an Opening Day Balance Sheet:

The Opening Day Balance Sheet should reflect the practice’s assets and liabilities as accurate­ly as possible at the time the practice begins, before the practice generates income. Prepare a list of assets required for practice operations. The list should include item, source, cost, and available financing methods.

Necessary assets include everything from cash necessary for working capital to buildings and land. Although the resulting list is rather simple, the amount of effort required may be extensive. Liabilities to be incurred and the investment required by the practice must also be clarified.

These items need to be considered:

a. Whether to lease or buy land, buildings, and equipment

b. Method to finance asset purchases

c. Way to finance accounts receivable

(vi) Review and Analyze All Data:

The planner should determine if any data or analysis performed should change any of the preceding analyses. Basically, this step means is based on the principle “Step back and reflect one more time.” Re-examine the Projected Income Statement and compare with the list of desired assets and the Opening Day Balance Sheet.

It is good to find out that all expenses and liabilities, in the Income Statement are reflecting realistic expectations. Risk and contingencies are analyzed for Considering the likelihood of significant changes in the current market that could alter projections.

(vii) Make “Go/No Go” Decision or Green/Red Signal Decisions :

All the preceding steps have been aimed at providing data and analysis for the “go/no go” decision. If the analysis indicates that the business should yield at least the desired minimum income and has growth potential, a “go” decision is appropriate. Anything less, than the desired result, will imply a “no go” decision.

Additional considerations include answers to following questions:

a. Is there a commitment to make the necessary sacrifices in time, effort and money?

b. Will the activity satisfy long-term aspirations?

7. Objectives of Feasibility Analysis :

Businesses undertake feasibility studies to determine if a proposed strategic action is operationally viable and will produce the desired results. The studies enable company leaders to understand both positive and negative impacts before making a change.

The main objectives of carrying out a feasibility analysis are:

(i) To determine the outcome of the proposed action.

(ii) To ascertain whether it will work as anticipated and generate the projected revenue or anticipated cost savings.

(iii) To identify the customers in the current and potential market

(iv) To learn more about customers’ current and future needs,

(v) To gauge interest of the customer in the product or service that is being offered.

(vi) To determine whether the primary customers will need the new product or service and how much they can and will pay.

(vii ) To determine if the product will be satisfactory.

(viii) To ascertain company’s strengths, weaknesses and position in the marketplace

(ix) To determine the financial benefits of the action vs. its costs.

(x) To gauge the competitor’s strengths and weakness and take corrective actions while carrying out the feasibility analysis.

8. Advantages of Feasibility Analysis :

Effective feasibility studies can do more than just help executives choose which projects to green light. Managers involved in a feasibility study can actually use much of the same data to shape the project planning process.

Four main advantages to feasibility studies can generate crucial insight for approved projects:

(i) Helps in Understanding Demand:

Feasibility studies always analyze whether a real demand exists for a product or a service. This holds true for internal projects as well as for potential consumer offerings. This way, project managers can avoid spending resources on features or projects with low impact and low demand among end users.

(ii) Helps in Assessing Resources:

Another of the advantages of feasi­bility studies is the opportunity to catalogue the current resources available for a project and to estimate the need for additional re­sources. Feasibility studies that recommend against projects often cite a lack of human resources or financial capital.

(iii) Helps in Ascertaining Marketing Feasibility:

Even for products and services with measurable demand, companies must examine their ability to spread the word about a new offering. During the evaluation process, project managers learn whether the market is already over saturated with stronger competitors. Company leaders can also discover any potential legal roadblocks involving trademarks, patents, or other intellectual property rights.

(iv) Helps in Marking a Timeline:

One of the biggest advantages of a feasibility study is the validation of a prospective timeline. When moving into a formal project planning phase, a project manager can use data generated by the study to help set milestones and deadlines. A quality feasibility study examines the timetable suggested by project sponsors for potential delays or breakdowns.

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10 Feasibility study and business plan differences you should know

by Naiyer Jawaid | Nov 8, 2021 | Development , Real Estate | 5 comments

Feasibility study and business plan differences

Feasibility study and business plan differences are subtle. In this post we will discuss 10 differences will help you to evaluate and differentiate between a feasibility study and a business plan.

Do you know what is a feasibility report? Do you know what is a business plan? Can you easily differentiate between a feasibility report and a business plan?

It’s easy! Just read out through the article and it will all be easy.

Let’s start by learning about a feasibility report:

A feasibility study is a formal document that assist in the identification and investigation of a proposed project. We can identify the project's weaknesses and strengths with the support of a feasibility study report, which saves us time and energy. We can determine whether the suggested idea will be lucrative and practicable in the future.

Before investing in a project, it is critical to determine if the project will be beneficial in the long run. The organization also needs to know how much the project will cost. Overall, a feasibility analysis indicates whether the firm should invest or continue with the project.

feasibility analysis for business plan

You should also like to read When to do feasibility study?

Now let us learn about business plan:

A business plan is a formal document that contains the goals/ objective of the business, the time in which the goal will be completed and the strategies that can be adopted to reach the specific goal.

A business plan is a necessary document for every new firm to have in place before it can begin operations. Writing a credible business plan is typically a requirement for banks and venture capital companies before contemplating granting funding to new enterprises.

It is not a smart idea to operate without a business strategy. In fact, very few businesses can survive for long without one. There are many more advantages to developing and keeping to a strong business plan, such as the ability to think through ideas without investing too much money and, eventually, losing money. Business plans are used by start-ups to get off the ground and attract outside investors.

