Course Overview

IS Consultancy Practice

The IS Consultancy Practice training course provides participants with the skills they need to act as either an external or internal information systems consultant. These skills may be in support of their primary role, such as business analyst, or as a stand alone consultancy role. A comprehensive range of topics are covered, including:

• The structure of the IS/IT industry and the role of IS consulting
• Management of the customer relationship
• Assignment structure, management and control
• Management of people and relationships
• Conducting a consulting assignment
• Managing the quality of consulting assignment

During the course, participants will be encouraged to apply these and other techniques in the context of a typical assignment. The stages of this assignment will include: Gaining Entry, Contracting and Assignment Initiation, Identifying Problems and Requirements, Diagnosis and Solution Definition, Implementing and Taking Action, Closing and Review.

The IS Consultancy Practice training course is delivered by trainers who bring their substantial experience of practical consultancy and change projects to the programme. The case study on which the course is built is based on a genuine consultancy assignment. A very comprehensive manual, containing detailed information about consultancy techniques and providing references for further reading, is supplied as part of the course.

BCS Professional Certifications

This course prepares participants to sit the examinations for the BCS Professional Certifications (ISEB) in IS Consultancy. The Certificate in IS Consultancy Essentials is awarded to participants who pass a two-hour, closed book examination. Candidates who hold this certificate are able to progress to the next stage which involves a 45 minute oral examination. The full IS Consultancy Practice certification is awarded to candidates who pass the oral examination.

SFIA Mapping

This course supports skills CNSL levels 5 and 6, and RLMT levels 5 and 6.

Course Content

1. Structure of the IT/IS industry and the roles of IS consulting
   • Types of organisations involved, how they have evolved and where they operate
   • The role of the internal consultant
2. Introduction, scoping and planning
   • Gaining entry
   • Contracting
   • Stating a consultancy assignment
   • Strategic analysis tools
   • Meeting the client and qualifying opportunities
3. Business environment analysis
   • Identifying problems and clarifying requirements
   • Managing the customer's needs
   • Business activity modelling and process modelling
   • Stakeholder analysis
   • The soft systems methodology in consulting
   • Solution identification
4. Solution definition
   • 'As is'-'To be' gap analysis
   • Diagnosis and generation of options
   • Creative thinking
   • Critical success factors and key performance indicators
5. Proposals and contracts
   • Bid management
   • Invitations to tender, requests for information and requests for proposals
   • Proposals
   • Best and final offers
   • Proposal evaluation
   • Contracts and agreements
   • Work packages
   • Intellectual property rights
6. Solution appraisal
   • Financial planning
   • Charging
   • Investment appraisal
   • Evaluation and measurement of solutions
7. Programme and project management
   • The Project Initiation Document
   • Programme/project governance and PRINCE2
   • Quality management
   • Change control
8. Understanding teams
   • Working in consultancy teams
   • Negotiation and influencing skills
   • Motivation
   • Written communication and report writing
   • Effective presentations
9. Disengagement and expansion
   • Termination and withdrawal from an assignment
   • Benefits confirmation
   • Evaluation and follow-up
10. Managing the customer/consultant relationship
    • The effective use of consultants
    • Issues for sole practitioners
    • Dealing with conflict
    • The effective use of time