Defining the Consulting Project

It can be tempting to go to a consultant on your knees, asking for a magic fix. Don't do it! Do as much as you can before you even interview a consultant to define the project for yourself. What do you want the project to accomplish? What possible solutions do you see? Your use of a consultant should be a part of your overall vision for technology in your organization. See the section to get started on the planning process.

Thinking through your answers to the following questions will prepare you to meet with the consultant:

• What do you need to be able to do? The most important thing you can figure out is what you need to change in your organization. What that you want to be able to do using technology? Some sample goals include saving staff time by reducing the number of computer crashes, sharing files with other users, or allowing different staff members to access the Web simultaneously. Being able to tell the consultant why you want something will enable them to recommend the cheapest solution that will meet all your needs. Defining the technological needs of your organization is a key step in the larger technology planning process. See the "Sample Technology Plan" article in the Downloads section for hints on how to formulate your needs.

• What is your budget? You may not be sure how much you want to spend, and you may want to hold back until you see a price quote or learn more about your options. Be prepared to tell your consultant, however, the approximate range you are looking at. Are you thinking in terms of $1,000? $10,000? $50,000?

• What support resources do you have in place? In order for a consultant to make a good recommendation for a technology solution, s/he should know what support resources you have available to maintain it. For instance, a consultant should not recommend a complex Novell network if you have no plans of hiring a system administrator.

• What solutions do you see? Before you talk with a consultant, do as much as you can to figure out what it is you want them to do. If you have the technology expertise in your organization to know exactly what you want, you can go ahead and write a Request for Proposal (RFP) with the specifications for the project. See InternetTraining.com's article How to write a Request for Proposal. If you are not sure what you need, begin to educate yourself! Mary Duffy, a nonprofit consultant and Senior Program Manager at CompuMentor says, "The less time you spend educating yourself, the more likely it is you'll pay for something you don't need." TechSoup is a good place to start to familiarize yourself with the different possibilities. Visit the hardware, software, Networks, connecting to the Internet, using the Internet or staff training sections to learn more. As you read about the pros and cons of different solutions, make a list of questions to ask the consultant.

Before you interview a consultant or meet with one for the first time, think through your answers to these questions! Discuss them with your technology team, your manager or with other staff members Some consultants routinely up their hourly rate with clients who don't communicate clearly or who change their demands often. Bringing a list of your needs, expectations, deadlines and resources to the first meeting will put you in the right position to use their time and your money well.

Here is a sample list of specifications for a networking project:

• Connect 20 computers running on the Windows platform.
• Give all computers on the network fast access to our main database.
• Give staff members email accounts.
• Train staff to use and maintain the network.
• The budget for this project is $10,000.
• The project needs to be completed by March 4th.
• There is no money in the budget for continuing support.
• Our users are beginners, so the system must be easy to learn and maintain.