A feasibility study is used to assess if a business or a concept is viable. After the business opportunity has been identified, the business strategy is produced. “A feasibility study is carried out with the goal of determining the workability and profitability of a company venture. A feasibility study is conducted before any money is committed in a new business endeavour to see whether it is worth the time, effort, and resources.

feasibility analysis for business plan

Similarities between a Feasibility study and a business plan

It's essential to analyse the similarities between a feasibility study and a business plan because they're both implemented altogether in same ways to help you build a lucrative company. The following are some of the similarities between the two documents:

Time: Both the reports are completed before the business begins and can be repeated afterwards to decide the next stages for new concepts.

Input: Both Feasibility report and the Business plan include input from a variety of people or departments with a variety of talents.

Format: Both report formats incorporate other documents that are gathered in order to create the report.

Components: Examining the target market, market circumstances, and financial expenses are some of the topics examined.

Use: Both may be displayed to potential investors and can assist the organization's management in making choices.

Organizations uses a business plan and a feasibility study as analytical and decision-making tools.

Although the three tools can be used in conjunction with one another in decision-making processes, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and they appear to target and address separate processes.

You might also like to read How to write a feasibility study report?

feasibility analysis for business plan

Now let us evaluate the difference between feasibility report and a business report-

  • A feasibility study is conducted to determine the viability and profitability of a business endeavour. A feasibility study is conducted before any money is committed in a new business endeavour to see whether it is worth the time, effort, and resources.

A business plan, on the other hand, is created only when it has been determined that a business opportunity exists and that the endeavour is about to begin.

  • A feasibility report is the first step and after that a business plan is made to be implemented, without feasibility report a business plan cannot be made.
  • A feasibility study contains computations, research, and projected financial forecasts for a company possibility. A business plan, on the other hand, is mostly comprised of tactics and strategies to be applied to establish and expand the company.
  • A feasibility study is concerned with the viability of a business concept, but a business plan is concerned with the development and sustainability of a company.
  • A feasibility report informs the entrepreneur about the profit potential of a company concept or opportunity, whereas a business plan assists the entrepreneur in raising the necessary start-up cash from investors.
  • Key components of a feasibility study and a business plan
  • A business plan does not include the description of the sales methods used, such as distribution agreements, strategic alliances, and the amount of involvement with partners, as well as the payment terms, warranties, and other customer support.

But a feasibility report includes all the sales methods, strategies, alliances to payment and customer support.

  •  Feasibility report contains:
  • Assists in cost estimation, describe the production site, required inputs, and sourcing region.
  • Physical description of the factory, including machine, capacity, warehouse, and supply chain, is necessary.
  • Indicate if the area used for production is rented or owned. This will have an impact on the financial forecast.
  • Information regarding the manufacturer's capacity, order details, price, and so on, if manufacturing is outsourced. To aid in cost estimation, describe the production site, needed inputs, and sourcing location.
  • A physical description of the factory, including machine, capacity, warehouse, and supply chain, is necessary.

But a business plan does not contain anything related to production and operations, but a business plan contains all the information related to management.

  • A poorly written business plan – poor projections, strategies, analysis, business model, and environmental factors, among other things – can be easily adjusted during business operations, but this cannot be said of a feasibility study because an incorrect conclusion in a feasibility study can be costly — it could mean launching a venture with little chance of survival or approving a proposal that wastes the company's human and financial resources.
  •  A business plan presume that a company will prosper and lays out the procedures needed to get there. Those in charge of conducting a feasibility study should not have any predetermined notions regarding the likelihood of success. They must maintain as much objectivity as possible. They do research and allow the facts to lead to the study's conclusion. If the study concludes that the idea is viable, some of the findings, such as market size predictions, may be incorporated in the company's business plan.

You should also read What is land development feasibility study?

These 10 differences will help you to evaluate and differentiate between a feasibility study and a business plan.

Feasibility study may appear to be like the business plan in many respects. "A feasibility study may easily be transformed to a business plan” but it is crucial to remember that the feasibility study is completed prior to the endeavor. The business plan should be thought of in terms of growth and sustainability, whereas the feasibility study should be thought of in terms of concept viability.

This is all you need to know and understand about feasibility study and business plan.

Get ready to apply your knowledge in the real words with lots of success.

You might also like to explore below external contents on  feasibility study :

  • What Is a Feasibility Study? – Types & Benefits
  • Best 8 Property Management Software
  • FEASIBILITY STUDIES & BUSINESS PLANS

Hope you enjoyed this post on  feasibility study , let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Are you someone involved with real estate feasibility?

We are excited to launch the next generation of real estate feasibility software to help you manage your development projects with ease.

Register now for a free trail license!

Jacob Trevor

This is a very good piece of writing. When you have a concept for a company but want to be sure it’s a good idea, you do a feasibility study.

Ataliah Kyamazima

It was very helpful. Thank you so much!

James Hilton

Appropriately timed! A company’s future operations are laid out in great detail in the company’s business plan. Once you’ve done your feasibility study, you’ll know whether or not the proposal has merit. The next step is to lay out your goals, whether financial and otherwise, as well as the strategies you want to use to attain them and the organisational structure you envision.

Matt Henry

Prior to the company opening, both are undertaken, and may be repeated again in the future to identify the next steps on new ideas that may arise.

Jaun Paul

Great Content.

