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01 Consulting Models

Typical Outcomes

![[Screenshot 2025-01-27 at 11.40.16 AM.png]] - Technology: - Some software system (web app, mobile app, etc.) - People: - Clearer understanding of the problem - Awareness of alternative solutions - Knowledge of design decisions that were made and why - Understanding of how to use the solution - Understanding of how to maintain/sustain the solution - Process: - Experience in the inquiry through deployment phases of a software project. - New practices in the organization to use the solution. - New policies in the organization regarding use of the solution and the people responsible for the solution?

Example Request

  • The campus has been working on a Policy for Minors on Campus and we are planning to have a registration process to keep track of all programs and people who have been cleared to work with minors.
  • Can students help me develop a database?
  • I can work with Access but it has been a long time and I really don’t have time to do the development.
  • I don’t think we need a complicated structure.
  • This is where the conversation started.

Solution

In fact, it was complicated and involved - New policies by the University Trustees - A lot of questions about privacy and confidentiality - Lots of meetings regarding where the resulting system would be hosted and who would own and maintain it in the long run. - Design issues concerning whether the work of the system could be delegated out to the campus organizations whose members need to have background checks i.e. a very interesting set of social-system questions (people and process) to sustain the technical-system

Structuring unstructured problems

Difficulty: problem vs solution - A client's request is often not in the form of a problem. Rather is it for a solution: - We need a website, a mobile app, an information system - A solution is ONE approach to solving a problem or realizing an opportunity. - A problem is something that is hindering the full attainment of the organization's mission.

Your job is to: 1. Articulate the client's view of the problem - I understand you don't have a database

  1. Articulate the client's idea for a solution

    • And you would like to create one in Access

  2. Understand for yourselves the problem and how it impacts the organization's mission.

    • Errors in managing donor information leading to lower donations and wasted staff time makes for fewer resources to (do mission)

  3. Consider alternative solutions

    • Custom build a Ruby on Rails app
    • Build a donor CRM within SalesForce.com

  4. Validate for yourselves the choice of solution

    • Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), more functions

  5. Come to a common agreement with the client on the choice of solution.