[IxDA Discuss] Bringing on a Consulting Group

[Buley, Leah BGI SF]

Hi Joe,
 
I've dealt with this situation quite a bit at my company.  My solution
is to try to get an active role in the project by positioning yourself
as an internal partner to the consultants.  You can do this by talking
about how you can help them and how they can help you.  Here are my
tricks:
 
*  Right away, I offer myself as a resource for institutional knowledge
or background information that they might need.  I also talk up the idea
that we should be leveraging their best practices for our own internal
use in the future.  All of this help to make an easy case that it's a
good idea for me to be actively involved in the project (sitting in on
working session, participating in review meetings, etc). 
 
*  When they do good work, I acknowledge it.  And then I'm right there,
ready to talk about all the ways that my group can extend their work to
future projects within the company. This sets up the expectation that
the in-house IA/UxD people are the ultimately caretakers of the design
(no matter how it came to be). It also makes you seem confident and
in-charge.
 
*  Above all, I try to be respectful and friendly. In the same way that
surrounding yourself with attractive friends makes you all look better,
treating consultants like the competent professionals that they are and
presenting yourself as a legitimate colleague to them gives us all a
little extra sparkle.
 
Good luck! I'd be interested to hear how it goes.
 

Leah Buley
Barclays Global Investors
leah.buley at barclaysglobal.com 
 
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