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Feasibility study: definition, benefits and differences with a Business Plan

  • Last updated on 09 January, 2024

Welcome to our series of articles on feasibility studies.

  • What is a Feasibility study?
  • What is a bankable feasibility study?
  • How to do a feasibility study?
  • Feasibility study consultants: expertise needed
  • Cost of a feasibility study
  • Car Park Feasibility Study: Key considerations
  • Hotel Feasibility Study: Methodology
  • Feasibility study of solar PV projects: Key components
  • Feasibility study of real estate developments
  • Feasibility study of marina projects

In this post, we will touch on all the basic concepts behind a feasibility study. definition, benefits of doing it, main parts, differences with a business plan, etc. Aninver Development Partners is a consulting firm specializing in Feasibility studies for projects such as hotels, infrastructure, energy, technology, etc. We assist clients globally. 

Definition of Feasibility study

A feasibility study is a comprehensive and systematic analysis and evaluation of a proposed project, business venture, or initiative to determine its practicality, viability, and potential for success. It involves a thorough examination of various factors, such as financial, technical, operational, legal, environmental, and market-related aspects, to assess whether the project is feasible and worth pursuing. 

The primary goal of a feasibility study is to provide stakeholders with essential information and insights to make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the project, abandon it, or make necessary adjustments to enhance its chances of success.

Differences between a feasibility study and a business plan

Feasibility studies and business plans are both important tools in the development and evaluation of a business or project, but they serve different purposes and are created at different stages of the process. Here are the key differences between a feasibility study and a business plan:

Differences in Purpose

  • Feasibility Study : Feasibility studies are conducted in the early stages of project development or business planning. Their primary purpose is to determine whether a proposed project or business idea is viable and should be pursued. Feasibility studies focus on assessing the potential risks, challenges, and opportunities associated with the project.
  • Business Plan : Business plans are created after the feasibility study, once it has been established that the project is viable. The purpose of a business plan is to outline in detail how the business will be structured, operated, and grown. It serves as a roadmap for the future of the business and is often used to secure financing.

Differences in Content

  • Feasibility Study : A feasibility study includes an analysis of the project's overall concept, market research, technical requirements, financial projections, potential risks, and recommendations. It provides a high-level overview of the project's feasibility.
  • Business Plan : A business plan is a detailed document that outlines the company's mission, vision, goals, organizational structure, market strategy, marketing and sales plans, financial forecasts, and operational details. It delves into the specifics of how the business will operate.

Differences in Timing

  • Feasibility Study : Feasibility studies are conducted at the outset of a project or business idea to assess its potential feasibility. They help stakeholders decide whether to move forward with the project.
  • Business Plan : Business plans are typically created after the feasibility study, once it has been determined that the project is feasible and worth pursuing. They provide a roadmap for the actual operation and growth of the business.

Differences in Audience

  • Feasibility Study : The primary audience for a feasibility study includes project stakeholders, investors, and decision-makers who need to determine whether the project should proceed.
  • Business Plan : Business plans are used to communicate the business's vision and strategy to a wider audience, including potential investors, lenders, partners, and employees.

In summary, a feasibility study is a preliminary assessment of the potential success of a project, while a business plan is a detailed document that outlines how a business will be run. The feasibility study helps determine whether a business plan should be developed, while the business plan provides a comprehensive strategy for the ongoing operation and growth of the business.

Feasibility study vs Pre-feasibility study

Let's explore now the key differences between a prefeasibility study and a feasibility study:

Purpose and Scope : A prefeasibility study and a feasibility study both play critical roles in project evaluation, but they serve distinct purposes. A prefeasibility study is typically the initial phase in the assessment process. Its primary purpose is to provide a preliminary evaluation of a project's potential viability. It helps stakeholders decide whether it's worth investing further resources into a detailed feasibility study. In contrast, a feasibility study goes into much greater depth and detail, assessing the project's practicality from technical, financial, operational, and market perspectives. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of whether the project is feasible and worth pursuing.

Level of Detail : One of the key distinctions between the two studies is the level of detail they encompass. A prefeasibility study offers a broad overview of the project, examining high-level factors like market demand, technical requirements, and rough cost estimates. It provides enough information to make an initial go/no-go decision. In contrast, a feasibility study drills down into finer details, providing precise financial projections, risk assessments, engineering specifics, and a comprehensive business plan. It seeks to leave no stone unturned in assessing the project's practicality.

Resource and Cost Implications : A prefeasibility study is generally less resource-intensive and cheaper to conduct compared to a full feasibility study. It acts as a cost-effective filter to eliminate unviable projects early in the evaluation process. Once a project passes the prefeasibility stage and proceeds to a feasibility study, it implies a commitment of more resources, time, and finances due to the comprehensive nature of the study. A prefeasibility study helps in efficient resource allocation by focusing only on the most promising projects, while a feasibility study is a more intensive process suitable for projects that have demonstrated a higher likelihood of success during the prefeasibility assessment.

