Sep 30, 2020, 11.30am UTC (+4)
3 mins Read
Statistica Research Department published a forecast regarding the level of expenditure in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region spanning from 2017 to 2020. The publication disclosed, “spending on devices, such as PCs, tablets, mobile phones, printers, and other hardware, in the Middle East was expected to amount to 26.88 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 and grow to 27.11 billion U.S. dollars by 2020. Total IT spending in the Middle East and North Africa was forecast to reach 160 billion U.S. dollars in 2019” (August 26th, 2020).
This report along with other research publications points to the rapid growth in the IT industry across the Arabian Peninsula. The increase in IT expenditure has also led to a correlative increase in the need for tech consultants, according to Source Global Research.
New technologies like, artificial intelligence (A.I), machine learning, blockchain, virtual reality, 5G, autonomous driving, amongst other emerging technologies have disrupted the way economies and public sectors function. This has led to an emphasis on technology around the globe. As such, government leaders, policy makers, CEOs, CXOs, CIOs and board members of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) must grapple with the new realities and call upon the expert knowledge of IT consultants to make sense and navigate the new technology era.
BENEFITS OF HAVING AN IT CONSULTANT
An IT consultant helps organizations focus on their core business functions. Organizations are more efficient when they use specialist consultants who bring with them several years of industry experience that otherwise would take decades to cultivate within the internal workforce of the organization. Thus, IT consultants are positioned to add tremendous value that aids productivity and business growth. IT consultants increase the likelihood of business success!
Top-notch IT consultants are trained to detect cybersecurity threats and to prevent such threats from harming the organization. Compared with hiring a full-time employee, the cost of a consultant is lower. However, it’s not enough to choose just any IT consultant, organizations must choose a reputable IT consultant to drive business success. Failure to do this will lead to a failed IT project and the wastage of the organization’s scarce resources.
Some critical roles of a good IT consultant in aiding decision-making; marketing & business growth; and resource management in the technology era are found in the steps highlighted below.
5 CRITICAL ROLES OF AN IT CONSULTANT
- Involves relevant stakeholders in the analysis & design (A&D) stage
- Aligns organizational requirements with business outcomes
- Applies an iterative build phase
- Provides risk management
- Provides service support
Involves relevant Stakeholders in the Analysis & Design stage
The analysis and design (A&D) stage is a period where the IT consultant discusses the core requirement of the IT project with the organization. The tendency for many organizations is to send one representative as the mouthpiece for the entire organization. Many times, this single individual doesn’t communicate completely the agenda and positions of all the key stakeholders involved. It is a core role of an IT consultant to halt the process if necessary until a sizable number across the board is represented for the initial A&D meetings. The ability to recognize the need to have several key stakeholders involved in distilling the organization’s IT requirement is a critical role that distinguishes exceptional IT consultants from others.
Aligns organizational requirements with business outcomes
A good IT consultant knows that before any organizational requirement can be acted upon, it needs to be aligned with the business outcome of the organization. This aids accountability and measurement of the IT implementation process. Often, the project requirement would include optimizing the business process of the organization. This needs to be properly aligned with the business needs of the company. Click the link to learn more about engaging in effective business process management.
Applies an Iterative build phase
A good IT consultant is constantly asking for feedback along the way and validating them against the original business outcome reached the A&D stage.
Provides Risk Management
A good IT consultant knows the importance of risk management in any IT undertaking and ensures he calls upon other risk management experts to come alongside them in ascertaining the level of risk involved and ways to hedge them. Fortunately, we at StrongAdvice.ae are experts in IT and Risk management consulting respectively. Check out this article where we explain the roles of risk management in project management.
Provides Service Support
A good IT consultant provides service support for organizations during and after client engagement.
Visit us at StrongAdvice.ae to book a FREE consultation for your organization’s IT needs today.
Staff at Strong Advice 😊
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