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Do most of these traits line up with your personality, or do they seem more like obstacles to be overcome? Most likely it's somewhere in between, but exactly where?
Whenever I am on or off site, working for my clients, I find a proper mindset is to put me inside their company, not as an OUTSIDE CONSULTANT but as an internal, paid employee. This is a subtle thing but it vastly changes perspective of problems and solutions. Consulting is an outside view in, far better to see the world through the lens of your client, and your clients will appreciate that.
... one of the benefits you can bring to a project is a new pair of eyes with a fresh perspective. But I agree that it's also important to be able to see the problem from the client's perspective.
A fresh pair of eyes is what we are supposed to bring with us every day to our clients. At least until the first three coffees are in us.
The client's perspective is interesting. I have long wanted to actually "work" a day in my client(s) offices to DO WHAT THEY DO so I can understand their business. A medical staff uses EYECOM2, a patient management system for optical houses, and it is easy to SUPPORT but in terms of USING the software, filling out insurance, making appropriate patient records, etc ... they do that on an intimate basis and I do not. Therein is a huge business knowledge gap of profound importance. Everytime I do pick up something of the way they do their jobs, I am most thankful.
I would also love to dictate more rules in my clients offices, but there are rules and then there are people. I have to strike a balance between the two. I favor my rules more but bends have to be made and it is our job, then, to protect those bends.
I had to accomodate Optos Retina Scanner one evening and that meant opening up the portals so the Optos people in California could enter their computer in-house and check image count. They were amazed I was HELPING THEM TO COME INTO OUR NETWORK??? Most administrators don't want that. Ever. But my job is to GET this fellow into the Optos server and so that goes with being on the client's side of the street too.
The client's perspective is interesting. I have long wanted to actually "work" a day in my client(s) offices to DO WHAT THEY DO so I can understand their business. A medical staff uses EYECOM2, a patient management system for optical houses, and it is easy to SUPPORT but in terms of USING the software, filling out insurance, making appropriate patient records, etc ... they do that on an intimate basis and I do not. Therein is a huge business knowledge gap of profound importance. Everytime I do pick up something of the way they do their jobs, I am most thankful.
I would also love to dictate more rules in my clients offices, but there are rules and then there are people. I have to strike a balance between the two. I favor my rules more but bends have to be made and it is our job, then, to protect those bends.
I had to accomodate Optos Retina Scanner one evening and that meant opening up the portals so the Optos people in California could enter their computer in-house and check image count. They were amazed I was HELPING THEM TO COME INTO OUR NETWORK??? Most administrators don't want that. Ever. But my job is to GET this fellow into the Optos server and so that goes with being on the client's side of the street too.
Walk-thrus and use cases are supposed to provide the client perspective, but as you noted they usually don't communicate the intensity of some seemingly minor issues or the tediousness that comes from using the product day after day.
When I used to direct software development for a company that sold accounting software to CPA firms, I always had a picture in my mind of how the accountants used the system. Whenever I would go on site to visit one of our clients, though, I always learned something new about how the system could be used and what the rub points were.
There's no use case like the real thing.
When I used to direct software development for a company that sold accounting software to CPA firms, I always had a picture in my mind of how the accountants used the system. Whenever I would go on site to visit one of our clients, though, I always learned something new about how the system could be used and what the rub points were.
There's no use case like the real thing.
I've been working as a consultant for 10 years, and I couldn't come up with a better list. #10 is defintely the harder to get (at least it was for me), and it's crucial to keep #8 and #9 in mind all the time, but every single one of them is essential to succeed as a consultant.
Firstly, congrats on an excellent article.
I have been an independant IT consultant for 3 years now with about 5 years IT experience under my belt before going solo. Maybe surprising though, my previous IT experience was sales\account management rather than technical.
Although it is my techincal skills which get the billable hours done, it is my sales skills which ensure the client is aware of my achievements. This ensures trust and value in my work which ultimately results in more work comes coming my way. Not just with the client involved but the clients they refer.
The ability to sell yourself is a critical trait an independant consultant needs over a traditional tech.
I have been an independant IT consultant for 3 years now with about 5 years IT experience under my belt before going solo. Maybe surprising though, my previous IT experience was sales\account management rather than technical.
Although it is my techincal skills which get the billable hours done, it is my sales skills which ensure the client is aware of my achievements. This ensures trust and value in my work which ultimately results in more work comes coming my way. Not just with the client involved but the clients they refer.
The ability to sell yourself is a critical trait an independant consultant needs over a traditional tech.
Absolutely. You can't just expect that your client will automatically see the benefit they get from you. You do have to bring it to their attention, in creative ways. The road to success is littered with the bodies of would-be consultants who had great technical skills but little ability to market those skills.
Thank you!
Your article is of great help!
Your article is of great help!
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