Planning the Consulting Intervention Copy

Develop Initial Project Charter

  • Executive summary.
  • Introduction
  • Project name.
  • Scope, objectives and terms of reference.
  • Deliverables
  • Assumptions
  • Risks, issues, constraints and problems.
  • Resources and skill requirements.
  • Project and quality management strategy and approach.
  • Standards and project status measurements.
  • Document management.
  • Change and problem management.
  • Budget and Time frames

NB – Obtain sign off from sponsor

The Charter must reflect the nature of the project

The plan must reflect the type / nature of the project:

  • Size
  • Elapsed time.
  • Number of consultants involved.
  • Proximity to client / visibility.
  • Standard methodology or new approach.
  • Product or process.
  • Creative or routine.

Review Proposal Commitments

  • Client requirements and expectations.
  • Scope, approach and milestones/dates.
  • Project team names, availability, roles and responsibilities (client/consultant.
  • Level of participation from client staff.
  • Project services provided by client.
  • Interim and final deliverables.
  • Frequency, format and dates of project meetings.
  • Key assumptions and acceptance criteria

Provide revised letter of agreement, if necessary,

or document any decisions in the charter

Define Appropriate Support Procedures, Methods and Tools

  • Identify/implement appropriate toolkit.
  • Establish data management approach and cycle (to monitor progress, facilitate billing).
  • Establish issue resolution/client liaison process.
  • Develop/implement measures to monitor client satisfaction.
  • Initiate regular project team meetings.
  • Establish reporting responsibilities and formats e.g. exceptions to plan only.
  • Establish documentation policies and procedures index.

Build a Conceptual Framework

  • Agree to a common approach to the project with the team.
  • Base this on the proposal/contract – revisit regularly.
  • Challenge regularly and negotiate modifications, as required (assess client flexibility).

Design Approach to Information Collection

  • What kind of information is required?
  • How accurate does it need to be?
  • What level of detail is required?
  • Is the information available?
  • From what sources, at what costs?
  • How reliable is the information?
  • Who will obtain the information (consultant/client/third party)?
  • How will it be collected?
  • How will it be stored, indexed and retrieved?

Design Work Product Flow and Deliverables

  • Plan and design interim and final deliverables.
  • Obtain client consensus on reporting formats, level of detail, etc.
  • Identify work product dependencies.

Develop Detailed Work Plans and Schedules

  • Develop detailed schedules
  • Align budgets to schedules
  • Identify resource implications
  • Allow for QC and review
  • Include reporting points
    • Project internal
    • Client
  • ID & manage inter- and intra-project dependencies

Plan in enough detail to identify potential pitfalls

Scroll to Top