Evaluating a ConsultantTexas farmer: “Is there a fox dressed like a roster in the chicken coop??”

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Interview: Before you Contract

TRADITIONAL• How many projects in the last 3-5 years?

(make list) • Have you ever been referred clients by other

consultants? How many? (make list)

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Call Past Clients

TRADITIONAL• Ask about performance• Ask about endurance (bug fixing)• Quality of Product/Code?

Documentation & Maintainability

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Consultant Community

• Never rely on a competing consultant’s assessment of another consultant.

Only past clients & past referring consultants

• Check with non-competing consultantsAsk around at user’s groups about reputation

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

What’s Hidden?

• *** What about disasters?No consultant would put a “disaster” in their list of references.

• Not about the single events We all have encounters with the client from hell.

Feature creep & reluctance to detail UIF or Function

• Look for a Series or Trends! • Also very large failed projects.

With the traditional approach, you look for gaps in the resume.

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Why Go Deeper

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Small Medium Large

Requirements Analysis / Test Effort% of Effort

Log(Project Size or Complexity)

Multi-

Tiered

Mission

Critical

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Software Engineering Process

• Do I need documented requirements or a functional spec? Who?

• UIF spec? Who? Prototype?• Test or acceptance criteria? Who?

• The larger the project, the more you need to invest in the documentation of the project engineering process/road-map & specs!

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Past Clients (Going Deeper)

• Have you done business with any clients who would refuse to do business with you again?

• Are there any past clients you would not allow us to speak with?

• Have you every been threatened with litigation or sued by a client?

Questions to ask the consultant

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Past Clients (Going Deeper)

• Have you ever tried to coerce an unwilling client into releasing you from non-compete?

• Have you ever knowingly misrepresented a completion date?

• Have you ever missed an estimate by more than 100%?

• If true, did you ask the client to pay for your error?

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Past Clients (Going Deeper)

• In the last 3 years, how many projects started were never finished?

• Have you ever signed a release and then later claimed ownership of software listed in the release?

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Referring Consultants (Going Deeper)

• Are there any referring consultants you would not allow us to speak with?

• Would any referring consultant avoid doing or refuse to do business with you again?

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Foreign Labor (Going Deeper)

• Do you use foreign labor?• If true, how do you enforce nondisclosure & non-

compete?• If true, who QA’s the “finished” product?• If you do QA, do you have QA credentials

(resume)?

24-Apr-2002 MaxQual Software Engineering

Summary

• Be careful & don’t rush into anything

DON’T RUSH INTO ANYTHING• Look for & explore gaps in resume• Use the network to check reputation-- user groups