Finding Prince Charming (Part 1)

  Estimating  

"Speed dating" is the latest advancement in the introduction service business. Eight men and eight women are paired off to talk for five minutes so they can get a feel for each other. Then a whistle blows and the man goes to talk to the next woman for five minutes, and so on, until all the men and all the women have spoken. At the end of the night, each person submits the names of the people they want to see again. The matches get each other's phone number.

So what does this have to do with choosing a consulting firm for your next software project?

Imagine you're speed dating. Every consulting firm who has answered your RFP is a potential date. Just like in speed dating, you'll get a lot of proposals and not much time to choose between your suitors. But it isn't just for dinner and a movie, it's for the success or failure of your project (and maybe your company).

Luckily, learning to recognize the warning signs isn't hard. Set your B.S. detector to "kill," and learn to tell if your potential consulting firm is a bad date before they show up at your door with wilted flowers and a past-due box of raspberry crèmes.

Sign One: The Plan is a Napkin Sketch

The consulting company is willing to go ahead on the project on little more than a napkin sketch. Have Keyboard, Will Travel. How Clint Eastwood! How sexy!

But before you ride off into the sunset with your chaps…

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