How to choose the right IT consultant

Short answer: What makes an IT consultant the right one?

The right IT consultant has documented experience with the exact technology and industry your assignment requires, can show references from comparable projects, and is able to translate between business and technology. Price, availability and personal chemistry matter, but they come after the professional fit. The safest way to choose well is to compare several qualified profiles for the same assignment, rather than taking the first one you are presented with.

The seven criteria that matter

• ▸Relevant, specific experience. Not 'experience with cloud', but concrete work in your platform, industry and project type.
• ▸References you can check. Ask for two to three similar assignments and feel free to contact the previous clients.
• ▸Business understanding. The best consultants understand why you are solving the problem, not just how.
• ▸Communication. Can the consultant explain technical choices so non-technical people grasp the consequences?
• ▸Seniority that matches the task. A complex architecture job needs a senior profile, a well-defined operations task does not.
• ▸Availability and commitment. How many hours a week, and is the consultant juggling several assignments at once?
• ▸Price relative to the market. An hourly rate only makes sense once you can hold it up against other offers for the same profile.

Questions to ask before you choose

• ▸Can you describe a project similar to ours and what your role actually was?
• ▸Which parts of the assignment do you see as the biggest risks, and how will you handle them?
• ▸Who is the backup if you fall ill or drop out along the way?
• ▸What do you expect from us in order to deliver on time?
• ▸How do we measure whether the collaboration is a success after the first few weeks?

Freelancer, consultancy or broker?

Where the consultant comes from affects price, flexibility and peace of mind. An independent freelancer is often cheaper and more flexible, but without backup. A consultancy gives you continuity and more resources, but typically at a higher price. A broker or multi-sourcing platform gives you access to both and the ability to compare. We have unpacked the differences in a separate guide, so you can choose the model that fits the assignment.

Price is not the only thing to compare

The lowest hourly rate is rarely the cheapest solution. A skilled consultant at 1,000 DKK an hour who solves the task in half the time is cheaper than a less experienced one at 700 DKK. So compare the total estimate, the approach and the experience, not just the hourly rate. Ideally get three offers on the same, clearly described assignment so you compare apples with apples.

How to compare in practice

Instead of finding and contacting consultants and vendors one by one, you can describe the assignment in one place and get several qualified profiles to choose between at once. That way you compare experience, price and availability side by side before you decide.