Advanced Consulting Skills for IT Professionals

2 day or 3 day

Completion of our BS23 course or equivalent experience

The role of the modern consultant is undergoing a revolutionary change. The need to deliver comprehensive business solutions combined with emerging technologies has resulted in a fundamental shift in the roles and responsibilities of the consultant. This seminar teaches the advanced skills and techniques required to transform traditional systems developers and professional services providers into effective technical and business consultants.

Technical professionals are now required to perform as business partners and consultants in addition to their traditional roles of systems developers and service providers. Consulting requires that the consultant view themselves in a new light.

This seminar begins by exploring and outlining the importance of consulting concepts and how each consultant can develop a unique strategy for offering and delivering services to their clients. The roles, responsibilities, and methods of successful consultants are presented and discussed in roundtable sessions.

To perform as a technically-based consultant, new or improved skills are required. To fortify the abilities and effectiveness of professionals, this seminar teaches client needs analysis, active listening, meeting management, proposal and report writing.

Developing consulting skills which result in collaborative partnerships between clients and consultants is the goal and focus of this seminar.

During the course of this seminar each attendee will learn the importance of consulting methods when developing information technology solutions with clients. Our focus is to insure that professional services providers see themselves as an integral part of the consulting life cycle rather than simply a hired resource.

Senior Business Analysts and Business Consultants

Understanding the Client's Business and Strategies

Aligning I.T. Projects with Business Priorities and Strategies (and probably a look at I.T. Governance here)

Assessing Project Value (Project Cost/Benefit Analysis)

Assessing Project Risk from a Business Perspective

Writing a Compelling Project Proposal

How to use Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to improve I.T. service and create satisfied clients

I.T. Project Monitoring and Cost Control (How to make sure you get what you contracted for)

Establishing Client Rapport

Storytelling as a Communication Medium

Leading without being the Leader

Developing a Client Action Plan