8411  Reviews star_rate star_rate star_rate star_rate star_half

Consulting Fundamentals (CO10) (CO10)

As the business environment becomes more complex and the pace of technology-led change continues to accelerate, the level of knowledge that technical professionals need to have to successfully plan...

Read More
By Request
$1,495 USD
Duration 2 days
Course Code 8963
Available Formats Virtual, Classroom

Overview

As the business environment becomes more complex and the pace of technology-led change continues to accelerate, the level of knowledge that technical professionals need to have to successfully plan and implement IT related projects continues to increase. Many organizations are moving from providing commodity products, to providing professional services and complete solutions. This is equally true in the public sector, in which services are offered to the public, to businesses, and to other government departments. It is also true for internal service organizationsorganizations that offer services to others within the same company or government body.

To remain competitive and ensure they are successful implementing IT-led projects internally and fully addressing the business needs of their clients, organizations need technical people who are able to consult with their clients. Professionals whose roles include significant client involvement coupled with technical work need to evolve to a more consultative relationship with their clients.

This is an interactive workshop that helps both internal and external consultants build the skills and knowledge to increase their credibility and competency as a technical consultant.

Skills Gained

  • Use the five-step consulting engagement life cycle and associated key actions to successfully consult with your clients
  • Value technical consulting brings to the client, to the consulting company and to the consultant
  • Assess your behaviours against the competencies required for technical consulting and identify how to leverage your strengths and close any gaps
  • Increase your technical credibility and value by adding consulting skills to your current skill set

Who Can Benefit

  • Anyone in an internal or external consulting role
  • Project managers
  • Business analysts
  • IT professionals
  • Engineers
  • Other technical professionals who would like to improve the outcomes of their consulting engagements by:
    • Deepening their skills and competencies across the entire consulting life cycle
    • Using a set of proven tools to achieve better results in current and future engagements
    • Using communication techniques to better understand client needs and preferences
    • Aligning decision makers to gain buy-in and commitment
    • Preparing project teams to ensure successful solution implementation

Prerequisites

Self-study on the Consulting Skills Portal prior to class.

Course Details

1. Prework: Preparation Phase

  • Identifying a Client Opportunity
  • Consulting Behaviours Benchmark Assessment
  • Your Personal Learning Goals

2. Introduction

  • Introduction to workshop
  • Personal learning objectives
  • The Consulting Life Cycle
  • The definition and value of technical consulting
  • The Consulting Competency Model

3. Engage the Client

  • Establishing an initial relationship
  • Making a preliminary assessment of needs
  • The Strategic Questioning Process
  • Active listening
  • Recognizing and dealing with client resistance
  • Confirming the scope of the engagement

4. Gather and Analyze Information

  • Collecting and organizing data
  • Establishing a clear definition of desired outcomes
  • Identifying success criteria
  • Analyzing the data
  • Selecting the best solution option
  • Developing and testing an initial recommendation

5. Present Findings and Recommendations

  • Planning your recommendation message
  • Structuring your communication to achieve your objectives
  • Delivering a compelling presentation
  • Recognizing and handling client concerns or objections

6. Plan and Implement Recommendations

  • Identifying and mitigating implementation risks
  • Transitioning responsibilities to project teams
  • Ensuring client satisfaction during implementation

7. Evaluate Results and Evolve Engagement

  • Ending a specific consulting engagement
  • Evaluating the engagement and identifying lessons learned
  • Celebrating successes
  • Evolving the relationship

8. Connection

  • Your personal action plan
Read Less

Schedule

Upcoming Course Dates

There are currently no scheduled dates for this course. If you are interested in this course, contact us with the form below.

Contact Information

FAQ

Does the course schedule include a Lunchbreak?

Classes typically include a 1-hour lunch break around midday. However, the exact break times and duration can vary depending on the specific class. Your instructor will provide detailed information at the start of the course.

What languages are used to deliver training?

Most courses are conducted in English, unless otherwise specified. Some courses will have the word "FRENCH" marked in red beside the scheduled date(s) indicating the language of instruction.

What does GTR stand for?

GTR stands for Guaranteed to Run; if you see a course with this status, it means this event is confirmed to run. View our GTR page to see our full list of Guaranteed to Run courses.

Does Ascendient Learning deliver group training?

Yes, we provide training for groups, individuals and private on sites. View our group training page for more information.

What does vendor-authorized training mean?

As a vendor-authorized training partner, we offer a curriculum that our partners have vetted. We use the same course materials and facilitate the same labs as our vendor-delivered training. These courses are considered the gold standard and, as such, are priced accordingly.

Is the training too basic, or will you go deep into technology?

It depends on your requirements, your role in your company, and your depth of knowledge. The good news about many of our learning paths, you can start from the fundamentals to highly specialized training.

How up-to-date are your courses and support materials?

We continuously work with our vendors to evaluate and refresh course material to reflect the latest training courses and best practices.

Are your instructors seasoned trainers who have deep knowledge of the training topic?

Ascendient Learning instructors have an average of 27 years of practical IT experience and have also served as consultants for an average of 15 years. To stay current, instructors spend at least 25 percent of their time learning new, emerging technologies and courses.

Do you provide hands-on training and exercises in an actual lab environment?

Lab access is dependent on the vendor and the type of training you sign up for. However, many of our top vendors will provide lab access to students to test and practice. The course description will specify lab access.

Will you customize the training for our company’s specific needs and goals?

We will work with you to identify training needs and areas of growth.  We offer a variety of training methods, such as private group training, on-site of your choice, and virtually. We provide courses and certifications that are aligned with your business goals.

How do I get started with certification?

Getting started on a certification pathway depends on your goals and the vendor you choose to get certified in. Many vendors offer entry-level IT certification to advanced IT certification that can boost your career. To get access to certification vouchers and discounts, please contact info@ascendientlearning.com.

Will I get access to content after I complete a course?

You will get access to the PDF of course books and guides, but access to the recording and slides will depend on the vendor and type of training you receive.

How do I request a W9 for Ascendient Learning?

View our filing status and how to request a W9.

Reviews

I liked the pace of the course. I like that I have more than instance to use the lab.

Great instructor, clear and concise course. Labs were easy to follow and worked perfectly.

this class was informative, made me think about certifying for the suse manager cert.

Good training. A lot to take in for the short amount of time we have though

Instructor was great, course was mostly very good except for too much focus on pricing