Benefits of doing a Feasibility study

Conducting a feasibility study offers numerous benefits, making it an essential step in the decision-making process for any project, business venture, or initiative. Here are the key advantages of performing a feasibility study:

  • Risk Assessment : Feasibility studies help identify potential risks and challenges associated with a project. By thoroughly examining technical, financial, operational, and market-related aspects, stakeholders can pinpoint areas of concern and develop strategies to mitigate or manage these risks effectively.
  • Decision-Making : Feasibility studies provide critical information to decision-makers, helping them make informed choices about whether to proceed with a project. These studies offer a basis for go/no-go decisions, preventing resources from being wasted on unviable endeavors.
  • Resource Allocation : By assessing the feasibility of a project, stakeholders can allocate resources more efficiently. They can avoid overinvesting in projects with limited potential and allocate resources to those with a higher likelihood of success.
  • Financial Planning : Feasibility studies include detailed financial projections and cost estimates. This financial information is invaluable for securing funding from investors, lenders, or other sources. It helps in creating a solid business case.
  • Market Insight : Market feasibility studies provide insights into customer demand, market trends, and competitive dynamics. This information is crucial for designing products or services that meet market needs and for formulating effective marketing strategies.
  • Optimized Design : Technical feasibility studies ensure that a project's technical requirements and design are viable. They help in avoiding costly design flaws and ensuring that the project can be implemented as planned.
  • Legal and Regulatory Compliance : Feasibility studies can identify potential legal and regulatory challenges. This allows for the development of strategies to navigate and comply with relevant laws and regulations, reducing the risk of legal complications later on.
  • Enhanced Project Viability : Feasibility studies may lead to adjustments and improvements in the project plan, making it more viable and likely to succeed. This iterative process ensures that potential issues are addressed proactively.
  • Investor and Stakeholder Confidence : When potential investors and stakeholders see that a comprehensive feasibility study has been conducted, they are more likely to have confidence in the project. This can make it easier to secure funding and support.
  • Long-Term Planning : Feasibility studies not only assess the viability of a project in the short term but also help in long-term planning. They provide insights into the sustainability and growth potential of a business or initiative.

In summary, conducting a feasibility study is a valuable step in the project development process. It provides a structured approach to assess the viability of a project, manage risks, make informed decisions, secure financing, and set the stage for a successful venture. The benefits of a feasibility study extend beyond initial decision-making and contribute to the overall success and sustainability of a project or business.

Components of a Feasibility study

A feasibility study typically consists of several key components that provide a comprehensive evaluation of a project, business venture, or initiative. These components help stakeholders make informed decisions about the feasibility and viability of the proposed endeavor. The main components of a feasibility study include:

Executive Summary

The executive summary provides a concise overview of the entire feasibility study. It includes a brief description of the project, its objectives, and the key findings and recommendations. It serves as a quick reference for decision-makers.

Project Description

This section outlines the project's goals, objectives, and scope. It defines the problem the project aims to solve or the opportunity it seeks to capture. It also specifies the project's location and the stakeholders involved.

Market Analysis

Market analysis assesses the demand for the product or service within the target market. It includes information on target customers, market size, growth potential, competition, and market trends. This component helps determine whether there is a viable market for the project.

Technical Feasibility

Technical feasibility examines the project's technical requirements. It assesses whether the necessary technology, equipment, and resources are available or can be developed. It also identifies any technical challenges that may need to be addressed.

Operational Feasibility

Operational feasibility evaluates how the project will be implemented and operated. It includes details about project timelines, workflow, personnel requirements, and operational processes. This section helps in understanding how the project will function on a day-to-day basis.

Financial Feasibility

Financial feasibility is a critical component that includes detailed financial projections and analysis. It covers aspects such as startup costs, revenue forecasts, expense estimates, cash flow analysis, and return on investment calculations. It assesses the project's financial viability and potential profitability.

Legal and Regulatory Analysis

This section examines the legal and regulatory requirements that may impact the project. It identifies permits, licenses, or compliance issues that need to be addressed. Understanding and addressing legal and regulatory aspects are essential to avoid potential obstacles.

Risk Assessment

The risk assessment component identifies potential risks and challenges associated with the project. It evaluates the probability and impact of these risks and suggests risk mitigation strategies. Risks can be financial, technical, operational, market-related, or related to external factors.

Recommendations and Conclusion

In this section, the feasibility study summarizes the findings and presents clear recommendations based on the assessment. It often includes a conclusion that states whether the project is feasible and worth pursuing or whether it should be abandoned or modified.

The appendices contain additional supporting documentation and data, such as detailed financial spreadsheets, market research reports, technical specifications, and any other relevant information. These provide a more in-depth reference for stakeholders.

The main components of a feasibility study collectively provide a thorough assessment of a project's viability from multiple angles, ensuring that decision-makers have a comprehensive understanding of the project's potential, risks, and benefits.

Examples of Feasibility studies

Let's look now into some examples of feasibility studies for different types of projects and initiatives:

  • Real Estate Development

A real estate developer is considering constructing a residential apartment complex in a growing urban area. A feasibility study would assess factors like market demand, location, zoning regulations, construction costs, potential revenue from rentals, and the financial viability of the project.

  • Manufacturing Plant Expansion

A manufacturing company is considering expanding its operations by building a new production facility. The feasibility study would evaluate factors such as available land, infrastructure, equipment requirements, workforce, environmental impact, and the financial feasibility of the expansion.

  • Small Business Startup

An entrepreneur is exploring the feasibility of starting a small restaurant in a specific location. The feasibility study would examine the local market, including competitors, target customer demographics, startup costs, regulatory requirements, and financial projections for the first few years of operation.

  • Renewable Energy Project

A renewable energy company is considering the construction of a solar power plant. The feasibility study would assess the site's solar exposure, grid connection feasibility, equipment costs, revenue from energy sales, environmental impact, and the return on investment over the project's lifespan.

