Our Consulting Process
At A. Michael Hiles & Associates we have developed a consulting process based on our years of
experience consulting with a wide range of complex organizations. This is our simple approach for assessing clients’ problems and building consensus for implementing solutions.
1. Set Expectations: Every project should begin with setting expectations. We meet with key
stakeholders. Expectations for the project are discussed and agreed upon. In addition, we discuss the project’s time line, documents and information that are to be reviewed, who is to be involved and the final review process. The goal is to obtain agreement on all these points.
2. Review Documentation: The next step is to collect the relevant documentation related to the project. We need to be prepared – this means gaining a full understanding of the situation before talking with key participants.
3. Cross-reference and verify documentation: After reviewing the documentation, we cross-reference the documentation and information to ensure that there is consistency. Often there are multiple documents - some of which are developed by different team members or departments. It is important to cross-reference documents to make sure that there are no gaps or inconsistencies.
4. Interview Stakeholders and Participants: It is usually important to interview everyone involved in the situation. Interviewing key participants helps identify potential roadblocks or other constraints that would not be apparent by just reading the documentation. This step is critical to understanding the complexities of the relationships among the parties involved.
5. Determine Areas of Concern and Recommendations: After all documentation has been reviewed and
cross-referenced and all key participants interviewed, we usually have the information to completely understand areas of concern. From here, we can analyze the problems and recommend solutions.
6. Review findings with key participants: After we have developed a full understanding of the issues and
developed recommendations, we review the initial findings with the key project participants. First, we informally discuss the findings individually with the key participants to ensure that there are no misinterpretations and to assure that the key stakeholders and participants understand the findings prior to a
meeting of all stakeholders.
After making any needed adjustments, we develop our final recommendations. By being prepared in the
first discussion, the participants have already bought into the recommendations and solutions.
7. Develop a Final Report: As a final step in the process, we document our assessment and recommendation by summarizing the process for the assessment, the findings and recommendations into a final report.
8. Implementation: If the client requires our assistance in implementing our recommendations, we are available to assist. Our final report usually addresses the best practice approach to implementing our recommendations. We feel a responsibility to see our consulting projects through to an implemented final outcome consistent with our clients’ individual needs and objectives.
experience consulting with a wide range of complex organizations. This is our simple approach for assessing clients’ problems and building consensus for implementing solutions.
1. Set Expectations: Every project should begin with setting expectations. We meet with key
stakeholders. Expectations for the project are discussed and agreed upon. In addition, we discuss the project’s time line, documents and information that are to be reviewed, who is to be involved and the final review process. The goal is to obtain agreement on all these points.
2. Review Documentation: The next step is to collect the relevant documentation related to the project. We need to be prepared – this means gaining a full understanding of the situation before talking with key participants.
3. Cross-reference and verify documentation: After reviewing the documentation, we cross-reference the documentation and information to ensure that there is consistency. Often there are multiple documents - some of which are developed by different team members or departments. It is important to cross-reference documents to make sure that there are no gaps or inconsistencies.
4. Interview Stakeholders and Participants: It is usually important to interview everyone involved in the situation. Interviewing key participants helps identify potential roadblocks or other constraints that would not be apparent by just reading the documentation. This step is critical to understanding the complexities of the relationships among the parties involved.
5. Determine Areas of Concern and Recommendations: After all documentation has been reviewed and
cross-referenced and all key participants interviewed, we usually have the information to completely understand areas of concern. From here, we can analyze the problems and recommend solutions.
6. Review findings with key participants: After we have developed a full understanding of the issues and
developed recommendations, we review the initial findings with the key project participants. First, we informally discuss the findings individually with the key participants to ensure that there are no misinterpretations and to assure that the key stakeholders and participants understand the findings prior to a
meeting of all stakeholders.
After making any needed adjustments, we develop our final recommendations. By being prepared in the
first discussion, the participants have already bought into the recommendations and solutions.
7. Develop a Final Report: As a final step in the process, we document our assessment and recommendation by summarizing the process for the assessment, the findings and recommendations into a final report.
8. Implementation: If the client requires our assistance in implementing our recommendations, we are available to assist. Our final report usually addresses the best practice approach to implementing our recommendations. We feel a responsibility to see our consulting projects through to an implemented final outcome consistent with our clients’ individual needs and objectives.
