The Important but Under-appreciated Role
of Consultants in the Project Management World!

By David L. Pells

In my opinion, project management consultants get a bad rap.  PM consultants seem to often be held in lower regard than project managers or executives, even if the consultant previously held an executive position with a major firm.  Maybe this is the natural extension of that old adage that a consultant is someone who “borrows your watch to tell you what time it is.”  While it is true that consultants often point out the obvious, often things that insiders already knew, it is also true that there are many organizations today at a low level of PM maturity where help is truly needed.  In fact, there is a higher demand for PM consulting services now than ever before.

One problem is that the PM consulting field may not be well understood, even by those practicing for many years.  PM consultants are not yet fully appreciated for the critical role they play in improving organizations and managing projects.  There are also some trends in the business world that have led to more consultants entering the market, trends that may not be recognized or acknowledged.  So this article is an attempt to educate some people by making a few points about the PM consulting practice.  The first point is: consulting is a natural phase in many project management careers.

Read complete editorial in English