Introduction to Consulting

2011, Cognizant

The Consulting Process

Request for
Proposals

Mange Stakeholders

Initial
Discussion

Mange Project Sponsors

Selling Process

Identify & Structure the

problem

Analysis

Develop
Recommendations
The Problem

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Hand off Solution

Engagement Execution Process

Consulting
Engagement

Proposal/SOW

Consulting Life Cycle

1

Clarify and Enhance

Understanding

Define and Diagnose

Problem

Analyze Current State

Define Future State

Gap Analysis and

Generate Alternative
Solutions

Recommend Solution and

Implementation Roadmap

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A real life case

The Customer
Global publisher of print and electronic products, specializing in scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly

journals, books, major reference works, and databases; professional and consumer books, subscription content,
and information services; and textbooks and other educational materials for undergraduate and graduate
students as well as lifelong learners.
With over 5,000 employees worldwide, customer has operations in the United States, Europe, Canada, Asia and
Australia. Companys worldwide headquarters are located in New Jersey, United States.
Approximately 25% of global revenue is currently Web-enabled; and company expects to increase that figure to
about 40% within the next three years.

Project Background and Expectations from Consulting Partner

As part of its future strategy, the customer had a long-term program to replace companys Enterprise Systems.
Enterprise Systems included software for order entry and fulfillment, warehousing, publishing and editorial
systems, and customer and product information systems.
Customer was looking for a consulting partner that could bring in relevant experience and knowledge gained from
similar projects in the past, and one who would advise and recommend alternatives and an implementation
roadmap for this strategic initiative
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Client objectives from the engagement

Client Objectives
Determine the full range of future-state business capabilities required by the Wiley business as part of the
future vision
Discover and document all future state business processes in alignment with the required future state
business capabilities
Define the future-state business and technology architectures to support future state processes and
capabilities
Identify potential technology solutions to implement future state technology architecture

Develop a comprehensive implementation roadmap for the future state architecture, including
prioritization, phasing, solution determination, resourcing, partner affiliations, budget, dependencies and
governance

In Scope Processes
1.
2.
3.
4.

Content Development
Service Development
Product Development
Order to Cash

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5.
6.
7.
8.

Procure to Pay
Record to Report
Legal
Governance, Risk, Compliance

9. Data Reporting & Analysis

10.Facilities Management
11.Customer Relationship Management
12.Human Capital Management

Approach and Phases

Business Vision & Capability Definition Phase
Business Vision
Clarification and
Enhancement

Week 1 thru
Week
5 /
Business
Vision
Strategy Review

Business Capability
Definition &
Assessment

Week 5 thru
Week
7
Identify
Target

Solution Options Identification & Definition Phase

Current State
Assessment

Future State
Definition

24-week project duration

Week 8 thru
Week 10 thru
Week 11
Week
15
Target
Understand
Current Define

Business
Business Models,
Capabilities and
Process Flows,
Models
Organization
Assess Current State
Implications
Business
Understand Current
Capabilities and
Application/Data
Gaps
Architecture
Prioritize
Understand Current
New/Enhanced
Technology
Capabilities &
Architecture
Requirements

Business Models,
Process Flows &
Organization
Implications
Define Target
Application/Data
Architecture
Define Target
Technology
Architecture

Gap Analysis &

Solution Option
Identification

Week 16 thru
Week 19
Develop

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Solution
Implementation
Road Map

Week 20 thru
Week 24
Determine

Alternative Sourcing
Recommendations
Options &
for Target Business
Recommendation
Models, Process
Implementation
Flows and
Road Map
Organization
Implications
Identify Solutions to
Address Target
Technology
Architecture & Key
Technology
Components

Team Structure

Business Consultants

Road Map Definition

Phase

Total Resource Count

Phase 1: Business Vision & Capability Definition Phase

Business Vision Clarification and Enhancement

Business Capability Definition & Assessment

Week 1 thru Week 5

Week 5 thru Week 7

Business Vision / Strategy Review

Identify Industry Trends and Implications (e.g. custom content
creation implications on content development process,
semantic content enrichment etc)
Determine Competitive pressures, forces and Implications
Conduct VDA to Determine Value Levers & Implications
Conduct Executive Workshops to Enhance Business Vision

Identify Target Business Capabilities and Models

Identify Business Capabilities through:
Business Vision
SME Interviews
Best Practices and Value Levers
Define high level Business Models
Determine impact to target Enterprise Architecture
Assess Current State Business Capabilities and Gaps
Identify capabilities from existing documentation and interviews
Gap analysis: Classify business capabilities as obsolete, replaced,
retained or enhanced
Prioritize New/Enhanced Capabilities & Requirements
Define high level business benefits for each new / enhanced
capability
Conduct workshops to prioritize future state business
capabilities

Future of Work Framework

Value Discovery Assessment (VDA)
Program Management Methodology
Business Vision Envisioning Workshop
SME Interviews
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Frameworks /
Methodology

Tools

Business Vision Document

Refined 2015 Vision
Business Models
Prioritized Business Capabilities Aligned to
Vision
Assessment of Current Capabilities and Voids

