An IT consultant without business smarts might be nothing more than a busybody
In conversations with technology and business decision-makers, I hear stories about IT consultants who lack a fundamental understanding of how to run a business or what constitutes a strategy. While these consultants may be deep experts in certain technologies, they sometimes fall short when it comes to business understanding.
Despite much talk about business-oriented consulting, it doesn't always translate into practice. There's a significant untapped potential in harnessing business understanding that I wish were being better utilized.
Why does this gap exist? In my opinion, there's not enough discussion about the business, the client's operations, or the various aspects of the operating environment. Allocating a consultant as a "resource" to perform a narrow task within their own silo often makes little sense.
Industry practices, such as frequent project changes and disrupted knowledge transfer, lead to a blurred understanding of the value proposition and customer needs. Consequently, the 'big picture' often remains elusive.
Business is not the sole province of those in “suits”
The narrow perspective that people are an easily replaceable pair of hands underestimates people's potential and what consulting and customer experience could be at their best. Not surprisingly, the term "resource" is negatively connoted in our industry, yet it's commonly used to describe specialists. The language we use reflects our thinking, which often permeates collaboration, activating or deactivating people in the process.
My observations suggest that the intelligent individuals in our field are, in fact, quite interested in broadening their perspectives, such as understanding the business and commercial aspects.
Strategy, for instance, is often seen as too complex, perceived to be the domain of business contexts. Yet, it is essentially a plan communicated to achieve a specific objective. Understanding the strategy becomes simpler when one is aware of the client's mission and the derived vision, which in turn aids in comprehending the end customers' needs and how to address them.
The lack of understanding is not always on the individual; we all have roles to play in addressing these essential perspectives and encouraging a more nuanced culture of discussion. Good practices for business-oriented thinking include familiarizing consultants with client companies' annual reports, missions, visions, and strategies, often available in some public form. Facilitating such discussions with customers or account managers is natural during project kick-offs or directional shifts. Seasoned consultants usually acquire the necessary information themselves, but the best understanding and team spirit often arise from collaboration with various stakeholders.
Supporting technology leaders and teams in their own digital development
Companies building their own digital development organizations, also in an economic downturn, are actively recruiting available experts. Technology leaders are overwhelmed with onboarding projects. Customer projects see frequent budget changes, and companies are still trying to find the right balance with hybrid work. Staying in the loop on the latest hypes and shiny new tech is also crucial.
Seasoned consultants who can act as translators between different stakeholders are invaluable. They help organizations understand how technology can support their business strategy. This requires more than coding skills; it requires a broader understanding and readiness to work collaboratively towards a larger goal.
At Asteroid, the success in client projects, skill development, or caring for well-being is never left to a single individual. Our community and company support our consultants and clients, ensuring that project progression is aided by multiple heads, not just one. A consultant's role is to be a valuable partner and a trusted advisor, not just an hourly billing entity.
Seasoned developers as precious partners
The consulting minimum standard is to add value to the client by saving their time. One must bring new ideas to the development processes and technologies to be utilized. It's also beneficial to assist in recruitment, architecture boards, and strategy implementation for the team.
Experienced developers can tackle challenges from various perspectives, thanks to opportunities throughout their careers to collaborate with different roles, such as business, IT, end-users, project managers, and designers. They understand the overall picture of projects, ensuring lifecycle thinking.
I cannot either overlook seasoned developers' generalist skills, which become increasingly valuable as organizational situations and teams continuously change. Consulting prowess also includes interaction and communication skills, as well as coaching and facilitation abilities. A much-appreciated “feature” of experienced consultants is that they don’t hesitate to flag any risks they see and challenge the prevailing norms.
Today, a long customer relationship signifies a partnership that takes the customer's perspective into account, not vendor lock-in. Experienced consultants often put their own interests aside, sincerely considering what's best for the client. As companies build their development organizations more independently, the need for trusted advisors and interpreters who understand the client's industry and IT world grows even more.