I’ve been on both sides of the table with this one. Having been the client when engaging with a consulting firm and then as a consultant representing a consulting firm to multiple clients. Through that time I’ve come to appreciate the best team members are ones, who are able to quickly determine efficient and effective ways of engaging with the other party. Here are 10 tips for when you are working with IT consultants.
1. Make sure the work is documented.
Just think what would happen if a consultant decided to pack up and leave one day. Do you have clear instructions on how to continue operating the system, or do you have access to their documents in an editable format? Losing a good consultant is enough of a change but having to search for documentation once they have left can leave you frustrated! Ask within reasonable means to have work well documented, reviewed periodically and maintained in a central repository.
2. Be informed.
Make sure consultants keep you informed of progress and of course any potential problems. If you think meetings will be a waste of time then insist on regular reports via email. You don’t want to deal with ticking time bombs.
3. Acronyms.
Even though you and the IT professional will have a solid understanding of the industry and project at hand, acronyms can still cause a lot of pain. Ask consultants to define acronyms they use so you can be clear on the content and context.
4: Learn by doing.
If the consulting is training, ensure you attend and be part of the training process. i.e. don’t just sit around and watch – be part of the presentation, ask questions, get up and draw on the whiteboard. Insist on getting hands on experience, purposely make mistakes to ensure the consultant covers error handling. Learning by doing promotes critical thinking and will quickly make you an expert into new systems and processes
5. Expenses.
Set daily limits for hotels and other expenses. Whilst most consultants are reasonable with their expenses almost always you will get a few who will behave as a prima donna and demand to stay in the best hotels and travel business class. To avoid such issues be clear and upfront with consultants on the expenses they are allowed. Better yet, simply set a per diem allowance and leave it up to the consults to manage that amount. The worst you can do is not set an agreement in place and have to deal with unreasonable reimbursement claims down the track.
6. Be clear on leadership.
This may sounds simple but I’ve observed this issue countless times in various organisations. Be 100% clear on who is in charge of the project, that is, who ultimately has the final say, whether you bring in a small number of consultants to complement your existing team or a whole team of developers to create a new software systems. Ensure this is discussed upfront before the project begins and/or is made clear during the project so everyone is aware on who is responsible and who has ultimate authority.
7. Have measurable milestones.
Rather then have percentage statuses reported back to you, such as “analysis complete 80%” insist on a sign off date. This ensures that “complete 80%” status is still not 80% a month later.
8: Ask to be notified before long absences
IT consultants will often have multiple clients and multiple projects. However, as the client, you have a right to know when they are absent from your location. Even if they have documented their work and/or gained approval from their consulting company is no excuse for them to not to inform you. Ensure they always inform you of extended absences.
9. Give feedback.
Keeping quiet when you have issues with IT consultants never helps. Don’t let issues fester. Speak to them politely and if the issue can’t be resolved then escalate it to their boss or bosses. If consultants have done a good job then ensure you compliment them for it. Recognising good work is guaranteed to ensure that they will extend themselves for you in the future.
10. Have a turn over plan.
Consultants may have developed the system and may stick around to operate and maintain it, leaving you and your staff the time to do other things BUT you don’t want them to stick around the office forever. In my experience the output achieved from IT consultants tends to drop off the longer they linger. So have a plan to either turn over your temporary consultants or have a hand over of the system they have implemented.