Keith: This can be useful, e.g. if there is a decision branch point and it is not clear what the status factors are. The customer may be thinking of abandoning a previous, or upgrading to a new, tech, e.g. machine, language or OS, Opinions can be myopic, so a variety of perspectives can help normalize analysis or add to creativity. Oracle-type methodologies can weigh each source including developers, vendors and external experts. Thanks.

Links:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_tree
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_assurance
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi_method

posted 9 months ago

A second, independent opinion is always useful - but outsiders often don't have a feel for the political landscape of projects. For example, some companies will spend nearly unlimited funds to get EXACTLY what they want, whereas others want bare functionality at minimal cost.

A funny element of the first type of firm, is that their idea of "cost" often discounts "comfort" and the cost they pay for it. As a humorous anecdote, I worked at a Fortune 500 company that spent tens of millions of dollars a year on consulting, but insisted that consultants park far away, bunk many to a room, etc. This was particularly humorous when one consultant was given a seat such that his high salary was needed to make up for the fact that he would be (physically) hit (in the head, back) any time someone opened the door to where 10 consultants were placed!

posted 9 months ago

I have been brought in to perform Usability testing - putting real users who fit the customer profile in front of the product, giving them specific tasks to accomplish, recording each session, and providing analysis to the project team.

Usability studies are beneficial both for internal and customer-facing applications. They uncover many problems that the Project Team has overlooked or downplayed, but which may present real risks to the application's success.

When you put your project in front of actual users and watch them stumble over an interface or task flow that you though was easy to use, it can be a humbling experience. Nevertheless Usability testing provides crucial insights into how the product will be used in the real world, and ultimately helps your project team resolve many issues that would otherwise lead to problems upon release.

Links:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability
• http://www.usability.gov/
• http://www.humanfactors.com/home/usability.asp

posted 9 months ago

One reason: to make sure the project doesn't end up on WTF.

Links:

• http://thedailywtf.com/

posted 9 months ago

This is actually a very complex question. It depends on constraints of the time, budget, scope, resources, and quality defined for the product or service.

A couple of specific examples would be Windows 7 and IE 8. Microsoft has several hundred thousand beta testers using these products prior to launch. Imagine the defect tracking and change control for this.

Good luck.

posted 9 months ago

I have done this as an "internal" consultant; and have been involved with projects were an external consultant was used in a "validation" role.

Some reasons to do it:
1. Cost - you can get an expert opinion and direction on the "hard" parts of a project with very little costs, both in up front payments and in later knowledge transfer
2. Politics - the definition of expert: someone from more than 100 miles away that costs twice what your internal costs are; kidding aside it can build credibility with stakeholders
3. Risk - you can limit risks from the unknown by adding eyes, especially ones that didn't design the project

Some ways to go about it:
1. An "interview" of the people involved
2. A review of the documentation
3. A "restatement" of the requirements from the deliverables

posted 9 months ago

This happens more often than you think. Some of the big IT consultancies do this regularly. Others (like me) do this on a smaller basis for companies that want something more tightly targeted. Among smaller companies, this sort of "due diligence review" often happens as part of an acquisition transaction, at the behest of the lawyers and bankers involved.

posted 9 months ago

This does happen all the time--you may not see a lot of it, because these types of engagements aren't the sort of thing you include on a resume or post on your LinkedIn portfolio.

I used to be a columnist for several programming magazines (Data Based Advisor, then VB Tech Journal, then others). I'd write something about a particular development issue--and as often as not I'd get a call or email from somebody facing a similar problem. I've done dozens of these kinds of gigs--you won't see any of them on my LinkedIn portfolio. They're too tiny to matter. (Although several of them did lead to long-term client relationships.)

That said--I don't mean to be cynical, but many times when somebody would call me up and ask if I could "just give us a different perspective on where the project is" I would ask a few probing questions: most of the time what they really meant was "we think this project is in serious trouble, but the project lead insists that everything is just rosy. We're getting nervous, and we want to find out if things are as bad as we suspect."

That isn't always the case--but it is the case often enough. Very few people get a clean bill of health from their doctor, and then ask for a second opinion.

posted 9 months ago

I used to do this a lot at a consultancy company called Object Designers.

Typically the mission was an initial step to determine the scope for a more significant involvement - but of course sometimes the conclusion (ours, the client's, or both) was that they could do very well on their own.

- Charles

posted 9 months ago