How are new technologies changing consulting?

In my experience, digital transformation s are too often treated as function-led individual projects which can be problematic if not implemented as part of an organisational design blueprint. A business consultant’s true skill comes with the ability to step back and look at the interconnectedness of brand, culture, value proposition, customer needs and product/service delivery and support services to help an organisation design end-to-end operational, product, service, customer and go-to-market workflows, data models, and systems integration needs. Ultimately, consultants need to convince clients to design with the end in mind which might take longer up front but payback in efficiency and service delivery gains long into the future.

Listening to clients in a respectful and active way is one of the most important aspects of consulting. That is not related to new technologies, it is simply common sense. It is the foundation of being a good consultant. A consultant brings to the table his experience having worked with many clients and industries, having seen successes and failures. Once each participant understands their role in this game, one can begin to define the work. In a company's digital transformation, taking things seriously and methodically is key to concrete achievement. What sometimes seems to be impossible to achieve, can be done by taking it in pieces that are consumable. Seeing small achievements, improvements will generate confidence in the client.

✅ Its important to adapt oneself with changing times to be relevant in the industry. ✅ Its a great idea to try learning new technologies and concepts in the market to understand different perspectives and provide relevant solutions to one'c client base.

Digital transformation is the ongoing journey of leveraging digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to reshape and enhance how businesses operate. It involves harnessing the power of data, automation, and advanced algorithms to streamline processes, improve decision-making, and create more efficient and responsive organizations. In this digital era, companies that embrace this transformation are better positioned to innovate, stay competitive, and meet the evolving needs of their customers in a rapidly changing world.

Consultants are best used to identify the problems within an organisation. Problems - plural and then prioritizing them for greatest impact or quickest return of investment. Ideally we want to see how these solutions are part of a bigger system and seeing how a solution once applied will roll into the next solution. Once we have identified the problems, only then can we begin understanding how we help our customer. Running head first and proposing solutions without understanding the problems and customer culture toward risk and innovation would be a waste of time and effort for everyone involved

Data & Analytics tools are dictating the way modern businesses function. The key challenges any consultant working in this domain solves, are: 1. Absence of a single source of truth. 2. Migration from legacy to cloud environment. 3. Data quality and data lineage bottlenecks. 4. Cloud cost optimization & infra expenditure. 5. Data Literacy and limited analytics adoption. 6. Manual intervention and continued use of excel etc tools. 7. Multiple systems of disparate data. 8. Real time analytics with the right KPIs & use cases to support business requirements. 9. Security concerns. 10. Limited use of AI along with AiOps, MLOps and Automation.

In my experience I have found the following steps to be useful . ✅Analyzing how entrenched is the data driven culture in the enterprise ✅Analyzing how the data architecture is laid down right from how it is sourced ,Data interface for access,data engineering ,diverse data integration styles ,support for semantic models ,data quality and data governance all of it matters. ✅Combination of Top down approach and bottom up approach helps in accentuation data driven decisions

✅ Its a good practice to analyse data every 90 days to draw patterns and solve any blocks that might be there in a consultants service. ✅ Ai can be leveraged to collect and analyse data easily. ✅ However the decision derived from the data should be based on human instinct and experience always!

Data and analytics are not only about collecting and processing data, but also about communicating and acting on the insights. Consultants need to help their clients tell stories with data, which is the art of presenting data in a clear, compelling, and persuasive way. Telling stories with data can help consultants engage their audience, influence their decisions, and drive their actions. According to a study by IBM1, organizations that use data storytelling are more likely to outperform their peers in revenue growth, profitability, and innovation. Consultants can help their clients tell stories with data by using data visualization tools, narrative techniques, and emotional appeals.

The more data you get, the more AI can analyze for you and transform it to a presentation that suits you the best. It's important to keep in mind that AI can support the analytical part of the brain. Successful entrepreneurship needs also the intuition and seeing through things of the creative part of the mind and body.

We are leveraging AI to make our consultants more efficient while delivering quality results to our clients. In addition to enhancing our consultant’s ability to grow and deliver we implement software that utilizes AI as part of the solution.

AI is a great productivity booster if it is handled well .In my experience following aspects would be helpful in building the trust quotient : ✅Ethical AI : Contextual Filtering using Resource Augmented Generation so that only ethical contents are presented ✅Explainable AI :Methods for explaining the rationale behind AI decisions in Natural Language ✅Contextual AI : To present the output based on the underlying context ✅Probing AI : In Situation where AI is not able to find the answers or it is not able to learn due to the data or model constraints ,it should be able to state and throw light on that problem. This would enable human in the loop to be engaged and would enhance the trust quotient of AI.

✅ AI can be used to interlink admin tasks and free up time for the consultant to concentrate on their core. ✅ Zapier is a great tool to experiment with. It helps you link everything from a lead to conversion and follow up.

AI is mere a tool, maybe powerful, but only a tool. No amount of AI can replace raw human intelligence, ever. For automation work, AI can be used on shop floor and data analysis also. But the areas where direct human interaction is needed on subjective level, pushing AI will boomerang. Hence, consulting companies as well as clients must understand the strengths and weaknesses of AI and AI enabled applications and follow the middle path. Thanks.

AI does not replace advice built on experience and lessons learned from multiple projects and sometimes failures. However, you can speed up the consultative process itself by automating some tasks of lower relative value such as searching for information.

AI is great, amazing and very promising but as with all leading edge technologies, both consultancies and clients will need to tread cautiously as it's very early days and we haven't yet foreseen all the far-reaching consequences.

