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Help for Your IT Projects?
Implementation of business-critical IT infrastructures can be a nightmare. Why? Because of increasing complexity – including huge transaction workloads and workflow processes, software solutions, hardware configurations, heavy data storage requirements and other technology-based demands.
This has made it necessary for SMEs to outsource their IT infrastructures to a third-party company who help manage their IT needs. SMEs can then focus on core business capabilities which drive profits. This means getting help from an IT consultant.
Obviously, an IT consultant must be competent with the workings of technology and solutions that work cost-effectively. Yet, much more is required than mere IQ to solve your IT problems.
EQ is a must-have if the eventual solution is to meet the expectations of people who use the IT implementation each day. The IT consultant needs a good understanding of human nature, especially end-user needs. Capability to interact with all individuals, at all hierarchical levels of the client company is a must. Empathy and understanding of just how different people in the various levels behave and react to IT implementations is crucial. Listening to end-user inputs and concerns will make the final implementation more user-friendly.
Basic IT issues revolve around three considerations, including how to integrate human-to-IT interaction, IT workflow processes, and adopting relevant technologies. Your company will derive optimal results when all three components work together harmoniously.
All IT implementations involve a reference technology life-cycle with the typical stages: Introduction, Adoption (Implement and Install), Operation (Operational Live and Maintenance Contract), and Retirement (Retirement and Re-Introduction).
When a much better IT solution becomes available, Retirement of an obsolete technology occurs, and then, a new life-cycle starts. A good example involves outsourced Managed Services for IT life-cycle management and systems design, maintenance and upgrading works.
A competent IT consultant must be able to manage the IT life-cycle, from introduction to adoption to operation and retirement. He needs to have good people-skills, so that he is able to “feel the reaction” of the people using these technologies. An IT consultant should be vendor-neutral – and not product-driven and brand-driven – so that he can address the business challenges with solutions that are a best fit, reliable and within budget.
How do you select an IT consultant? Basically, you can select an IT consultant based on his track record and passion for the project. This is particularly true for a lasting project engagement. Consider the full scope of the actual project life-cycle duration, and not just to hire a quick-fix involvement.
There are some questions that can help you decide better. Will your IT consultant retire before your IT life-cycle goes through the full loop? Will your organisational value-chain be impacted by IT systems downtime when you face a major glitch? Will your company get prompt help from your IT consultant when your IT problems need to be fixed or escalated?
Your IT consultant must be people-friendly, competent, reliable, and capable enough to give you sound advice to solve IT problems that arise at any time. His mindset must also be to fix and resolve IT hang-ups on a long-term basis, and not simply implementing a stop-gap, quick-fix solution.
Most importantly, he needs to understand how each company’s business operates, and “tailor-make” solutions using best practices methodology that optimise your existing IT resources. He must recognise that no two companies are the same.
What are the fee structures that you need to pay your IT consultant? Often fees are payable according to the nature of the work required. Typically, fees are structured around the following project scope. These are separately charged as Feasibility study, Design work, Deployment, Operational management, Change management and Re-introduction and retirement.
Prices can range from S$1,000 upwards but may be factored into the actual project implementation when the IT job is awarded. Note that the project scope and life-cycle may often overlap. Also, different technology implementations may have different life-cycle characteristics. It’s a good idea to have a frank discussion with your IT consultant to find out more.
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How to work with IT consultant