I recently finished Flawless Consulting 2nd edition, by Peter Block. From a technology consultant’s perspective, the technical side of a client engagement is not covered. Peter assumes you are technically competent, otherwise you would not be reading this book on how to consult flawlessly, right?
Block goes into detail on the softer side of consulting, both internal and external, through every stage of an engagement. From contracting to closure, it’s all covered. The focus is on making sure the project work is split by the client and consultant equally (50/50). Since active participation of the client is the biggest success factor in any information technology project, this is an important objective. He also covers how to get feedback from the client and make sure that the consultant’s recommendations are implemented. A key part of this formula is partnering with the client.
There are 10 checklists at various points in the book, usually for important pre and post meeting reviews. The last 25 pages of the book are an exhaustive summary and checklist, with page references to every topic. It is handy to review throughout your initial reading and to go over to freshen up after it's been a while. There is also a decent further reading section.
If you are looking for a book that tells you how to do the technical side of your consulting, this is not the book. But if you are a consultant that wants to improve your effectiveness in ever other aspect, this is a must read.
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