IT Consulting IS 578

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IT ConsultingIS 578

• Class 1
• The Professional Services Industry and IT
  Consulting

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Introduction and Overview
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Introduction

• People
• Web Site
• Syllabus
• Course Requirements
• Case Study Analysis
• Case Study Critiques
• Term Project
• Issue Analysis Papers

• Readings
• Cases
• Teams

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Terminology

• Firm
• Clients
• Engagements
• Utilization
• Inventory

• Backlog
• Fee
• Practice
• Client Development

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IT Consulting Issues
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Why Hire Consultants?

• Staff Augmentation
• Expertise
• Experience
• Scape Goat
• Outsider
• ...

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Basic Business Drivers

• Increase Sales
• Reduce Costs
• Comply With Regulations
• Make Life Easier

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Key Issues

• Consulting Firm
• Clients
• Customers
• Regulatory Agencies
• Competition

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Consulting Firm

• Internal
• Org structure
• Profit centers
• Costs
• Recruiting
• Promotions
• Education
• Performance reviews
• Knowledge management

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Consulting Firm

• Infrastructure
• Physical facilities
• IT facilities
• Legal
• Administrative
• HR
• Education

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Consulting Firm

• External
• Project management
• Marketing/Positioning
• Selling
• Tools
• Techniques
• Methods

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Consulting Firm External

• Industry expertise
• RFP/RFI response
• Engagement costing/pricing
• Ethics
• Legal compliance
• Contracts
• Service offerings
• Products

• Quality
• Project management
• Marketing/Positioning
• Selling
• Tools
• Techniques
• Methods

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Clients

• Internal
• Outsource vs. insource
• Cost reduction
• Improve efficiency
• Infrastructure management
• Competitive edge
• RFI/RFP development and analysis

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Clients

• External
• Supply chain
• Order fulfillment
• Regulations
• Industry expertise
• CRM
• Sales
• Product development
• Product manufacturing

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Customers

• Industry Issues
• Competitive Advantage/Edge

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Regulatory Agencies

• AICPA
• SEC
• ...

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Competition

• Direct
• Indirect
• Clients
• Replacement
• Obsolescence

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Why Is Consulting So Tough

• Gerald M. Weinberg

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Four Laws of Consulting

• In spite of what the client may tell you, theres
  always a problem
• No matter how it looks at first, its always a
  people problem
• Never forget theyre paying you by the hour, not
  by the solution
• If they didnt hire you, dont solve their problem

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The Hard Law

• If you cannot accept failure, youll never
  succeed as a consultant

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The Harder Law

• Once you eliminate your number one problem, you
  promote number two

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The Hardest Law

• Helping yourself is even harder than helping
  others

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How To Choose and Work With Consultants

• Harvard Management Update
• September 1998

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Before Hiring A Consultant

• Do you have a clear understanding of the
  projects mission?
• Does management fully support - organizationally
  and financially - the consultants mission?
• When should the engagement end?
• Can your company provide the necessary ongoing
  support after the projects completion?

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Questions To Ask Before Signing Up A Consulting
Firm

• What kinds of assignments has the firm conducted
  that are applicable to your problem?
• What is the firms reputation in the business
  community, particularly in your industry?
• Who is the lead consultant or project leader and
  what is his or her background and experience?
• What are the backgrounds of the other members of
  the consulting team?
• What specific measurements of value added does
  the firm employ for each assignment?

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Questions To Ask Before Signing Up A Consulting
Firm

• Can the firm provide a detailed breakdown of
  fees?
• Does the firm guarantee its work?
• Does the firm conduct a post-engagement analysis?
• What will be the operational impact of this
  consulting assignment on your company?

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Case

• e-Consulting

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e-Consulting

• Situation You are a senior manager in a
  mid-sized consumer products company which has
  several manufacturing facilities and uses both a
  direct sales force and agent representatives.
  Your President has decided it is important that
  your company take full advantage of the
  capabilities of the internet and you are tasked
  with analyzing which e-consulting company to
  engage.
• Your initial step is to determine whether to go
  with a smaller, newer firm or one of the larger,
  more established ones.
• Using the case materials at hand, evaluate the
  strengths and weaknesses of the two groups.
  Identify the key issues faced by each group which
  will influence their ultimate success or failure
  in the e-Consulting market.
• Develop your recommendation and prepare the case
  you will use to sell your President on your
  choice.
• Finally, identify a number of ways your company
  can use the internet to its advantage and what
  role the consulting company will play in helping
  your company succeed..