This article was recently published in the march issue of Vivid magazine. You can find it on here vivid’s site as well as below.
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In the last few years that I have spent as an IT consultant it has become apparent that most companies do not effectively know how to use an IT consultant. There are many elements which contribute to a good working relationship between the consultant and the client but the number one factor is if the client knows what he wants to achieve. This may sound odd at first but most of the time the client does not actually know what he wants. Success is based on whether or not the client is able to identify the reasons and needs for an IT consultant.
Once a company has identified the areas in which it needs help (sometimes with the help of a consultant) it should consider whether it could resolve the issues internally or use external sources such as an IT consultant.
Deciding on whether to use internal sources or an IT consultant is usually a relatively easy choice to make. The client either has the necessary skills in-house or not. If the client has some of the skills but not all it might be a good idea to invest in training to acquire the rest of the skills. In some cases the costs of acquiring these skills far outweigh the costs of a consultant. Care must be taken when analysing the prospect of using an IT consultant. Luckily there are consultants that can help in exactly these types of scenarios.
The method by which an IT consultant may be sought varies greatly as some companies will go for word of mouth recommendations while others will go through recruitment agencies and other similar services. I recommend a combination of both while taking into consideration that the IT consultant should be known on the market via local user groups, have proven skills in the areas in which you need assistance, and have previous experience in the areas that you need assistance. They will hopefully be certified and have been involved in similar projects.
Aside from the technical skills required the relationship between the consultant and the client is just as important. The outcome of the project will largely be based on this relationship and how comfortable each party is with each other. It is important, for example, to integrate the consultant into the teams that he will be working alongside. A comfortable relationship will provide better communication and better output just as in any other relationship.
It is also important that the consultant know all aspects of the project in which he is involved. From my personal experience IT consultants are usually treated as outsiders when they first start a project and information is withheld by employees. Getting the clients trust is a slow process and slows down production. If the consultant cannot effectively communicate with the whole team it will hold back positive results. Management or the person responsible for hiring the IT consultant must make sure that the consultant is tightly integrated into the team or teams that he will be working alongside, and that communication is a positive, driving force.
The tasks or projects that an IT consultant is set should be clear before he is hired, although sometimes it is hard to define them without the help of one. Once the tasks are clear the consultant should be provided access to the necessary information in order to fulfill his duties. Employees sometimes become stumbling blocks for IT consultants because they feel they could have provided the same services; in such cases I recommend letting management take decisions about whether the employees should help in some way or let the consultant go it alone.
As the project or projects play out it is important for the client to see and understand what value the IT consultant has brought to the projects. Weekly meetings, documentation, briefs or reports are useful in getting feedback from the IT consultant. Sometimes in large projects it could take months or even years to see the full outcome of the project and having regular updates and information lets the client see where he stands.
As with any relationship, the most important factor is communication. Knowing when to use an IT consultant, where to get one and how to effectively use one is a difficult process but using common sense and communication will provide positive results.
