Consultants, Contractors, Whores

Consultant: One with expertise in a given field, with industry knowledge, and grounding in the best practices thereof. This person will come to the client site for a fixed-length engagement, analyze the operation, and produce a report on the client’s operation, including things done right, and suggested areas of improvement. May or may not suggest methodologies for addressing areas needing improvement. Collects a check on the way out, and couldn’t care less what the client does regarding the suggestions.

Contractor: One who implements items suggested by the consultant, or perhaps by the client. May or may not be furnished with a plan for implementation. Often driven by project managers, who have learned Microsoft Project well enough to print a Gantt Chart, with milestones amply highlighted and distributed, irrespective of whether or not the milestones have any grounding in reality. Oftentimes, the contractor brings significant real-world expertise, as well as a desire to go a good job, to the client. May work on a fixed-length engagement, or may be a little more flexible. Willing to enthusiastically embrace new methodologies, and be a solid player in the endeavor.

Whore: Either of the above, who check their brains and expertise at the door, and blindly follow whatever half-assed whim the client may have. When asked why, replies, “They’re paying me.”

Does the above bear any resemblance to your world? It certainly does not apply in mine; I’ve heard it mentioned in conversations, however.

-k-