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Information Consulting
Guide to Good Practice
1st Edition - October 5, 2011
Authors: Irene Wormell, Annie Olesen, Gábor Mikulás
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 1 - 8 4 3 3 4 - 6 6 2 - 3
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 1 - 7 8 0 6 3 - 2 8 5 - 8
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… Read more
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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.
- Unique client perspective: managers and clients talk about their motivation, experiences and advice in the utilization of information consultants in recent case studies conducted by authors
- Current information and guidance based on the authors’ wide-ranging practical experiences and empirical data (through interviews and questionnaires) collected from several countries
- ‘top five’ list of consultants´ qualities is presented
Practitioners and students in LIS studies and MA programs at business schools, with reference to the new curricula of the academic institutions and the general business practices; Continuing Professional Education for various groups of professionals
List of figure and tables
Foreword
About the authors
Chapter 1: What is information consulting?
Abstract:
An information professional: to be or not to be1
The possible roles: the demands on which information consultants reflect
Consulting encompasses a wide range of roles and activities
Chapter 2: Advantages: why information consulting might appeal to you
Abstract:
Sense of control over one’s time
Sense of reward from helping clients
Satisfaction from leveraging one’s experience
Freedom from corporate politics
Freedom to ‘pick and choose’
No ceilings on your earnings
Chapter 2 checklist
Chapter 3: Challenges: realities to consider
Abstract:
Uncertainty and anxiety
Uneven workloads
Need for flexibility and being available
‘Difficult’ clients
Proposed location
Finances: 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 beginning
Are you a consulting personality?
Qualities that may trip you up
Chapter 3 checklist
Chapter 4: The starting point: make a business plan
Abstract:
General company description
Products and services, their features and benefits
Economics
Product
Clients
The outlook for the targeted business sector
Competition
Promotion
Pricing
Distribution channels
Sales forecast
Identifying costs, funding and fees
Start-up expenses
Credit policies
Chapter 4 checklist
Chapter 5: The legal environment
Abstract:
Liability
Intellectual property and copyright
Ethics and quality
Code of Professional Conduct for the Information Consultant
Chapter 5 checklist
Chapter 6: Building trust and marketing your services
Abstract:
Understanding makes reputation and detects niches
Your ‘business attire’: creating and maintaining image
Professional visibility
Word-of-mouth: happy clients do marketing for you
Electronic promotional brochure
Chapter 6 checklist
Chapter 7: Client relations: the key to success
Abstract:
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 memorandum
Determining budget scope
The formal proposal
Contracts
Helping the client’s decision
Signature in hand: now the work begins
The art of the client relationship
Delivering the deliverables: report, presentation, discussion
Handling invoice issues
Wrap up … and setting up for the future
Chapter 8: Advice from other information consultants
Abstract:
‘Just one more clarification’: agreeing to deliverables vs delivering in advance
Keeping your integrity: what to do if you’re told what to do
Maintaining poise and neutrality while getting people to open up
Encountering concerns outside the official project scope
The unforeseen circumstances
Who said that? Protecting the trust client staff place in you
Losing objectivity or being seen as taking sides
Do you take the money and run when what the client requests disagrees with what you believe is needed?
Working with clients in the same industry
Can work be ‘recycled’?
Coping with the disappointment of burning the midnight oil … only to see the report collecting dust
You’re good, and don’t you forget it
Pass it on
Chapter 9: Take a leap from being a librarian to becoming an information consultant
Abstract:
Doing things differently
Assessing the demands for the information professional
Culture makes the difference
Expert practitioner ‘falls into’ consultancy
Ways of repositioning the librarian profession and schools
Chapter 9 checklist
Chapter 10: The clients speak: from a client’s perspective
Abstract:
The motivation to use an information consultant
How to find the right consultant
The ‘top five’ list of consultants’ qualities
Clients’ advice for future consultants
Chapter 11: Ahead
Appendix: Case studies
References
Index
- No. of pages: 216
- Language: English
- Published: October 5, 2011
- Imprint: Chandos Publishing
- Paperback ISBN: 9781843346623
- eBook ISBN: 9781780632858
IW
Irene Wormell
Irene Wormell is a Professor of Information Management in Denmark and Sweden. She has undertaken research and consultancy with a wide range of organizations globally and is part of an extensive international professional network. During 1982-2008 she acted also as consultant in her own company Informatiker Konsult AB in Sweden. Currently she is working in association with the Danish trend analytical bureau Firstmove A/S in Copenhagen.
Affiliations and expertise
Independent Consultant, SwedenAO
Annie Olesen
Annie Joan Olesen, is a Director at A9 Consulting in Denmark and leader of the Ability Europe Ltd., Denmark Branch. She is an experienced consultant with a track record of high quality research and deliverables in national, international and EU engagements. With a focus on preparation, presentation and management of numerous international, national and regional projects with a particular strength of accessing a core network of experts having an excellent knowledge of the PSI market across the EU.
Affiliations and expertise
Ability Europe Ltd and A9 Consulting ApS, DenmarkGM
Gábor Mikulás
Gábor Mikulás is a Director at GM Consulting in Hungary. He has many years experience in working as information broker and consultant. Mikulás is President of the Association of Hungarian Information Brokers (MIBE) and Publisher of the KIT Hírlevél (Library - Information - Society Newsletter), a free weekly electronic paper for information and library professionals.
Affiliations and expertise
GM Consulting, Hungary