So, that time has come. You’re an experienced professional, but now comes along one of the biggest things you’ve tackled. This is the major project. It will involve your areas of expertise, but also other areas of expertise that you don’t have right now. It may be a relocation, it may be a merger of organisations, it may be the co-location or outsourcing of your data centre, it may be something else. However, you’re part of the core team, and the business is looking to you to get it right. It can’t fail.
So what do you do? Well, you get help, right? Ok, but how do you know who is best placed to help you? There are lots of consultants out there, and many of them are expensive. However, are they any good? What makes a good relocation consultant? What makes a good data centre outsourcing consultant, and why is that any different to a technical architect?
I’ve been on both sides of this dilemma. I’ve been the guy who looked for help, and over the last twenty years, I’ve become the guy to whom people turn – especially when the project is relocation or data centre outsourcing. Over that time, I’ve arrived at a list of things that I believe you should look for when looking for help with a project. Here are my picks, based on real world experience:
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Knowledge: Your consultant should be able to demonstrate their understanding of what you are trying to achieve, and from the conversation you should be able to tell that they have the relevant experience.
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Certainty: Your consultant should be able to articulate the project goals and associated costs. They should also be willing to support this by offering services based on a clear scope and an associated fixed price rather than a more open ended day-rate basis.
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Responsiveness: Your consultant should be willing and able to respond to changes in the plan and conditions in a way that shows that they are “owning” the issue and its resolution Avoid at all costs the type of consultant who places all risk with you and offers advice on the “lend me your watch and I will tell you the time” principle.
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Flexibility: Your consultant should be happy to work with you to devise a plan that suits your requirements within the overall project, rather than try to saddle you with a “this way only” option.
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Trust: Essential, this one. Your consultant represents you, and you should both be proud of that fact. The relationship should establish, and then build, real and mutual trust.
Consultants and consulting firms come in many shapes and sizes, but these things are common in my experience of good ones. I’d be delighted to hear your thoughts on the subject.
