Cully Perlman posted today about hiring project management consultants. Some of the benefits mentioned include:
1. It is a great way to clarify what you think is clear. It will be easier to pay someone to improve process. The ability to bring in someone who isn’t being assigned to other projects will allow the person to focus and be more productive. Your current PM organization will benefit from another set of eyes and experience. Your next project manager may already be working for you.
A consultant outside of project management can also help you create a customized method that works for your company and is repeatable for all future projects. It can be very beneficial to guide a team through a methodology, and then refine it as you go. This will help conform it to the culture and ensure buy-in.
External consultants may encounter the “we didn’t make it here?” factor. factor. It is important that the consultant does not dictate processes. Instead, the consultant should help teams create their own. The consultant may present several approaches to a problem and leave it up to the company to decide which one is the best to start the customization process.
