Making Consultancy Work – Checklist
Before approaching consultants, it will be important that you have thought through many areas related to the opportunity or problem you are dealing with. The following is a broad checklist which may help you in approaching the work which you are thinking of using a consultant for.
Can you say you have a full and honest answer to the following questions:
- What is the issue or problem that has caused you to think of using consultants?
- Has this issue / problem been fully analysed in-house?
- Are there sufficient reasons that it cannot be resolved in-house?
- Why do you feel that consultants could solve it?
- What kind of outcome could arise from a consultancy?
- Exactly what kind of consultancy is it?
- What is the key thing(s) you are asking the consultants to do?
- What would the consultants be likely to need to do to carry out the task?
- What sort of experience and skills would consultants need?
- Where and how can we find consultants with these skills?
- How expensive and how available are consultants with these skills?
- Do we know any other organisations that have commissioned similar consultancy?
- How long would it take consultants to carry out the task?
- Will the results still be of value on this time scale?
- What kind of budget should be set to cover this requirement?
- Is this affordable?
- Will the results justify the cost?
- Is there any funding available to offset the costs?
- Are there any spin-off benefits which could arise from the consultancy?
- Which members of staff / board need to be persuaded of the value?
- Will the board need to approve?
- Will the board need to be involved?
- Does the consultancy carry any risks?
- How can these risks be minimised?
- Who will write the brief?
- Who will be involved in recruitment / appointment of consultants?
- Who will be responsible for liaison with consultants?
- What sort of information will the consultants require?
- Is this information easily available?
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