  • Healthcare Facility Expansion

A hospital is contemplating an expansion to meet growing patient demands. The feasibility study would include an assessment of the required medical equipment, staffing needs, regulatory compliance, funding sources, and the anticipated patient load.

  • Tourism Development

A tourist destination is considering the construction of a new hotel and recreational facilities. The feasibility study would evaluate the area's appeal to tourists, competition with existing businesses, construction costs, expected occupancy rates, and potential revenue from tourism.

  • Nonprofit Program Expansion

A nonprofit organization is looking to expand its community outreach programs. The feasibility study would assess the need for the programs, funding sources, volunteer availability, operational costs, and the impact of the expansion on the organization's mission and goals.

  • E-commerce Startup

An entrepreneur plans to launch an e-commerce website. The feasibility study would examine market demand, website development costs, marketing strategies, competitive analysis, and projected sales revenue and profitability.

These examples illustrate how feasibility studies are conducted in various fields and industries to evaluate the potential success and viability of a wide range of projects and initiatives. The specific components and focus areas of a feasibility study will vary depending on the nature of the project and the questions it seeks to address.

7 steps to conduct a Feasibility study

Now, let's think we are going to write a feasibility study. Let's check what steps we need to take to develop the final report.

  • Conduct a Preliminary Analysis

Begin by conducting an initial evaluation of the project's objectives and scope. This step involves defining the problem the project intends to address or the opportunity it aims to seize. Ensure that the project's goals are clear and well-defined.

  • Analyze Technical Specifications

Examine the technical aspects of the project in detail. Evaluate the availability of required technology, equipment, and resources. Verify that the project's technical requirements can be met effectively.

  • Conduct a Commercial Analysis

Perform a comprehensive analysis of the project's commercial aspects. This step involves assessing the market's demand for the product or service, analyzing market size, competition, customer needs, and market trends. Determine if there is a feasible market for the project.

  • Prepare a Projected Income Statement

Create a detailed projected income statement for the project. This includes estimating startup costs, revenue forecasts, expense projections, and cash flow analysis. Calculate the return on investment (ROI) to determine the project's financial viability, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of the investment and the Net Present Value (NPV) of future cash flows.

  • Prepare a Day-Zero Balance Sheet

Develop a balance sheet that represents the project's financial position at the outset (day zero). This financial snapshot should account for all assets, liabilities, and equity to provide a clear overview of the project's financial situation before it begins.

  • Analyze Different Alternatives for Feasibility

Explore various alternatives and scenarios for the project's feasibility. Assess different approaches, technologies, or business models to identify the most viable option. Consider the potential impact of these alternatives on the project's success. Make sensibilities to potentila risks.

  • Make a Go/No-Go Decision

Based on the findings and analysis conducted throughout the feasibility study, make a well-informed decision on whether to proceed with the project (a "Go" decision) or abandon it (a "No-Go" decision). Ensure that the decision aligns with the project's goals and aligns with the information presented in the study.

These steps provide a structured approach to conducting a feasibility study, ensuring that all relevant aspects of the project are thoroughly assessed and considered before making a decision on its viability.

In conclusion, a feasibility study is an indispensable tool for any project, business venture, or initiative. It serves as the critical bridge between a concept and a well-informed decision. By following a systematic process that includes a preliminary analysis, technical assessment, commercial evaluation, financial projections, and a careful consideration of alternatives, stakeholders can gain a comprehensive understanding of a project's viability.

The feasibility study's ability to assess market demand, technical feasibility, operational requirements, financial viability, and potential risks empowers decision-makers to make informed choices. Whether it's a real estate development, a new product launch, a manufacturing expansion, an IT system upgrade, or any other endeavor, a feasibility study helps in risk management, efficient resource allocation, and, ultimately, the successful realization of the project's goals.

It's important to remember that a well-conducted feasibility study not only serves the purpose of greenlighting a project but also provides a foundation for its long-term success. It gives stakeholders the confidence that the project is based on sound analysis and planning. In a world of complex challenges and opportunities, the feasibility study is a guiding compass for those seeking to turn innovative ideas into reality.

Make sure you hire the right consultants to deliver your feasibility study or business plan. Our firm, Aninver Development Partners, specializes in designing bankable feasibility studies  to make sure projects continue to their following phase. 

Send us a message on our contact page and we can discuss how we can help you. 

Some of our experience conducting feasibility studies can be seen below:

  • Feasibility Study for a new marina in the island of San Andrés through PPP
  • Pre-feasibility study for construction of silo storages in Northern Ghana through PPP
  • Feasibility study of a real estate WAQF project in Cotonou (Benin)
  • Feasibility study and analysis of strategic alternatives of a touristic development in Natal
  • Feasibility study for creation of an Investment and Export Promotion Agency of Health services in Tunisia
  • Feasibility Study for car parks in Bishkek though PPP
  • Feasibility study of markets in Benin and Togo under PPP scheme
  • Feasibility Study for the establishment of a Large-Scale Cashew Processing Plant in Zambia
  • Public Private Partnership (PPPs) study in the Housing Sector
  • Review of Business Case for Manila Central Subway
  • First Mover PPP Prefeasibility Study
  • Review of the feasibility study of the PPP project Complejo El Brillante, in Cordoba (Spain)
  • Review of pre-feasibility study of a Health PPP project

Alvaro de la Maza picture

Alvaro de la Maza is one the founding partners of Aninver Development Partners. Alvaro is a Civil Engineer, MS on Infrastructure Management and MBA by IESE Business School.Alvaro has extensive experience in Infrastructure and Public Private Partnerships. Alvaro has worked and led multiple consulting projects for clients such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank and other donors.Alvaro has extensive creating digital products and he has led the development of market intelligence platfor...

