When it comes to software design, this still rings true. Reduce the money, and your timeline may grow or scope may decrease. Increase the scope, and the other two may suffer. Understand Scope, Timeline, Cost: The Project Manager’s TriangleĮvery project manager knows there are three points to a project: The scope of the work being done, the timeline to accomplish it, and the cost. Likewise, it’s important to raise a hand if something’s not making sense to you.ĥ. A good consultant will be able to help bridge the gap between coding and what the user sees on the back-end. If they start talking in techno-speak, ask them to translate. When you’re feeling out potential consultants, it’s important to make sure you’re on the right page. At the end of your requirements gathering, your SharePoint consultant should provide a summary of your requirements, and a plan to move forward.Įvery great partnership begins with excellent communication. Your SharePoint consultant should ask you questions about hosting, technical resources already on-staff, and should gauge your company’s preference for complexities. This is where identifying your problems in business terms is beneficial. By picking a business problem to solve, instead of “We want to use SharePoint,” you’re better able to communicate how a consultant can help you.Īre you looking to get someone on full-time? Need support for a one-time project? Training? Every engagement should begin with a requirements discussion. Are you looking to be more efficient? Automate a workflow? Or are you simply trying to stay ahead of the mountain of data your business creates daily. Start with describing what problem you want to solve. Hiring a SharePoint consultant means entering into a partnership, and that includes sorting your requirements. Besides providing a check that a company can deliver on what they say, a Microsoft Certified Partner also gets access to forthcoming technology, including testing the latest and greatest from Microsoft There are different levels of certifications which require customer evidence, business assessments, and credentials. Microsoft offers certifications for businesses who provide technical support services.
Knowing how to hire a great SharePoint consultant is crucial to making the most out of your IT investment. You have to know what to look for, how to communicate your requirements, and, most importantly, how to justify the expense.
But finding the right SharePoint consultant to help you navigate all the ins and outs can be difficult. Microsoft SharePoint is one of the industry’s best content management solutions.