ABSTRACT
Getting a consultancy assignment done and done well can often be quite tricky. This chapter suggests some ideas to help you keep your clients happy.
8.1 IT consultancy assignments change The result of a successful IT consulting assignment is that the client’s business is in better condition than it was when the project commenced. This is achieved by the IT consultant delivering solutions to problems or helping clients take advantage of opportunities. It is about providing support for the business, which is not readily available internally. IT consulting assignments often involve working with some sort of change programme and these are often regarded as being some of the most difficult with which to succeed as they do not always have the wholehearted support of the individuals whose working lives are being changed. Furthermore these types of assignments often evolve or change themselves. You can begin with one set of objectives and quickly realize that you actually need to achieve something else. This can of course lead to both considerable opportunities as well as problems for the IT consultant. Thus delivering concrete results for the client, which the client actually appreciates as being of value, can often be quite a challenge.