Consulting in CAD (AutoCAD/Revit) requires a grasp of what cloud computing can do, not only for the client but for you as the consultant, as well. AutoCAD and Revit fully support the cloud, facilitating quick and efficient design collaboration. Often, clients do not realise the tangible benefits the cloud provides, and when they are exposed to them, there is often a complete paradigm shift in workflow and process.

Today's consulting is fast paced, high tech, and still personal. Use tools that create connection, belonging, and accountability. Like zoom. Slack. Teams. Become a pro at meetings, presentations, and recording sessions so clients have breadcrumbs.

La computación en la nube ofrece flexibilidad y escalabilidad sin precedentes. En mi experiencia, migrar a la nube puede reducir costos operativos y mejorar la colaboración en equipo. Selecciona proveedores de servicios en la nube que ofrezcan soluciones seguras y cumplan con los estándares de cumplimiento necesarios para tu industria. Asegúrate de realizar copias de seguridad regulares y tener un plan de recuperación ante desastres para proteger tus datos. La nube no solo facilita el acceso a recursos, sino que también permite innovar y adaptarse rápidamente a los cambios del mercado.

Build a personal brand on social media, but base it on authenticity not marketing. Done badly, consultants focus on themselves. Done well, consultants focus on the progress of their clients.

Each platform works differently and it is important to keep that in mind. LinkedIn is originally more of a professional ground for most professions. It should not be the place for politics or for resolving personal issues (a lesson I learned first hand). What is posted on social media sticks, even if it is deleted. A good manager and team will pay careful attention at what is posted on social media and how reaction happens there. It takes hard skin to use some of the platforms and criticism must be expected, particularly in light of the fast speed harsh comments travel and promote engagement, compared to the speed of moderate language and posts.

In following ways, Social Media platforms are creating an impact. - Opportunities for continuous learning and professional development - Focused marketing and lead generation strategies. - Facilitation of virtual collaboration and remote work. - Management of personal branding and reputation. - Insights into market trends and real-time analysis - Opportunities to share knowledge and establish thought leadership. - Connection with an extensive network of experts and peers. - Innovative channels for client engagement and communication. - Enhanced online presence and visibility.

Social media is both a boon and a bane. It allows self-expression in so many ways, giving the freedom to share yourself and your thoughts with anybody and everybody (if that's something you want!) But if you're not careful and thoughtful in what you put out there, you could just as easily become a victim of social media retribution, where everybody out there shares their thoughts against you with anybody and everybody! Sometimes with real-world consequences. So in my own social media use, I think twice, ten times about what I am about to share, and then only do so if I'm adding value and not subtracting it.

Social media, along with AI, is a great tool to use to showcase your brand and who your authentic self is. But at the end of the day, it is still about creating that human to human connection with those that engage with your social media. You have nothing to worry about in terms of criticism, controversy and competition if you are being truthful, authentic and generating value in people's lives through authentic human connection. Stand out from the crowd and attract your tribe!

The gamification of CAD has allowed VR to become a standard tool in the AEC industry. Taking CAD & BIM 3D models into gaming engines, such as Unreal Engine and Unity, has allowed architectural visualization to provide real-life and real-time walkthroughs of proposed building designs, providing clients and stakeholders with a real-world realization of their final design.

La realidad virtual puede transformar la forma en que presentas y experimentas la información. He visto cómo la VR puede crear experiencias inmersivas que capturan la atención de los clientes y facilitan una comprensión más profunda de los productos o servicios. Sin embargo, la implementación de VR puede ser costosa y compleja. Asegúrate de evaluar si los beneficios justifican la inversión y de proporcionar la capacitación necesaria para usar esta tecnología de manera efectiva. Además, considera los posibles efectos en la salud y bienestar de los usuarios y toma medidas para mitigarlos.

Fundamentally, technology is changing consulting in the same way it changed dating. It’s democratizing, but also creates an illusion of ease which can be extremely misleading and instead of creating options, just creates confusion and a lack of decision-making. Like dating, this can be overcome by focusing on what you want to get out of the process, and using technology as a tool toward that aim. Importantly, don’t get dazzled by the possibilities of technology and create “make work” - things which exist because they *can* not because they *should*.

Tech loves disruption, but humans don't. When disruption levels exceed change capacity levels, humans react with negative emotion. And in order to feel more in control, the find consolation in the loving arms of spreadsheets.

I specialize in helping remote businesses become more efficient and productive. This client group is very quick to adopt new technologies, so there's no way for me to manage my business in Google Drive, for example. A significant part of my work is cutting through the hype of new technologies and finding out how my clients can actually benefit from them vs. what the provider claims in their marketing messages. My role is more helping them connect the right dots rather than 'giving advice'.

People: No matter what latest technolgy you bring in or how many "Wow" Innovation pilots you run, it is of no use, if you do not spend time understanding the people who will be using the new technology. Their internal dynamics, the unseen silos, the value it will deliver to them, their team and their customers, all of this has to be thought through from day one of your engagement. Only then, you have good transformation projects.

▶️New technologies can be overwhelming for clients to follow and keep up with, providing vast opportunities for niche consultants to excel. Their expertise becomes a valuable asset, allowing them to guide and build clients' understanding in specialized areas. ▶️Social media channels coupled with cloud computing enable SME emerging consultants to increase their client outreach and secure new projects, regardless of location and jurisdiction. ▶️AI-driven applications provide a solid foundation for smaller consulting companies to compete with large firms that monopolize the market. These advanced tools level the playing field, allowing smaller firms to offer specialized services that can challenge the dominance of their bigger competitors.