In my experience, carefully defining the nature of a project requirement before hiring an external consultant is often undertreated. This is a vital step in defining a project and establishing a collaborative relationship with a consultant.
Before hiring a consultant or launching a procurement process, it can be helpful to ask yourself whether your primary requirement is to hire a partner to provide:
- Capacity: Extra hands on deck
- Capability: Specialized expertise
- An External Perspective: An objective outsider with a track record in a particular discipline
This clarification of the primary nature of the requirement will help you define your need and find a partner who is well suited to hit the mark.
See more on hiring an external consultant in “Why Outsource?“.