| > | | | | "AS/400 mainframes" or "embedded systems", for |
| How To Pick An IT Consultant | | | | example. Areal IT consultant, though, focuses on |
| At some point, most businesses are going to need to | | | | benefiting hisclient, using whatever technology is |
| have somehelp from an IT consultant. Maybe your | | | | necessary, rather thanon what technology he's familar |
| business is small,without many IT resources. Maybe | | | | with. You want to hiresomeone that's skilled at solving |
| your company is larger,with significant resources in IT | | | | problems, and that willuse the technology that's best |
| already, and just needs ahealthy dose of outside | | | | suited to your business,whatever it may be. You |
| perspective. Whatever the reason, itcan be difficult to | | | | shouldn't have to pick a consultantbased on what |
| choose an IT consultant, especially ifyou aren't a | | | | technology he's familar with; he should beable to take |
| technical person. | | | | care of almost any technological problem,either by |
| I've heard stories about selecting consultants from | | | | doing the work himself or outsourcing to someonein his |
| allsorts of people. Quite a few have told me heard | | | | network of contacts. |
| horrorstories about how they wound up with large bills | | | | Pay only for value. |
| and littleor nothing to show for it. Fortunately, it doesn't | | | | Amateur IT consultants tend to charge for their time, |
| have tobe hard to choose an IT consultant, because | | | | not bythe value of the work they perform; so do |
| I've used theknowledge I've accrued to create some | | | | contractprogrammers. Real IT consultants, though, |
| guidelines you can usein choosing your IT consultant. | | | | charge based onvalue provided to you, NOT based on |
| A Contract Programmer or an IT Consultant? | | | | time. This is becauseamateurs are afraid that they |
| There are quite a few contract programmers out | | | | won't be able to complete theproject in a reasonable |
| theremasquerading as IT consultants. A real IT | | | | amount of time, so they wantreassurance that they'll |
| consultant isn'tin the business of writing code; rather, | | | | be paid for their time in anysituation. Experienced IT |
| he's in thebusiness of solving problems, and code just | | | | consultants, though, are confidentin their ability to deliver |
| happens to beone of the way that he (or she) does it. | | | | code under their estimate, theyare confident in their |
| Conversely, acontract programmer will want you to | | | | ability to provide value, and theythat they can provide |
| spell out exactly whatkind of program you want him to | | | | value that's worth MORE than theirtime is. You |
| write. He doesn't solveproblems; he just writes code | | | | shouldn't be making an investment decisionevery time |
| the way he's told, and hopesit will fix the problem at | | | | you consider calling your IT consultant. |
| hand. With a real IT consultant,you wind up with a | | | | It always takes time. |
| solution that leaves everyone happy. | | | | Some consultants will offer to send you a proposal |
| Focus on benefits, not technology. | | | | after aten or twenty minute phone conversation. It is |
| Some IT consultants can get wrapped up in their | | | | impossible toaccurately assess your situation that |
| technology;it's not uncommon to see consultants who | | | | quickly; they aretrying to provide you with a |
| specializes in | | | | 'one-size-fits-all' package. |