How consultants can effectively work with clients from home

Key quotes:

• "Here are some lessons I learned while working on a team design project for a client while working from home: Working on a rigorously planned schedule was helpful with minimizing distractions at home while keeping the goal and objectives in mind for the client."
• "Taking the time to establish the goal is a strategic way to make sure the team has a north star to help prioritize work."
• "Creating goals for the day made it so that everyone on the team knew exactly what they needed to do and why, regardless of the task, which saved a lot of time when having to make decisions on which direction to go."
• "It’s so important to create structure and boundaries while working from home, and time blocking was an effective way to make sure the team was finding the right balance between work and life! Workshops with clear agendas and planned activities to further develop the research and design were an effective and productive way to include the clients in the process."

Key quotes:

• "Changing With the Times Consultancy businesses should work with digital strategy consultants to ensure they remain competitive while effectively dealing with the challenges the digital era brings."
• "When consultancy businesses understand and appreciate the importance of the changes in the digital era, they can use the technological advancements to help their businesses succeed."
• "However, while consultancy businesses are affecting great change with the clients they serve, it is important that they look inward as well, to make sure they are keeping up with technology and using it to best serve their clients and markets."
• "When a company adapts to current digital trends, they are able to better serve their client base and remain in the position to customize products and services to their target audience on their terms."
• "As with any challenges, it is important to come up with strategies to navigate change in business practices in order to not just survive, but thrive in the new era."

Key quotes:

• "I’m working in the expert role when a client brings me in to deliver some training, perform a process assessment, review a project’s requirements, or advise how to improve their BA processes."
• "As an expert consultant, I view my key responsibility as providing ideas to help a client solve a problem or build software faster and better."
• "In those cases, I ask him to write a short vision statement using the following keyword template (described in Chapter 5 of my book with Joy Beatty, Software Requirements, 3rd Edition): For [target customer] Who [statement of the need or opportunity] The [deliverable name] Is a [type of deliverable] That [major capabilities or key benefits] Unlike [current reality or process] This Deliverable [primary differentiation and advantages of new deliverable] Jack grumbles a bit about having to write this vision statement because I’m asking him to think carefully about just what he wants out of the project."
• "In the third type of consulting engagement, the consultant joins forces with members of the client organization to work on the project or solve the problem together."

Key quotes:

• "“Are you aware of any tried-and-true methods for making the transition from being a full-time employee at companies in the Bay Area, to becoming a consultant or contractor who is able to reap the financial rewards of providing their skills and expertise? I had been providing my software design services for years as a full-time employee at IBM, Apple Computer, and a couple of startups."
• "The transition to performing design work for clients was almost seamless."
• "Find out what your company is paying people to provide the services you are planning for your new consulting business."
• "If your employer hires an outside agency, contractors, or consultants who offer similar services, what are they paid? You don’t have enough experience yet to know how much work and time a given type of project (and client) will require."
• "Reach out to people and let them know that you are consulting now and have some cycles to take on a new project."
• "When you have more clients than you can handle and you’re charging what you need to live comfortably, you’ll know that your new business is up and running successfully."

Key quotes:

• "Maybe you can use that project to refine your skills, to “learn and earn.” Maybe you didn’t like that kind of gig in your old job, but you find you do when you’re running it yourself."
• "Even if you don’t feel you need signed contracts, some clients will require them so get familiar with the basic terms."
• "It’s not cheap and if you’re pretty much working from home, not using contracts, maybe it will never come up."
• "Even if you feel invincible, it’s worth looking into insurance rates in case a client requires you to have it and you have three days to lock down a policy."
• "Having clients send electronic payments to your personal account looks sketchy and some businesses won’t do it."
• "If that’s you, sure, you can live at a coffee-shop, but maybe you want to sublet a desk in a friend’s office or join a co-working space."