1.4 Identify the inputs and deliverables at each stage of the consultancy process

In section 1.3 we provided overviews of two popular consultancy cycle frameworks and throughout the core text provided some examples of possible inputs into each stage of the cycle from Marketing (at the beginning) to client implementation and follow-up. You should by now have also read into several implementation and action plans, as well as project scenarios, in order to consolidate your learning about consultancy types, consultancy phases and consultancy cycles (Kerzner: 2013). At this juncture, we will reflect more upon inputs and deliverables within a consultancy project. Let’s at the outset define some key consultancy and project terminology.

Project ‘Inputs’ are those things that we use in the project to implement it. For example, in any project, inputs would include physical things like human resource (personnel), information resources such as computers, telephones and databases, finances in the form of money, machinery such a vehicles and equipment, such as public address systems among others. Inputs ensure that it is possible to deliver the intended results of a project. A major reason why many projects fail is because the inputs have not been sufficiently thought through and planned for prior to execution (Kerzner: 2013).

Whilst a project deliverable must represent something tangible – a concrete product or service, such as a piece of software, an IT migration, or a marketing video. A specific deliverable might coincide with a ‘milestone’ within the project but, ultimately, a deliverable must be a specific outcome that than be identified and measured as a planned achievement. Popular project deliverables for consultants to achieve are completing final reports or delivering high-impact presentations. Deliverables are often described as project outputs. Outputs are usually what the project has achieved in the short term (Dale Carnegie Training: 2009). An easy way to think about outputs is to quantify the project activities that have a direct link on the project goal. For example, if the overall goal was to ensure that all one thousand staff received EU GDPR competence training within 12 months, a key deliverable might be that the Senior Management Team all complete their training within the first two months.

In summary, a project deliverable:

• Usually signals the completion of a specific project phase • Acts as an important sign for the client • Must be tangible (i.e. a product or service) • A point for the client to sign-off on project status

Figure 1: Project Inputs continuum

Source: Project Management Evaluate Blog: https://evaluateblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/aa.jpg

A major challenge for consultants is to not confuse a project ‘deliverable’ with a project ‘milestone’. One of the major differences between milestones versus deliverables is that a deliverable must represent a tangible achievement related to the project goal, whereas a milestone can simply be a conceptual change or important moment for the project, such as a goal point whereby the team can clearly see that, for example, one quarter or half the objective has been achieved (Kerzner: 2013). Achieving milestones, therefore, can be a highly motivating force within a workforce that is working towards large and distant project deliverables. Due to their importance, deliverables are usually contractually obligated requirements, detailed in agreements drawn up between two related parties –the consultant and the client. The documentation precisely articulates the description of a deliverable, as well as the delivery timeline and payment terms.

Reflective Learning 1: Use the internet to conduct some further research on project deliverables. From a client perspective, why do you think project deliverables are so important? Jot down your ideas about the client benefits in your notebook.

Project Management (PM) as a business discipline has been enhanced and refined to the point that it now has its own international organisation dedicated to writing and advising on standards. The Project Management Institute (PMI) acts as the world’s leading body for the discipline and runs committees of subject matter experts in order to produce guidance across a range of scenarios and settings. The centre piece of PMI’s work is to produce a Body of Knowledge that acts as a guide for all PM professionals as well as serving as a critical document for business consultants who apply the PM mindset and structures to their daily methods of work (PMI: 2017). The Body of Knowledge is updated every few years and the latest version is summarised, and can be ordered for a fee, from the PMI at a URL link that we provide within the references section.

Reflective Learning 2 Below is a very simple table that outlines the given nine phases of the consultancy cycle outlined in section 1.3. We have added to the table columns for Inputs and Deliverables and an imagined timeline. We have filled out some examples of inputs and timelines by providing three examples at each stage up until the Scoping Meeting(s) stage. Your task is to complete the table in your notebook by finding three examples of inputs and deliverables for the following consultancy project: Your team is tasked to implement EU GDPR data security training and compliance across a retail business of 20,000 employees and 150 sites. The complete your table by adding in realistic timescales.

Phase Inputs Deliverables Timescale

Marketing Industry events Cold calls Email news bulletins 3 events per year 50 calls per month to new contacts Jan, Feb, March and monthly

First Contact Research potential client One email circular per week CRM with client info field Jan 31

Scoping Meeting(s)

Proposal Pitching & Negotiating First actions

Project Execution Reporting Client Implementation and Follow-up Prepare offices Ensure 24/7 contact details work Conduct meetings with 10 new prospects Ensure follow-up communications to each Allocate account

managers Office facilities available 24/7 telephone answering service Develop pipeline of 10 advanceable new prospects Follow-up comms with brochure and follow-up actions with timescales Conduct preliminary research and due diligence Feb 28

* Please note that a useful example of deliverables and milestones can be found in the template example published by the US Public Health agency at: https://www.phe.gov/about/amcg/contracts/Documents/contract-milestonessample.pdf

Summary

There is no fixed solution as to how, as a consultant, one should design and execute their overall action plans. Certain types of sectors and clients tend to shape the approach that a consultant can take. It is worth reflecting, that the consultant is the service provider, therefore they should try to align as much as possible to the client’s organisational culture, otherwise the project will struggle to win success. As such, in order to achieve success, consultants should consider researching the culture of companies that they are seeking to work with, well before the proposal stage. A very important White Paper was produced by organisational culture analyst firm, Senn Delaney, that identified problematic issues that disrupted mergers and acquisitions within US retail and healthcare industries (Senn: 2014). Consultants involved in these cases often undoubtedly identified the correct inputs and worked to the right deliverables, but the projects ultimately failed because the organisational fit between two groups of people was simply too wide a gap.

Further Reading:

Kerzner, H. (2013) Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. London: John Wiley & Sons

Grout. J, and Fisher, L. (2011) What You Need To Know About Leadership. Chichester: Capstone Press

Dale Carnegie Training (2009) Leadership Mastery. London: Simon & Schuster

US Public Health Online (2020) example project deliverables and milestone chart accessed on 10/01/2020 at: https://www.phe.gov/about/amcg/contracts/Documents/contract-milestonessample.pdf

References:

Kerzner, H. (2013) Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling Ibid.

Dale Carnegie Training (2009) Leadership Mastery. London: Simon & Schuster

PMI (2017) A Guide to the Project management Body of Knowledge. Accessed on 19/1/2020 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/guide-Project-ManagementKnowledge-Guides/dp/1628251840/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_0/259-35841874519039?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1628251840&pd_rd_r=e069f1da-131e4998-addc5978d97a89db&pd_rd_w=SVweZ&pd_rd_wg=yk64H&pf_rd_p=e44592b5-e56d44c2-a4f9dbdc09b29395&pf_rd_r=3KDYAV3WQQFGYFT2DX69&psc=1&refRID=3KDYAV3W QQFGYFT2DX69

Senn, L. (2014) Cultural clash in mergers and acquisitions, Los Angeles, Senn Delaney. Accessed on 10/01/2020 at: http://knowledge.senndelaney.com/docs/thought_papers/pdf/SennDelaney_cult ureclash_UK.pdf

US Public Health Online (2020) example project deliverables and milestone chart accessed on 10/01/2020 at: https://www.phe.gov/about/amcg/contracts/Documents/contract-milestonessample.pdf