Consulting Approach

Just Running Out of Time
Consultants are generally used because the client is lacking in either a particular expertise or the time to devote to a particular area. Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, is reported to have said that his teams never lost a game -- they only occasionally ran out of time before they could win it. This is a good lesson -- how much time can you afford to spend to become successful. Maybe a consultant can help you.

Written Proposal:
Written proposals for an engagement are primarily to firmly establish a common understanding of what is expected between a client and the consultant. Generally, we should be comfortable with each other enough to be able to begin a project on a handshake, however, documenting what we each believe we agreed to will often keep us both in a trusting relationship. A proposal will serve the following purposes:

• Establish engagement boundaries to avoid "scope creep" (requirements).
• Describe how progress will be measured (milestones).
• Set the intended start and stop dates (timetable).
• Stipulate the outcomes of the project (deliverables).
• Establish the responsibilities of the client and consultant to ensure that the project is successfully undertaken and completed (joint accountabilities).
• It may include methodologies to be used and options for the client (alternatives).
• Detail the terms and conditions of payment of fees and reimbursements (for the accountants).

Services In Brief:
Services may include providing expert advice, assistance, guidance or counseling in support of your web technology business improvement goals. This may include studies, analyses and reports documenting any proposed developmental, consultative or implementation efforts. In working with clients, our focus is in three primary areas: planning, operations and continuous improvement.

• Planning - we will assist you to identify what is most valued by your customers and what actions are necessary to reach your goals.
• Operations - we will assist you to identify any internal process or supporting system changes required to maximum efficiencies and minimize operating impact resulting from introducing web technologies.
• Continuous Improvement - working together, we will assist you in creating an improvement process that integrates all actions necessary to learn and implement the web technologies.

Our Approach:
Upon entry to an organization, we begin by understanding the culture, priorities and expectations of the organization while, at the same time, remaining professionally objective. We strive to help the client identify, clarify and verify their web technology goals. This is done through formal interviews or informal conversations with key individuals and relating our findings to the organization's business and strategic plans. If needed, we help to develop a written business and/or strategic plan. This involves identifying the mission, vision, values, business objectives and the impacts of achieving, or not achieving, those objectives. We communicate the purposes and expectations of our work in an open atmosphere from the outset of the project. Finally, during our entire assignment, we attempt to develop "internal technical capability" so that, upon our departure, the practices, processes and procedures that we helped establish can be continued by the client's staff and management.

Integration of Web Design and Project Management Services:
The result of our consulting services will be to develop a Project Plan that recognizes and responds to the demands of implementing, operating and supporting the web technologies. We will work with the client's Project Team or lead individual to assure that all elements of an initiative are implemented timely. The Project Plan will:

• Define the scope of work and the number of tasks to be performed;
• Include a schedule for accomplishing the work; and
• Identify the resources and costs that will be required to perform the work within time schedules.

We will maintain a close personal liaison with the client throughout the life of the project. Periodic reports will be provided on the progress being made toward the quality of the products, meeting schedules and costs. Corrective actions will be taken when performance is behind schedule.