This totally makes sense to me as I realize now that the nature of the engagement is always one of the first things that I start investigating when I know I will soon be working with a customer. Ideally, the investigation yields enough details that I can begin establishing some expectation that focus on preparation appropriately. So what sort of expectations should I be looking for to maximize my preparedness?
That's where the Rules of Engagement come in. Here at Visiphor Consulting Services (VCS) we often use a military metaphor for our engagements. We are 'air-dropped' in, we are 'marines' who build the objective and move on, or we 'establish a beach head'. So, given the military context the concept of defining Rules of Engagement for our consultants seems natural. I know this term is not 'new' to consulting (as a quick Google search shows) but it very applicable to our consulting work.
Consultant's Rules of Engagement
- Objectives
- What is the vision or 'big picture' of the engagement?
- What are the shared goals that constitute a successful conclusion?
- Expectations
- What are the customer's expectations?
- What are our expectations?
- Technical
- What are the skills required to achieve the objectives?
- What are the technologies involved?
- Diplomatic
- What is the political climate?
- Who is the project sponsor?
- What are the profiles of key players in the engagement?
A consultant provided with these Rules of Engagement should be armed with enough information to maximize their potential for success.