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Big Consulting Missing the Cloud Computing and SOA Links - Where SOA Meets Cloud. Consulting is a funny business. You have to remain relevant, so you have a tendency to follow the hype and follow the crowd. Cloud computing is the next instance of that, and many of the larger consulting organizations is chasing cloud computing as fast as they can. However, many are not chasing cloud computing the right way, missing many of the architectural advantages.

Instead they are just tossing things out of the enterprise onto private and public clouds and hoping for the best. Making things worse, many in larger enterprise clients are not seeing the forest through the trees, or in this case the architecture through the clouds. So, you have both parties taking a reactive versus a proactive approach to the cloud. Missing is good architectural context supporting the use of cloud computing. The concept of SOA, as related to cloud computing is simple. We need to get good at this quick, else cloud computing will do little good. Tips on vetting prospective clients. Chip Camden discusses three areas in which consultants might be able to do more homework about prospective clients before accepting an engagement. In the never-ending search for new consulting work, we sometimes forget that not all business is good business. If you manage to sink a ton of hours into a client who doesn't pay, then you've not only failed to make your efforts productive -- you've probably also missed better opportunities because you were too busy worrying over that deadbeat.

Whenever this has happened to me, I've thought to myself, "If I had known they were going to put me through this, I'd have never agreed to work for them at all! " Bad business is far worse than no business. The consultant probably has at least as much at stake in the relationship as the client does. The interview. Whatever you find, take it under consideration, but don't make it your sole factor in deciding whether or not to take the engagement.

An IT consultant's three resolutions for 2011 | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. 10 mistakes that rookie IT consultants make | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. Should you make clients sign off on their bad decisions? | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. Four types of clients to avoid | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. Divorcing yourself from recruiters forever | 1 of 15. Boost your IT consulting business with your friends' help | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. 10 mistakes that rookie IT consultants make. IT consulting is a tough, competitive field, and there are ample opportunities to mishandle the job. Erik Eckel offers some cautionary advice for IT consultants who are just starting out. IT consulting is a tough, competitive field, and there are ample opportunities to mishandle the job. Erik Eckel offers some cautionary advice for IT consultants who are just starting out. IT consulting is a difficult, complex industry.

I've seen numerous competitors enter the market, only to fail. Everyone from large electronic chains (does anyone remember CompUSA's business consulting effort or Circuit City's Firedog initiative?) And there's a reason. Note: This article is also available as a PDF download. 1: Underestimating total project time None of us is perfect. The very first time I ever estimated a simple Windows Small Business Server rollout for a client with seven employees in two locations, I budgeted eight hours to "deploy the server. " 2: Failing to properly document project scope. Customizable IT consultant sample contract | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com.

Tax questions IT consultants should ask their accountants | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. Move to a paperless system for client documentation | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. 10 things you can do to create better documentation | 10 Things | TechRepublic.com. IT consultants, document your work! | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com. When your client thinks the grass is greener elsewhere | IT Consultant | TechRepublic.com.