Is It Worth Paying For a Consulting Project Manager?

花钱聘请项目咨询经理到底值不值？

小组成员 : 黄青 陈克勇 曹雪琪 张新堂

2004 年 5 月 23 日

Contents• What is a Consulting Project Manager • The Responsibilities of CPM• Why CPMs are necessary• The range of CPM services• Why customers don’t understand it• Some questions worth exploring about CP• Why is project manager consulting so expe

nsive• How to avoid the budget problem

What is a Consulting Project Manager (CPM)?

Example"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from her

e?""That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat."I don't much care where-" said Alice."Then it doesn't't matter which way you go," said the Cat."-so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough.“

• Lewis Carroll - Alice in Wonderland 艾丽斯漫游奇境

Many business leaders, new to information technology, feel the same way as Alice in the quote above. They know they need to bring information technology into their business, but they don't know how or what to do.

What is a CPM?什么是项目咨询经理

CPMs can help you leverage your information technology investment. They are knowledgeable in the methods and technologies used to track information about clients, vendors, employees, and products. They can also help you utilize IT to market your business and streamline your business and technology processes.

• project planning.• to consulting interactively with Client to determine needs .• to understand the client‘s politics so can serve as a catalyst for overcoming typical organizational inertia and bureaucracy .• to ensure project goals are met/exceeded .• to find new project opportunities .

The Responsibilities of CPM项目咨询经理的职责

• They are the experts in knowing and applying an effective, proven and repeatable process to ensure project success. • Their familiarity with the consulting team and the industry or functionality could save time in ramping up and avoid pitfalls based on the CPM's prior experiences. • Some CPMs have specific vertical experience, such as in health care or manufacturing, that could be critical to the success of your project.

• They are the experts in knowing and applying an effective, proven and repeatable process to ensure project success. • Their familiarity with the consulting team and the industry or functionality could save time in ramping up and avoid pitfalls based on the CPM's prior experiences. • Some CPMs have specific vertical experience, such as in health care or manufacturing, that could be critical to the success of your project.

Why CPMs are necessary?

Example

For example, if the CPM has worked with the consultants assigned to project, she can efficiently take advantage of their strengths and offset their weaknesses. If she also has domain expertise, such as a supply chain management software upgrade, she can take advantage of lessons learned from past projects.

The range of CPM services项目咨询经理的服务范围

• IT Assessment

• Software Development

• Web Applications • Business Continuity Planning

• ……

• the past high spending on IT consulting.• many large projects managed by CPMs have failed in the past.• there is a certain level of risk inherent to every project.

One common reason is a hard hurdle rate on the project's return on investment.

• the past high spending on IT consulting.• many large projects managed by CPMs have failed in the past.• there is a certain level of risk inherent to every project.

One common reason is a hard hurdle rate on the project's return on investment.

Why customers don’t understand?为什么客户不看好项目咨询经理

Some questions worth exploring about CPM

• the availability and focus of the internal project manager candidate. • the availability and focus of the internal project manager candidate.

Assess Level of Focus Required

Comparison between CPM and PM

A CPM is typically assigned to one project Most internal project managers have multiple

project and production responsibilities, with some of them still juggling hands-on technical tasks.

Internal PMs have other administrative duties, such as career evaluations and vendor relationship management.

Assess Level of Focus Required

The relevancy of a CPMs past project experience must be considered.

By bringing in a CPM, you will have someone that is separated from company politics and procedures to bring a fresh perspective on problem solving.

Fresh Perspective

Fresh Perspective• One of the most important factors in project success is

overcoming obstacles and organizational politics that

would otherwise serve to derail the project

• the need for a full-time CPM are when the project

length borders on one year, in-house experience is

limited, and more than four to six consultants need to be

managed.

Why is project manager consulting so expensive?

ExampleHere is detailed requirements of a CMP at outlook

software:• Minimum 7 years external consulting experience

(Big 5 or comparable experience) • Client/partner relationship responsibility a definite

plus • Financial application knowledge and advanced

Excel modeling skills • Proven track record of delivering professional

services to Fortune 1000 clients • Minimum of 5 years of project management skills • …… 

Why is project manager consulting so expensive?

From the ad. We can see that many kinds of skills and knowledge are needed to be a CMP , especially rich experience are highly demanded, which take many years and much efforts to get.

How to avoid budget problem?

One last ploy to avoid the budget crunch, yet still obtain a CPM is to negotiate with the consulting firm. As long as times are tough in the IT services industry, you may be able to negotiate a reduced rate or even a free CPM.

Our Conclusion

It is Worth Paying For an experienced Consulting Project Manager at a reasonable price.

The End

Thank you!