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The difference between a feasibility study & a business plan

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? How much would the wood cost and how dependable is supply? Does the wood have a “best by” date? How long would it take to do the chucking? And what about woodchuck retention, it is a tough market out there.

If there are wood chucking businesses (and we do have a client that clears and hauls felled trees and wood debris), they might want to consider a feasibility study and business plan before diving into an expansion or other major project. Feasibility studies and business plans are commonly needed (or required) for analysis and decision purposes such as the launch of a new business line, product or service line expansions, geographic expansion, or attracting capital. Likewise, target readers range from boards of directors for project approval purposes, management for internal planning, lenders or potential investors, grant or other assistance programs, and a number of others. 

But what are the differences between a feasibility study and a business plan, and how do the two relate? A business feasibility study is a detailed analysis of the viability of an idea or concept for a business venture. Once feasibility has been determined, a business plan documents the operational and financial objectives of the venture and the detailed plans to achieve them. In short, a business feasibility study can be looked at as “Can we?” while the business plan is “How to.” 

It is common for the “can we?” and “how to” assessments of a project to be combined into one document, but many key aspects of feasibility should be determined before diving too deep into the “how to” of a venture.

Some years ago we did a feasibility study for a large California dairy operation seeking to grow returns by introducing value-added products rather than strictly selling bulk fluid milk. The idea? Homogenize and pasteurize their own milk (some in flavors), put it in glass bottles, and deliver it to people’s doorsteps. 

After I got over my shock, we set about exploring key aspects of feasibility: Is there demand for it, and at what price points? What would it take for the company to successfully make and bottle the products? How would it be marketed? Can bottles be returned and sanitized sufficiently for safe re-use?

As you might imagine, there was not much industry data to lean on; Nielsen and IRI have no market data for home delivered milk, there are no trade associations for the home milk delivery business, and not a lot of equipment and bottle suppliers focus on that niche of the otherwise huge dairy industry.

It was a challenge. We designed a market survey and partnered with the marketing program of a local community college to take consumer surveys at farmers’ markets and other events to determine potential market interest and price points. We contacted some of the few similar operations we could find in the United States. We looked into the availability of bottles approved for both milk and multiple re-use. 

Ultimately, we found the project feasible, and with this assurance developed a business plan to lay out the “how to-s.” In the years since, the company has been a great success with stunning growth.

Tempting as it may be to dive straight into the “how to,” unless you have other supportable reasons to believe a project is feasible from such key aspects as demand, production, distribution, marketing, capital, and a thorough risk assessment, it is best to spend some time determining “Can we?”

I tell our business feasibility study clients that one result they should be prepared for is “not feasible.” It happens, but it’s still a lot less trouble and risky than jumping in without due diligence. Morrison has conducted feasibility studies and business plans for nearly 20 years for a wide variety of needs and intended readers. We’re always happy to bounce around ideas and help explore what might – or might not – work for a business’s needs.

Brent Morrison is the Founding Principal at Morrison. To get in touch with Brent, please find contact information for Morrison here .

We’ve worked with a wide variety of clients on a broad range of projects and are happy to discuss solutions that can best fit your needs.

Utibe Etim – Business Plans, Funds, and Opportunities

Difference Between Feasibility Study and Business Plan

Palm oil trading supply business

Many people don’t know that there is a difference between a business plan and a feasibility study.

Frequently, clients reach out seeking a feasibility study, but after an in-depth conversation, it becomes evident that what they truly require is a comprehensive business plan. In this article, I’ll clarify this common misconception and provide a clearer understanding of the distinction.

So let us start with the first one, which will give us a brief overview of what a business plan and a feasibility study is all about

Table of Contents

What is the Difference Between Feasibility Study and Business Plan

Business plans and feasibility studies are vital business tools for analysis and for making business decisions. However, a feasibility study is not the same thing as a business plan because a feasibility study gives a conclusion or recommendation that would be completed prior to developing the business plan.

Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is done to determine whether a proposed business has a high enough probability of success that it should be undertaken. A feasibility study is carried out first in order to know if the business will be viable before venturing into it. Before a company can invest in a business or launch a new product, a feasibility study is done to determine if there will be a return on investment.

According to Rochester.edu, a feasibility study can be defined as “a controlled process for identifying problems and opportunities, determining objectives, describing situations, defining successful outcomes, and assessing the range of costs and benefits associated with several alternatives for solving a problem.”

It can also be used to make decisions about whether to launch a new product for an existing company or enter a new market. Feasibility studies are sometimes termed cost-benefit analyses because the projected costs of the project are compared to the expected benefits to yield a conclusion.

For instance, imagine that you have been an instructor in a company that provides IT training and certifications in the USA and you want to come to Africa to impact the knowledge by starting a new business and even adding training like IT Certification Practice Test Dumps , but you are faced with the big question, “Would my business fly?”. Is there a market for my services?

In this situation, the best decision is to conduct a feasibility study to determine if those IT programmes have an established market. If they are a company that needs interns trained by your company.

Business plans are guidelines for carrying out actions that the company’s management has already determined to be feasible. So a business plan is like a roadmap for your business that outlines goals and details how you plan to achieve those goals.