Deliverables

VDA

Phase 2: Solution Options Identification & Definition Phase

Current State Assessment

Future State Definition

Week 8 thru Week 11

Week 10 thru Week 15

Understand Current Business Models, Process

Flows, Organization Implications
o Conduct Process Mapping and Modeling
o Perform Qualitative and Quantitative
Assessment
o Define Current State
o Identification of As-Is Pain Points
o Best Practice Analysis / benchmark
Understand Current Application/Data
Architecture
Understand Current Technology Architecture

Define Target Business Models, Process Flows

& Organization Implications
o Develop Target Business Architecture
o Develop Target State Value Stream Map
o Prepare Organization Impact Assessment
Define Target Application/Data Architecture
o Application & Data Architecture
o System and Sub-System Models
o System Interaction Models
o Data flow between Systems based on
business process data flow
Define Target Technology Architecture
o Develop Technology Architecture
o Develop System Technology Blueprint

Frameworks / Methodology

Deliverables

LEAN Methodology
Open Group TOGAF based EA methodology for Business &
Technology Architecture development
Program Management Methodology

Tools

EA Tools such as Provision

IBM Rational Systems Architect
Solution Alliance Partners

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Gap Analysis & Solution Option Identification

Week 16 thru Week 19
Develop Recommendations &
Approach to Migrate to Target Business
Models, Process Flows, Organization Changes
o Finalize Business and Enterprise
Architectures
o Establish Prioritization Criteria
o Develop Migration Approach / Strategy
Identify Potential Solutions to Address
Target Application/Data Architecture
Requirements
Identify Potential Solutions to Address
Target Technology Architecture Requirements

BA - Business Flows
BA - Business to Systems Mapping
BA - Systems to Capability Traceability Matrix
BA - Systems to Applications Mapping
AA - Application System Model Blueprints
AA - Application Systems Interaction Models
TA - Application System Technology Interaction Models
TA Technology Domain models
Migration Approach / Strategy
BA Value Stream Maps

Phase 3: Road Map Definition Phase

Solution Implementation Road Map

Week 20 thru Week 24

Determine Alternative Sourcing Options & Recommendations

Determine Viable Sourcing Options and Tradeoffs
Develop Recommended Sourcing Approach and Rationale
Implementation Road Map
Prioritize Solution Areas & Develop Implementation Approach
Identify Key Areas to be addressed by Program Change Plan
Develop overall Implementation Roadmap & Resourcing Plan
Develop Cost Approximations
Frameworks / Methodology

Deliverables

Cognizant Program Management Methodology

Rationale for Alternate Sourcing options

Integrated Implementation Roadmap
Key areas to be addressed by Program Change Plan
Program Cost Approximations

Roadmap

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Consulting Life Cycle

Clarify and Enhance

Understanding

Define and Diagnose

Problem

Analyze Current State

Define Future State

Gap Analysis and

Generate Alternative
Solutions

Recommend Solution and

Implementation Roadmap

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Getting an Accurate Understanding of the Problem is Critical

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What is Definition and Diagnosis?

First fully operation phase

Purpose is to examine problem faced in detail and depth

Identify factors and forces that are causing and influencing the
problem

Examine the relationship between problem and global

objectives and results of client organization

Ascertain client's potential to make changes and resolve

problem effectively

Prepare all the information needed to develop a solution

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Characteristics of good problem statement

A thought-provoking question, not a fact

Specific, not general

Debatable (not a statement of fact or non-disputable

assertion)

Actionable

Focused on what the decision maker needs to move

forward

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Problem is to be identified in terms of five dimensions

Substance or identity

Organizational and physical location

Which people managers, staff, workers are affected and are interested in solving it
Are they aware of problem and have they tried solving it
Who is likely to create difficulties

Absolute and relative magnitude

Where is the problem affected Organizational units (divisions, departments,

subsidiaries) and physical units (plants, buildings, stores, offices) problem is
observed or are affected

Problem ownership

What is the problem poor performance, shortage of skilled staff, lack of

innovation, improve customer service

How important is the problem in absolute terms (money, productivity, potential future gain)
How important is problem in relative terms (in comparison to other problems or compared to
company turnover)

Time perspective

Since when, is it recurring, frequency, increasing or decreasing, future forecasts

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Issues in problem identification

Mistaking symptoms for problems

Preconceived ideas about the causes of problems

Jumping to solutions or conclusions at this stage

Looking at problems from one technical viewpoint only

Ignoring how the problem is perceived in various parts of the

organization

Wrong appreciation of the of the urgency of the problem

Unfinished problem diagnosis

Failure to clarify the focus purpose

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Problem Context
Questions to be resolved
Specifics objectives/aims which will solve the problem

Decision makers

Criteria and measures for success

What audience are you addressing?

Who needs to decide/act?

How would the decision maker judge a

successful problem solving effort?

Key forces acting on decision makers

Time frame for resolution

What are their concerns and issues around the

decision?
How will you address conflicting agendas?

How quickly is the answer needed?

Boundaries and constraints

Accuracy

What is not under consideration or off-limits?

What level of accuracy is needed?

2011, Cognizant

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