Go to page: 1 2  Printer Friendly Version

Field notes: Always remember that they're working for you, you're not working for them. Intranet development is a mutual process -- which requires mutual respect -- between consultant and client. A good intranet consultant is supposed to work with you and take the time to listen to what you need rather than dictating outright what you should need. Consultants may know everything there is to know about the nuts and bolts of intranet development, but they don't know anything about your organization's business processes, its corporate culture and politics, or its workplace dynamics. A bad consultant speaks, a good consultant listens.

The Doomsdayer

Modus operandi: Doomsdayers love to expose all the so-called faults with your current IT environment. They're extremely negative and like picking at, and highlighting, all your technological shortcomings. They tell you all the things they can't do because of your IT infrastructure and never offer solutions. They're best known for their high-pitched cry: "The sky is falling!"

Field notes: Good intranet consultants never bring up problems without offering possible solutions to those problems. Some of those suggestions might not be feasible for the time being, but at least they're giving you the option. Consultants with a limited skillset often belong to this species. They will nitpick your Microsoft-centric environment because all they know is LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) or vice versa. They do this to shift focus away from their own limitations and tell you all the reasons why you shouldn't be using what you're using.

The Slacker

Modus operandi: Slackers appear for initial requirements gathering meetings and then disappear for days or even weeks at a time. They're almost impossible to find as they rarely emerge during the daytime. They often try to avoid having to work on-site because they will be too easily accessible. They take a long time to answer your voice mail or e-mail messages, and don't provide you with regular status reports. Slackers have a tendency to bring up development problems at the most inopportune time or will try to avoid giving you firm deadlines for deliverables.

Field notes: Steady communication between consultants and clients is crucial -- especially if the consultants are unable to work on-site or if there are security concerns with having external personnel moving freely within the company. But geography should never be an excuse for not staying in touch. Even when there's nothing major to report, consultants should at the very least drop an e-mail every so often to let you know that everything's going smoothly.

A regular stream of communication allows you to deal with problems that can potentially upset your project schedule. There's nothing worse than having your intranet consultant call you up on the eve of a deadline -- after two weeks of silence -- with a major problem that will delay all deliverables.

Step Lightly

Identifying the good intranet consultant from the bad is not always easy. The best thing to do is ask for references. Speaking with past clients provides you with unbiased information about an intranet consultant. Ask them if the consultants delivered what was expected of them on time, if they were responsive to client needs and concerns, if they stayed in touch throughout the development process, and anything else that's of concern to you. But if your potential intranet consultants refuse to provide you with references, don't make any sudden movements and back away slowly.

Paul Chin (www.paulchinonline.com) is a freelance writer and IT consultant. He has previously worked in the aerospace and competitive intelligence industries as a software developer and intranet specialist. He currently writes on a wide range of IT topics, including systems development and security, digital communications and media, content management and web design.

Go to page: 1 2  Printer Friendly Version