IT Consulting Guide

Author: Friedman
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: This book is not only an excellent guide to help you become a top-tier consultant but also reminds contemporary practitioners that consultants should be trusted business advisors for their clients. The author combines theory and case studies to illustrate the knowledge, skills, and practical experience required to excel as an IT consultant. It provides effective examples for IT consultants to determine their roles in project implementation, understand clients' technical, organizational, and cultural environments, and proposes a complete, systematic methodology for the client/consultant relationship—IT Consulting Framework. The book is divided into three parts, each with a different focus. Part 1 offers an overview of the consulting industry, including an explanation of the fundamental principles for consultants and the professional ethics consultants need to apply. Part 2 describes the "IT Consulting Framework" and systematic methods and techniques that IT consultants can use to plan, design, and deliver IT systems. Part 3 guides senior IT consultants in handling complex situations and subtle differences involving resistance, inertia, criticism, and politics, while also providing guidance on how to strengthen client relationships through value-added services, such as training and IT system documentation. The book also includes case studies to illustrate the principles mentioned above. These case studies will include requirements for proposals, proposals obtained from consulting firms, and project plans that a consultant can use in their own practice to demonstrate how the listed principles are applied in real life. By adopting the judgment, analytical, and consulting techniques outlined in this book, IT consultants can help clients leverage modern information technology to achieve business benefits.
In this era of business outsourcing and downsizing, many IT professionals are beginning to view consulting as a career. The rest of the IT workforce must also incorporate consulting into their business operations. Many computer technicians hope to expand their professional skills to qualify for positions beyond their technical roles. Unfortunately, the skills they have learned as employees and technicians have not prepared them for the complexities of providing IT consulting services. To make matters worse, most books on consulting focus only on logical and operational topics related to starting and running a consulting business, with little attention to the skills needed to deliver consulting services effectively. This book is dedicated to providing a blueprint for novice consultants seeking to deliver high-quality services and for experienced consultants looking to refine their consulting skills. I have tried to make this book as accessible as possible. It is divided into three parts, each with a different focus. Part 1 offers an overview of the consulting industry, including an explanation of the fundamental principles for consultants and the professional ethics consultants need to apply. Part 2 describes the "IT Consulting Framework" and systematic methods and techniques that IT consultants can use to plan, design, and deliver IT systems. Part 3 guides senior IT consultants in handling complex situations and subtle differences involving resistance, inertia, criticism, and politics, while also providing guidance on how to strengthen client relationships through value-added services, such as training and IT system documentation. The book also includes case studies to illustrate the principles mentioned above. I once imagined a scenario that portrays real-life situations where IT consultants might find reflections of themselves, and I used this scenario to elaborate on the principles described in this book. These case studies will include requirements for proposals, proposals obtained from consulting firms, and project plans that a consultant can use in their own practice to demonstrate how the listed principles are applied in real life.
A 1999 research report by International Data Corporation (IDC) stated that by 2003, Americans would spend $55 billion on consulting, with an annual growth rate of 14.5%. Clearly, businesses have readily embraced obtaining professional external advice as a means to achieve their business goals. By adopting the judgment, analytical, and consulting techniques outlined in this book, IT consultants can help clients leverage modern information technology to achieve business benefits.