How to Work with Consultants
3.4 هزار بار بازدید -
2 سال پیش
-
Working with consultants is unfamiliar
Working with consultants is unfamiliar to many project managers and project team members. But, if you do it right, you will get the best possible value from your organization’s investment. So, how do you work with consultants?
I was a Project and Program Management consultant for 12 years and have consulted less formally for the last 20. So, that’s over 30 years of experience, on which to base my advice.
Before You Hire Your Consultants
1. Carefully define what you need, so that you can issue a clear and precise brief. This will help potential consultants to propose specific solutions and to price them accurately.
2. Always evaluate the proposals against the brief first. Treat any off-brief elements separately. Assess them carefully: has the consultant suggested something you need, or is it merely a nice-to-have?
3. If the consultants will be working on your site, among your people, evaluate the personalities, attitudes, and culture of the consultant or consulting team. Meet as many people as you can.
At the Start of the Consulting Engagement
1. Consider their formal proposal as a part of their contract to you. But, issue precise, formal instructions, in writing.
2. Brief the consultant or team fully, either before they start or as part of a kick-off session.
3. Develop an ‘evidence procedure’ - a set of measures against which you will measure their performance. Share it with them, so they know clearly what success looks like.
4. Set up effective reporting procedures, that include:
• Regular reports
• Milestone reviews
• A process for ad hoc reports in the instance of exceptions
5. Cover all your admin efficiently. You don’t want to be wasting their time dealing with your admin, like getting access passes.
During the Consulting Engagement
1. Work collaboratively with your consultants, and see them as part of your wider team.
2. Look out for changes to their brief – which can be costly. If you do need to change things, make your decisions internally and document them.
3. Have a formal internal process for issuing new or revised instructions. This needs to align with any contractual variation order process. Ensure any instructions you issue are precise.
Letting Your Consultants Go at the End of the Engagement
1. Don't become dependent upon consultants or, if they are on a rolling contract, don’t forget to release them, when they have done their work.
2. Don't allow them to be a crutch that avoids you properly delegating to your own staff, nor allow them to find ways to overstay their welcome.
3. Before they leave, debrief them thoroughly, so you can harvest any knowledge, methods, or insights that they have accumulated.
4. Get the exit admin right, being sure to remove any passes or access keys from them. And maybe consider changing security codes!
The Most Important Thing…
The most important thing is to be a well-informed client. Ask questions and make sure you understand everything – especially before agreeing to a recommendation that you don’t initially understand fully.
Recommended Videos
Carefully curated video recommendations for you:
🎬 A Fixed Price Contract for Your Project: Pros and Cons A Fixed Price Contract for Your Proje...
🎬 Should a Project Manager Get Involved in Contract Negotiations? Should a Project Manager Get Involved...
🎬 Competitive Procurement: How to Run a Tender Process Competitive Procurement: How to Run a...
A while back, I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list.
https://kit.co/MikeClayton/what-a-pro...
Note that the links are affiliated.
For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to this channel: @onlinepmcourses
For all our great Project Management articles and resources, please check out the OnlinePMCourses website: https://onlinepmcourses.com/
For basic Management Courses - free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses: managementcourses
For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management: https://onlinepmcourses.com/free-acad...
#Project #ProjectManagement #Consultants
I was a Project and Program Management consultant for 12 years and have consulted less formally for the last 20. So, that’s over 30 years of experience, on which to base my advice.
Before You Hire Your Consultants
1. Carefully define what you need, so that you can issue a clear and precise brief. This will help potential consultants to propose specific solutions and to price them accurately.
2. Always evaluate the proposals against the brief first. Treat any off-brief elements separately. Assess them carefully: has the consultant suggested something you need, or is it merely a nice-to-have?
3. If the consultants will be working on your site, among your people, evaluate the personalities, attitudes, and culture of the consultant or consulting team. Meet as many people as you can.
At the Start of the Consulting Engagement
1. Consider their formal proposal as a part of their contract to you. But, issue precise, formal instructions, in writing.
2. Brief the consultant or team fully, either before they start or as part of a kick-off session.
3. Develop an ‘evidence procedure’ - a set of measures against which you will measure their performance. Share it with them, so they know clearly what success looks like.
4. Set up effective reporting procedures, that include:
• Regular reports
• Milestone reviews
• A process for ad hoc reports in the instance of exceptions
5. Cover all your admin efficiently. You don’t want to be wasting their time dealing with your admin, like getting access passes.
During the Consulting Engagement
1. Work collaboratively with your consultants, and see them as part of your wider team.
2. Look out for changes to their brief – which can be costly. If you do need to change things, make your decisions internally and document them.
3. Have a formal internal process for issuing new or revised instructions. This needs to align with any contractual variation order process. Ensure any instructions you issue are precise.
Letting Your Consultants Go at the End of the Engagement
1. Don't become dependent upon consultants or, if they are on a rolling contract, don’t forget to release them, when they have done their work.
2. Don't allow them to be a crutch that avoids you properly delegating to your own staff, nor allow them to find ways to overstay their welcome.
3. Before they leave, debrief them thoroughly, so you can harvest any knowledge, methods, or insights that they have accumulated.
4. Get the exit admin right, being sure to remove any passes or access keys from them. And maybe consider changing security codes!
The Most Important Thing…
The most important thing is to be a well-informed client. Ask questions and make sure you understand everything – especially before agreeing to a recommendation that you don’t initially understand fully.
Recommended Videos
Carefully curated video recommendations for you:
🎬 A Fixed Price Contract for Your Project: Pros and Cons A Fixed Price Contract for Your Proje...
🎬 Should a Project Manager Get Involved in Contract Negotiations? Should a Project Manager Get Involved...
🎬 Competitive Procurement: How to Run a Tender Process Competitive Procurement: How to Run a...
A while back, I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list.
https://kit.co/MikeClayton/what-a-pro...
Note that the links are affiliated.
For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to this channel: @onlinepmcourses
For all our great Project Management articles and resources, please check out the OnlinePMCourses website: https://onlinepmcourses.com/
For basic Management Courses - free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses: managementcourses
For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management: https://onlinepmcourses.com/free-acad...
#Project #ProjectManagement #Consultants
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