THINKING OF A CAREER IN IT CONSULTANCY?

Paul StevensJason Buckley

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Jason Buckley

Physics Degree15 Years IT CareerRoles included team management, project management and technical writingCurrently Internal Consultant in multinational utility

Paul Stevens

Computer Studies Degree20+ Years IT CareerRoles included team management, database administration and software developmentCurrently Internal Consultant in multinational utility

JBObjectives

• What does a consultant do?• What skills are needed?• When are they used?• The consultancy lifecycle• Real-world example• How do you gain ISEB certification?• Pros and cons of a consultancy role• Questions

JBWhat does a Consultant do?

• Fundamentally, to save the business time and money• Understand the business – people, technology, processes, drivers, politics• Take a holistic view of a problem• Help them understand what options they have – manage expectations,

manage conflict

Consultancy is advising, not delivering. As soon as you start to implement anything, you are no longer a consultant, you are a practitioner

JBWhat skills are needed?

• Written and verbal skills at appropriate level for audience• Soft skills – expectation setting, workshop facilitation, understand the

customer and their business, persuasion/negotiation skills• Ability to learn new concepts quickly, often avoiding the detail• Technical translator

JBWhen are they used?

• To make a strategic decision• When detailed technical knowledge is required• When broad business knowledge is required• To advise on possible improvements• Political pawns, to back-up someone’s position• Facilitators between internal stakeholders• Facing off to vendors, cutting through the sales speak

JBThe Consultancy Lifecycle

• Entry. First contact and early problem diagnosis. Expectation setting and building trust.

• Diagnosis. Understanding the problem, digging for facts, analysing the “as is” world.

• Action Planning. Developing solutions and options. Helping the client to select the most appropriate solution. The “to be” world.

• Implementation. Assisting but not building the solution.

• Termination. Evaluation and withdrawal.

PSProject: Delivering IT infrastructure in the desert

PS1. Entry

• Internal sales lead through a protracted route. Disgruntled customer.

• Required a complete infrastructure to support the company’s operations.

• Proposal to develop a high level architecture based on standard infrastructure components; to be delivered by a project manager.

• Request for interview. The stakeholder was based in Germany.

• MANDACT.

• Risks …

PSWhat is MANDACT

This is a technique to size and assess the viability of the request.

Money: Is there a budget?Authority: Who has the money and authority to spend it?Need: How serious are they?Decision Criteria: Do we want to follow through with this assignment?Ability: To we have the capability?Competition: Is there any?Timing: Timescales to solve a problem?

PSRisks

• Network Communications.

• Staffing.

• Equipment Failure.

• Sourcing Spares.

• Governmental Factors; advice from FCO.

PS2. Diagnosis

• Knowledgeable Customer, with a solution in mind.

• Time Limited.• Some components in place. • Locally Employed Personnel (LEP)

hired.• Initial risk list confirmed, plus:

• Import restrictions.• Commodity hardware was

difficult to obtain.• A non-standard solution

would be a likely outcome.• Interim HLA issued.

PS3. Action Planning

Iterative Process

PS4. Implementation

• The high level architecture was passed to a project manager for implementation.

• Support provided by me in terms of developing plans and briefing technicians.

• Participation in progress meetings up to and including the testing phase.

• Refinement of the design as required.

PS5. Termination

• My decision was to withdraw from the assignment when testing of the solution proved positive. This was agreed with the customer.

• A follow up session when the solution became operational.

• We had had other business based on this assignment …

JBNo consultancy? What goes wrong...

• People buy equipment, then it doesn’t fit together • No holistic view taken, for example, support model missing• Trust between business and IT breaks down• Scope creep• Money and time is lost as the project goes around in circles• Missing documentation

JBISEB Certificate in IS Consultancy Practice – the Examinations

• Minimal entry: 24 years old and 4 years experience in IT• Optional 5 day course, hands-on, role play, real-world scenarios• Written 2 hour exam, closed book, 3 questions – one lead question• If passed, follow-up oral examination, 45 min total:

• Panel of two BCS examiners• 10 minute presentation on a recent or current assignment• Answer questions on presentation• Answer questions on ISEB syllabus

• Resulting certifications:• Pass written exam: ISEB Certificate in IS Consultancy Essentials• Pass oral exam: ISEB Certificate in IS Consultancy Practice

• BCS website for more information: http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.6928

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Pros and Cons of Consultancy Role

Good Stuff Bad Stuff

Diverse tasks and people Can be on your own

Influential role Steep learning curve

Develops skills and talent Expectations can be hard to manage

Often good remuneration You can’t know everything!

Independence and autonomy Travel often a necessity

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Questions Please!

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