Business plans map out the direction a company intends to take to reach its revenue and profit objectives in the future. They are a compilation of numerous decisions made by the management team about how the company should be run. A business plan is done after a feasibility study has been carried out. If the recommendation of the feasibility study is negative, then there will be no need to venture into the business. Then, if the feasibility study says the business will be feasible, a business plan is developed, which will then map out plans and strategies to adopt in order to achieve business goals, including revenue generation, market penetration, customer acquisition, marketing, and sales strategies, among others.

A business plan can be done for internal or external use. The internal use of a business plan is for the management and staff of the company, while the external use is for shareholders, investors, bank loans, and customers.

Main Purpose of a Business Plan and a Feasibility Study

In short, a feasibility study gives a conclusion or recommendations, while a business plan gives a roadmap.

The feasibility study helps determine whether an idea or business is a viable option.  Therefore, a feasibility study is done first before investing a dime in the business. Before considering approaching investors, you must have done your research to know that the business is feasible before taking any decision. That is why a feasibility study gives a conclusion or recommendations.

A business plan will map out the roadmap and strategies to achieve your business goal because a business plan assumes a business is viable and presents the steps necessary to achieve success. If you are looking forward to approaching an investor or trying to get a bank loan, what you need is a business plan. Some investors might request for a feasibility study before the business plan

Outline of a Business Plan and a Feasibility Study

Below is the outline of a business plan:

  • Executive Summary
  • Business/Company Overview
  • Products/Services
  • Market/Industry Analysis
  • Operation Plan
  • Management/Personal plan
  • Sales Forcast
  • Financial Plan
  • Appendices and Exhibits

A good outline for a feasibility study includes:

  • Introduction
  • Product or Service
  • Market Environment
  • Competition
  • Business Model
  • Market and Sales Strategy
  • Production Operations Requirements
  • Management and Personnel Requirements
  • Regulations and Environmental Issues
  • Critical Risk Factors
  • Financial Predictions Including:  Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, Break Even Analysis, and Capital Requirements

Challenges of a Business Plan and a Feasibility Study

Looking at both the business plan and feasibility study, you will discover that both attempt to predict future outcomes using assumptions about what is likely to happen in the business and the business environment, which include government policies, the market, competition, and risk, among others. Any poorly done feasibility study can lead to a costly mistake. If a business is not viable and the recommendation says it will be viable, the end result will not be palatable. This will affect the business plan and the operation of the business adversely.

A poorly done business plan—poor projections, strategies, analysis, business model, and environmental factors, among others—can easily be adjusted in the course of running the business, but the same cannot be said of a feasibility study because, in a feasibility study, an incorrect conclusion can be costly—it could mean launching a venture that has very little chance of surviving or approving a project that wastes the company’s human and financial resources.

If you need a standard business plan,  check out the list of Business Plan we have

Do you want us to develop a unique business plan for you, Check out our  business plan service page

I would love to hear your thoughts. Kindly use the comment box below to leave your comment.

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5 thoughts on “Difference Between Feasibility Study and Business Plan”

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This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this informative article by shading more light on the two.

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I’ve been planning to hire a feasibility analysis service, so I’ll have an idea, whether my candle business is feasible. I agree with you that this must be done first before approaching the investors. It is also true that an incorrect conclusion in the feasibility study could be costly.

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It’s inevitable! It helps you to make the right decision.

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My business plan is ready but I will like you to review it

Alright, You can reach out to me on 07031542324 or email me at [email protected]

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feasibility analysis for business plan

1.2 VENTURE CREATION & BUSINESS PLAN

IMAGES

  1. How to Determine the Feasibility of a Business Idea?

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  2. Project Feasibility Analysis

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  3. What is a feasibility study? Definition and examples

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  4. Feasibility Analysis

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  5. How to do Feasibility Study for any Business?

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  6. Feasibility Analysis Templates

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VIDEO

  1. Feasibility studies & Financial Resource Management Dr Attia Gomaa / Lec6

  2. Financial Feasibility

  3. Lecture 11 Feasibility Analysis & Business Plan Technopreneurship

  4. Financial analysis in feasibility study part 1

  5. Feasibility Study managerial part section 1

  6. Organizational Feasibility Analysis

COMMENTS

  1. 11.3 Conducting a Feasibility Analysis

    A feasibility study allows a business to address where and how it will operate, its competition, possible hurdles, and the funding needed to begin. The business plan then provides a framework that sets out a map for following through and executing on the entrepreneurial vision. Organizational Feasibility Analysis

  2. Using Feasibility Studies in Project Management [2023] • Asana

    A feasibility study—sometimes called a feasibility analysis or feasibility report—is a way to evaluate whether or not a project plan could be successful. A feasibility study evaluates the practicality of your project plan in order to judge whether or not you're able to move forward with the project. It does so by answering two questions:

  3. How to conduct a feasibility study: Template and examples

    A feasibility study is a systematic analysis and evaluation of a product opportunity's potential to succeed. It aims to determine whether a proposed opportunity is financially and technically viable, operationally feasible, and commercially profitable.

  4. What Is a Feasibility Study? How to Conduct One for Your Project

    A feasibility study is simply an assessment of the practicality of a proposed project plan or method. This is done by analyzing technical, economic, legal, operational and time feasibility factors. Just as the name implies, you're asking, "Is this feasible?"

  5. Feasibility Study

    A feasibility study is a detailed analysis that considers all of the critical aspects of a proposed project in order to determine the likelihood of it succeeding. Success in business may be...

