“We have this need for a bridge. We don’t know what materials the bridge needs to be made of. We don’t know how high the bridge needs to be. We don’t know what chasm the bridge will be stretched over. We aren’t sure how long the bridge needs to be, and we definitely don’t know the environmental conditions at the spot where the bridge needs to be built. We’d like you to build the bridge….and we need it done by next month.”

What do you do?

First, attempt to educate the client. If you have a pragmatic client with whom you can communicate based on a shared common goal – a successful project – this may be worth the trouble. You can point them to statistical information on the high percentage of failed projects, the advantage of project management cycles, process diagnostics, etc.

Second, some projects are not made to succeed. That is not your decision. You have to try to make it succeed if at all possible and part of that is documenting problems, offering solutions, and making sure that those involved are aware of both at all times. They can choose to not act on your advice, that is their choice to make. Suck it up and get over it. Sometimes you get paid to do a great job, sometimes they pay you to follow their stupid orders. As long as they are the ones paying you, they choose what they pay you for.

Third, documentation will be king. Develop an iron-clad communication plan and stick to it. Document all changes and problems daily and summarize weekly. Keep reviewing with the client.

Finally, bill by the hour. There is just no way to come up with a value-based price on something like this.

Despite the high price tag, consulting engagements don’t always result in successful deliverables, and it is incumbent upon buyers to both shop wisely and manage the arrangement carefully.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately), just about every professional relationship starts on a task basis, as the client assesses the skills, personality, and manner of the expert, checking not only for technical expertise but also for cultural fit and simple �like-ability.� When you hire an accountant, doctor, or auto mechanic, you�re not looking for a relationship the first time out. You’ve got a problem and you want it fixed…now.

I view it as climbing a ladder. Each rung is a step toward a consulting relationship. When you do a good job you get to move up to the next rung. And when you reach the top, you become a trusted advisor, the epitome of the consulting profession.

This article though closes with an idea that has been a persistent sticking point for consultants and their clients: conflict of interest.

Another trend taking hold in the industry is the blending of consulting and outsourcing services, as more companies that launch outsourcing initiatives seek consulting help as part of the deal � and as vendors that once specialized in outsourcing offer high-level IT consulting services, and vice versa. That’s true not only for IT-driven projects, but also for a range of business processes, from human resources to finance to various links within the supply chain.

Conflicts of interest, one-size-fits-all solutions, or technology �bigotry,� in which consultants think that their job is to convince every client to use their favorite technology or service, are all examples of less-than-stellar integrity.