IS Consulting Process (IS 6005) Masters in Business Information Systems 2006 / 2007 Programme in Professional Information System Practices Fergal Carton Business Information Systems

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills

Opposing views of IT function Business Executives view of IT –Apprehensive –Technocracy –New feature focus –Little relevance to real world IT executives view of Business –Short-sighted –Lacking in vision –Unwilling to exploit IT Increasingly complex IT, rapidly changing economy

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills CEO view of IT function “Black hole of Calcutta” “What’s all the fuss about”? IT = operations

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills 2 basic questions How to plan and prioritise ICT investments? How to manage ICT operations?

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Why is planning important? IT tends to evolve, not follow a plan Difficult to align IT to corporate goals Perception of poor “value” from IT IT considered “too operational” IT can constrain as well as enable IT considered a major driver of cost

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Consulting Practice Typical consulting assignments: –Select and justify investment in new s/w –Improve IT planning process –Advise on IT cost reduction costs –Develop requirements for new system –Build business case for new system

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Why look to consultants? Experience lacking internally Unable to resolve an issue Haven’t got the resources Need an unbiased opinion Organisational gridlock

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills IS: the symptoms Overspending : need to rationalise Control: need to centralise Efficiency: need to standardise Unable to see return on investment Outage risk: too reliant on IT? IS organisation not performing

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Do you know more than the client? No, you’re not in their business Organisations are large and complex In discovery phase, you are unique –Cross functional focus –Up to date –Neutral –Actual process (not Head Office version) “Internalise” what you are hearing Dealing with the “What do you think” trap

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills What do consultants do? Tell you what you already know? Guarantee project completion? Take ownership of issues? Energise an existing project team? Cost you a lot of money?

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills What do consultants not do? Give the answer up front Give their services for free Make a client look bad Replace client’s own staff Get involved in politics

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Information Systems Types of assistance –High level strategy –Feasibility study –Requirements specification –Package selection –Understanding costs of IS operations –… Know-how that you bring to the table –Frameworks to present and prioritise requirements –Trading off requirements when you can’t do everything –Technology and business awareness: best practice –Project management skills –Communication skills –…

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Consulting process Process of consulting –Understand the requirement Why is client using a consultant? –What is the value you can bring to project? –Writing a proposal –Estimating FTE’s Project management –Project phases and tasks –Project resources –Deliverables –Profitability of contract –Communication with client

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills PPARS project Process of consulting –Understand the requirement Why did HSE use a consultant? –What was the value brought by Deloitte Touche? Project management –Task definition? –Project resources? –Deliverables? –Profitability of contract? –Communication with client?

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Topics covered The IS Consulting Business: What does the IS Consultant do? Why do organizations engage consultants? Managing Client Engagements: Making the sales pitch, writing a good proposal Requirements analysis and understanding the client goals Task definition and project resources Preparing and presenting the solution options Making the most of Client Relationships: Communication and selling on Building long-term client relationships Working your client base

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Case study approach Work in groups or individually Simulates consulting assignments Facilitates presentation / debate of findings Practical evaluations will be partly case based

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Marking scheme (draft) A group consulting assignment next term –Worth 20% –With presentation An individual assignment this term –Worth 20% –With presentation Written exam, May / June –(worth 60%)

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Recommended text Rick Freedman (2000). The IT Consultant: A Commonsense Framework for Managing the Client Relationship.

MBS (BIS) / 6008 / Professional Business Analyst Skills Reading for 2 nd Oct Peter Keen, BPM, Future of IT ProtectedDocuments/BPMFutureofIT.pdf