  6. How to Conduct a Feasibility Study: A Step-By-Step Guide

    Step 1: Conduct the preliminary analysis. Performing a full-blown feasibility study is time- and resource-consuming, so instead of jumping headfirst into this monstrous assessment, it's ...

  7. What Is a Feasibility Study and How to Conduct It? (+ Examples)

    A feasibility study is a systematic and comprehensive analysis of a proposed project or business idea to assess its viability and potential for success. It involves evaluating various aspects such as market demand, technical feasibility, financial viability, and operational capabilities.

  8. How to Conduct a Feasibility Study Step by Step

    Step 1: Do the preliminary analysis. Running a full feasibility study can eat up time and technical resources. Instead of diving straight into the assessment, try dipping your toes in first by doing a preliminary analysis. Think of it like a test before the big test. 🤓.

  9. Feasibility analysis for new businesses

    Feasibility analysis for new businesses | Business Queensland At the end of your visit today, would you complete a short survey to help improve our services? Thanks! When you're ready, just click "Start survey". It looks like you're about to finish your visit. Are you ready to start the short survey now? qld.gov.auContact us Home

  10. 11.3: Conducting a Feasibility Analysis

    Financial Feasibility Analysis. A financial analysis seeks to project revenue and expenses (forecasts come later in the full business plan); project a financial narrative; and estimate project costs, valuations, and cash flow projections Figure 11.13.. Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): An analysis of financial feasibility focuses on expenses, cash flow, and projected revenue.

  11. How to use a feasibility study in project management

    A feasibility study determines how practical a proposed project, plan, or method is. Although it's most often used in project management, you can conduct a feasibility study to test a new business idea or even the operational feasibility of a change in workflow for an existing business. A feasibility study looks at how "feasible" or ...

  12. Feasibility Analysis: What It is and How to Conduct One

    Keep in mind that a feasibility study is not the same thing as a business plan. While the business plan has a planning function and it shows the actions you need to take if you want to follow your business idea, the feasibility analysis investigates a certain function and finds out if it's viable or not. Feasibility analysis template. Image ...

  13. Business Feasibility Studies

    Think of a feasibility study as a saddle and a business plan as a horse. Just like you need a saddle and stirrups to control a horse, you need a feasibility study to guide and inform your business plan. Sure, you can try to form a business plan without any prep, but just like riding a horse without a saddle, you'll probably get bucked.

  14. Feasibility Study

    Conducting a feasibility study involves the following steps: Conduct preliminary analyses. Prepare a projected income statement. What are the possible revenues that the project can generate? Conduct a market survey. Does the project create a good or service that is in demand in the market?

  15. Feasibility analysis and business plan

    A feasibility study is an analysis that considers all of a project's relevant factors—including economic, legal, technical, and scheduling considerations—to ascertain the likelihood of completing the business project successfully .

  16. What Is a Feasibility Study for Small Business?

    A feasibility study for small business is an in-depth research and financial analysis that recommends if one should pursue a business idea or product. The study contains estimates of items such as income, costs, obstacles, and technical challenges. Typically, a feasibility study for a small business costs a minimum of $5,000.

  17. How To Write Feasibility Studies (With Tips and Examples)

    Here is a step-by-step guide to help you write your own feasibility study: Describe the project. Outline the potential solutions resulting from the project. List the criteria for evaluating these solutions. State which solution is most feasible for the project. Make a conclusion statement. 1.

  18. PDF Feasibility Plan Framework

    Recommendations. If you conclude that your concept is feasible, prepare an action plan of the next steps you will take. This could include: writing a business plan; building a prototype; doing in-depth market research; finding a location; identifying people that could help you start the business; raising funds, etc.

  19. Feasibility Analysis: Meaning, Importance, Report, Types, Process

    Feasibility is an analysis and evaluation of a proposed project to determine if it is: ADVERTISEMENTS: a. Technically feasible b. Feasible within the estimated cost c. Profitable. Feasibility studies are almost always conducted where large sums are at stake and are also called Feasibility Analysis.

  20. 10 Feasibility study and business plan differences you should know

    A feasibility study is used to assess if a business or a concept is viable. After the business opportunity has been identified, the business strategy is produced. "A feasibility study is carried out with the goal of determining the workability and profitability of a company venture.

  21. Aninver

    A feasibility study is a comprehensive and systematic analysis and evaluation of a proposed project, business venture, or initiative to determine its practicality, viability, and potential for success.

  22. The difference between a feasibility study & a business plan

    A business feasibility study is a detailed analysis of the viability of an idea or concept for a business venture. Once feasibility has been determined, a business plan documents the operational and financial objectives of the venture and the detailed plans to achieve them.

  23. Difference Between Feasibility Study and Business Plan

    Main Purpose of a Business Plan and a Feasibility Study. In short, a feasibility study gives a conclusion or recommendations, while a business plan gives a roadmap. The feasibility study helps determine whether an idea or business is a viable option. Therefore, a feasibility study is done first before investing a dime in the business.

  24. 1.2 VENTURE CREATION & BUSINESS PLAN (pdf)

    The easiest part of launching a new business is coming up with the idea.(Start) Planning: 1. Feasibility Analysis: Should we proceed with this idea? 2. Business Model: How should we proceed with this idea? 3. Business Plan: Transforming the idea into a successful business. It is difficult to get people to change habits and behaviours to try a new product even if the new product is better or ...