Why Do You Need IT Project Management Consulting Services?

Project management is the process that includes planning, organization, control, and release of a specific task. It helps to achieve goals according to deadlines, budget, resources, and specifications. About 80% of high-performing companies have PMO which shows how effective it is.

Project management consulting is very much the same process but performed by a third-party provider.  Such providers offer PMO as a Service to companies that want to increase their business success.

But what do IT consulting offerings look like? First of all, project management can deal with any type of industry or company, from software or hardware development to data analytics, implementation of a specific solution, or network upgrade.

Project management consulting services usually follow the traditional cycle of a project:

• Initiation. At this stage all the requirements and goal for the project are given;
• Planning. A PM consultant creates a plan based on given information that includes steps to do, deadline, human resources, budget, etc. But planning does not end here, it is an iterative process throughout the project;
• Execution. At this stage the actual work on the project starts, like coding, and testing;
• Control. This is also iterative and happens during the whole process. PM consulting setting control standards, constant monitoring, analytics, and presentation of results to stakeholders. It also includes risks control;
• Release of the project.
  

What Project Management Consulting Services Include?

Broadly speaking, project management consultancy means providing someone with expert advice. If a business needs an expert to take care of their IT projects, they do not have to hire a permanent employee. They can hire a consulting project manager that will be incredibly efficient. Project management consulting firms usually offer the following services to their clients:

• Project assessment and audit;
• Planning and creating a complete breakdown of the schedule and steps before release;
• Introducing and advising on new PM methodologies, like Agile, for example, 75% of companies that use Agile met their business goals.
• Help with implementation of specific PM software;
• Project control, monitoring, and management;
• Competence assessment or training of the company’s employees.

Consulting project management can help with any part or stage of an IT project, starting from gathering requirements and setting goals, and up to quality control and release.

Skills of an Excellent Project Management Consultant

Project management consultants are high-quality and experienced professionals that have a specific set of skills. They do not have to be excellent programmers, but they require an understanding of the tech stack and solutions that will be used in the project. It helps to assess deadlines, needed human resources, and to make a schedule.

Other skills and qualifications of project management IT consulting professional include:

• Leadership and resource management;
• Strong communication skills, as an IT project manager consulting position requires to be a mediator between stakeholders, programmers, top managers, etc.
• Experience and knowledge of specific PM software solutions used in a particular project. For example, 77% of highly-efficient projects use PM software. 
• Higher education, in Business Management, Marketing or Computer Science, for instance.
• Specific project management consultant certifications, from PMI, OPEN CA, or other internationally-recognized;
• Analytical skill, ability to work with data, and problem-solving.
• Budgeting, time management, strategic planning, and quality assessment.
• Knowledge and several years of experience with specific management methodology.

It is also beneficial to hire a project management consultant that has worked in the same industry for some time.

Problems That IT Project Management Consulting Can Solve

Project management consulting services are used to successfully release a product or endeavor in time, budget, and with minimal risks. Project management consultancy companies help to overcome many problems that a business can run into while working on an IT venture, such as:

• Vaguely defined goals. If the goals and requirements are not clearly defined and communicated to the team, it might lead to more financial and time losses. It can also result in an inadequate result or even a total failure.
• Any changes in scope. IT project management consulting helps to effectively scale up or down in case any new requirements occur during the process.
• Human resource management. A project manager consulting professional helps to define what professionals are needed for the venture, what skills are required, and how many employees it will take.
• Risk management. A lot of risks might occur during the development, such as new technology advancement, infrastructure changes, or data security issues.
• Miscommunication and lack of quality control. Project management consulting services include constant monitoring of what has been done, is it satisfactory with expected quality, what can be improved, etc.
• Unrealistic deadlines. A project management consulting firm has more experience with all types of tasks and they can asset the deadlines more realistically. It helps to prevent resource deprivation and financial losses. 

Investing in IT project management consulting services is a sure way to run the endeavor without stretches, risks, and failures.

How to Find a Proper IT Project Management Consulting Services?

There are many project management consulting companies out there and finding the suitable for your business might seem tricky. To make an educated choice is and select the best one out of project management consultancy firms, one can follow several tips:

1. Starting with drafting a project scope that you can submit to a candidate and assess their understanding of what is required. An IT consulting project management company will be able to give comprehensive advice on terms, budget, methodology, etc.
2. Look into the candidates on the market. Decide whether you need a freelance professional managing a global team or do you prefer a company. Research the project management consulting rates in local firms and outsourcing providers.
3. Check the website and list of released products of IT project management consulting firms. Look at their portfolio, experience in the field, and your industry.
4. Asset what methodologies and technologies they use. The choice depends on whether you prefer agile project management consulting or the waterfall method.
5. Research employees’ experience, certifications, and legal permission to operate. Remember that excellent IT project management consulting services will come at a decent cost.

Pay attention to the reputation of a project manager consulting firm and what their other clients have to say.

Why Project Manager Consulting Services Are Better than Permanent Employees?

The decision whether to hire project manager consulting firms or look for a permanent PM in your team depends on the business goals and preferences. There is no one solution perfect for each situation. But there are several benefits of PM consulting services in comparison to hiring a permanent employee, such as:

• You’ll get instant access to a highly-experienced professional. There is no need to spend a lot of time to find an addition to the team.
• Consultant project management also allows hiring a professional with skills and experience that is unavailable in-house right now.
• Project management consultancy in IT industry is more cost-efficient, as consultants work on an hourly rate basis. You’ll get to pay the salary only when a contractor is doing work for you.
• Project Management consulting and services can help with the evaluation and assessment of previous projects and advising on how to be more productive. It is an objective third-party that will bring the necessary expertise.
• Technology strategy consulting can help you to find new solutions and technologies to implement. Such professionals always stay on top of advanced technology and can suggest excellent ways to increase the efficiency of all processes.
  

Mobilunity – Project Management Consulting Provider

Mobilunity is an experienced dedicated development team vendor from Ukraine. We’ve been working in this industry for more than a decade and can help your business grow and succeed with the help of dedicated professionals. To optimize the effectiveness of IT project management consulting services, it’s beneficial to hire Salesforce consultant, as his expert guidance and in-depth knowledge of the Salesforce platform can significantly contribute to the strategic planning and execution of your technology projects, ensuring alignment with your business objectives.

We have more than 40 satisfied customers from all over the world and hundreds of released products. If you are looking into outsourcing project management consulting in Ukraine, we’ll provide you with high-profile employees. Looking for a remote product management partner? Mobilunity offers access to top Ukrainian IT talent at reasonable prices.

Written by:

Anastasia Stefanuk

Market Researcher

Disclaimer: All salaries and prices mentioned within the article are approximate NET numbers based on the research done by our in-house Recruitment Team. Please use these numbers as a guide for comparison purposes only and feel free to use the contact form to inquire on the specific cost of the talent according to your vacancy requirements and chosen model of engagement.