Course: ISEB IS Consultancy Practice

This course is equally suitable for people operating in conventional consultancy roles and as ‘internal’ consultants within an organisation.  Our approach is to underpin theoretical concepts with a large-scale and realistic case study assignment through which participants work in consultancy teams and thus gain valuable experience of applying the techniques instead of just learning about them.

The course can be run as a single five-day programme or, for on site delivery, can be split to provide two and three day modules which may better fit with participants’ project demands and pressures.

ISEB certificates
The course prepares participants to attain the Certificate in IS Consultancy Practice offered by the Information Systems Examinations Board (ISEB).  This is achieved through a two-part examination process:

• The first part consists of a two-hour, closed book, written examination, preceded by 15 minutes exam paper reading time.  The examination paper contains a scenario from which candidates will be required to produce various solutions and to justify the choices made.  There is one principal question, normally carrying 50% of the marks, and two subsidiary questions, carrying the remaining 50%.  Candidates must achieve 50% on the principal question and not less than 50% of the total marks to pass the overall examination. Successful candidates are awarded the ISEB Certificate in IS Consultancy Essentials.

• Successful candidates who wish to obtain the Certificate in Consultancy Practice are then required to attend an oral examination, which will last up to forty-five minutes.  This is conducted by two interviewers appointed by ISEB.  Candidates are questioned on any of the topics on the syllabus including those already covered in the written exam.  They may also be questioned on their background qualifying experience.

The course fee includes the course based exam but excludes the oral exam which is can be arranged directly with the ISEB.

Structure of the IT/IS industry and the roles of IS consulting
• Types of organisations involved, how they have evolved and where they operate
• The role of the internal consultant

Introduction, scoping and planning
• Gaining entry
• Contracting
• Stating a consultancy assignment
• Strategic analysis tools
• Meeting the client and qualifying opportunities
 
Business environment analysis
• Identifying problems and clarifying requirements
• Managing the customer’s needs
• Business activity modelling and process modelling
• Stakeholder analysis
• The soft systems methodology in consulting
• Solution identification

Solution definition
• ‘As is’-‘To be’ gap analysis
• Diagnosis and generation of options
• Creative thinking
• Critical success factors and key performance indicators

Proposals and contracts
• Bid management
• Invitations to tender, requests for information and requests for proposals
• Proposals
• Best and final offers
• Proposal evaluation
• Contracts and agreements
• Work packages
• Intellectual property rights

Solution appraisal
• Financial planning
• Charging
• Investment appraisal
• Evaluation and measurement of solutions

Programme and project management
• The Project Initiation Document
• Programme/project governance and PRINCE2
• Quality management
• Change control

Understanding teams
• Working in consultancy teams
• Negotiation and influencing skills
• Motivation
• Written communication and report writing
• Effective presentations

Disengagement and expansion
• Termination and withdrawal from an assignment
• Benefits confirmation
• Evaluation and follow-up

Managing the customer/consultant relationship
• The effective use of consultants
• Issues for sole practitioners
• Dealing with conflict
• The effective use of time