Key Elements of a Successful Consulting Project

So you’re ready to dive into a consulting project. What do you need to do to ensure your project goes successfully? Specific will obviously vary depending on the kind of project and industry you’re working with, but there are some key principles that will help you manage your project efficiently and maintain a positive relationship with your client throughout the duration of your work. These elements are explained below.

Manage Expectations

One of the most important things you can do as a consultant is to manage expectations. If your client thinks you’re going to show them big results fast, they might be disappointed. Ensure you explain early on what steps you plan to take, when you expect to start seeing results, and any possible limitations you foresee. This will help set realistic expectations and guide any conversations down the road if the client starts questioning results.

Quantify Deliverables

Make sure you have a fully developed project plan in place with quantifiable deliverables. That plan might change throughout the project if you and your client decide it might benefit from extra services or otherwise change the scope of the project, but regardless it’s crucial to have a written plan. This will help you to quantify the work done and stay on track as the project progresses.

Keep Meticulous Records

Tracking budgets and timesheets can be tedious, but it’s critically important to keep these records. Accurately tracking spending is necessary to accurately calculate profits, file for reimbursements where necessary, and produce accurate reports across your organization. It’s important to be able to measure the money and time spent on each project, as well as just track the progress you’ve made. Take the time to record everything you do–you’ll be glad you did later.

Focus on Client Priorities

Sometimes, the scope of a project gets a little too big and it’s tough to know where to focus your time and energy. A good rule of thumb is to focus on client priorities–if their main concern is optimizing a certain business process, focus on that, even if you see ten other things that might benefit from your attention. In the end, what matters most is that your client is satisfied with the work you’ve done, so adjust your priorities accordingly.