Full Description
Information Consulting presents a closer look at what makes information consultants successful and how they develop a productive relationship with their clients. While most of the books on this subject area are providing the experiences of information consulting veterans on 'how do you really do it?', the aim of this book is focused on exploring the nature of information management consulting. This includes the task of the advice-and-guidance variety, such as helping clients to analyze and solve problems or to meet opportunities with the element of 'What should I do?'. The authors have used their extensive international and professional networks to take the challenge of letting the clients speak about their experiences and expectations in hiring information consultants.
Contents
List of figure and tablesForewordAbout the authorsChapter 1: What is information consulting?Abstract:An information professional: to be or not to be1The possible roles: the demands on which information consultants reflectConsulting encompasses a wide range of roles and activitiesChapter 2: Advantages: why information consulting might appeal to youAbstract:Sense of control over one's timeSense of reward from helping clientsSatisfaction from leveraging one's experienceFreedom from corporate politicsFreedom to 'pick and choose'No ceilings on your earningsChapter 2 checklistChapter 3: Challenges: realities to considerAbstract:Uncertainty and anxietyUneven workloadsNeed for flexibility and being available'Difficult' clientsProposed locationFinances: are the necessary resources in place?Can you tolerate a slow ramp-up? Should you work part time or subcontract?The degree is only the beginningAre you a consulting personality?Qualities that may trip you upChapter 3 checklistChapter 4: The starting point: make a business planAbstract:General company descriptionProducts and services, their features and benefitsEconomicsProductClientsThe outlook for the targeted business sectorCompetitionPromotionPricingDistribution channelsSales forecastIdentifying costs, funding and feesStart-up expensesCredit policiesChapter 4 checklistChapter 5: The legal environmentAbstract:LiabilityIntellectual property and copyrightEthics and qualityCode of Professional Conduct for the Information ConsultantChapter 5 checklistChapter 6: Building trust and marketing your servicesAbstract:Understanding makes reputation and detects nichesYour 'business attire': creating and maintaining imageProfessional visibilityWord-of-mouth: happy clients do marketing for youElectronic promotional brochureChapter 6 checklistChapter 7: Client relations: the key to successAbstract:The request for proposal (RFP): to bid or not to bid?Yes, I can help (informal inquiry)Preliminary discussions: what, exactly, are you selling this time?A preliminary memorandumDetermining budget scopeThe formal proposalContractsHelping the client's decisionSignature in hand: now the work beginsThe art of the client relationshipDelivering the deliverables: report, presentation, discussionHandling invoice issuesWrap up ... and setting up for the futureChapter 8: Advice from other information consultantsAbstract:'Just one more clarification': agreeing to deliverables vs delivering in advanceKeeping your integrity: what to do if you're told what to doMaintaining poise and neutrality while getting people to open upEncountering concerns outside the official project scopeThe unforeseen circumstancesWho said that? Protecting the trust client staff place in youLosing objectivity or being seen as taking sidesDo you take the money and run when what the client requests disagrees with what you believe is needed?Working with clients in the same industryCan work be 'recycled'?Coping with the disappointment of burning the midnight oil ... only to see the report collecting dustYou're good, and don't you forget itPass it onChapter 9: Take a leap from being a librarian to becoming an information consultantAbstract:Doing things differentlyAssessing the demands for the information professionalCulture makes the differenceExpert practitioner 'falls into' consultancyWays of repositioning the librarian profession and schoolsChapter 9 checklistChapter 10: The clients speak: from a client's perspectiveAbstract:The motivation to use an information consultantHow to find the right consultantThe 'top five' list of consultants' qualitiesClients' advice for future consultantsChapter 11: AheadAppendix: Case studiesReferencesIndex
