Project Management

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What is the difference between offering services as a project manager and/or a consultant/systems integrator?

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Jenny Arntzen Project Manager, Change Management Consultant| JA_PM Independent Consulting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
I am certified as a project manager and my doctorate is in social sciences, qualitative discourse analysis and developing positive organizational cultural dispositions toward IT-related change. I am wondering how others differentiate the roles and responsibilities for these two titles?
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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada
Jenny -

The former will orchestrate the definition & delivery of a given project's scope (technology or otherwise) but is unlikely to weigh in on the technical details of the solution (e.g. architecture, design, non-functional requirements) whereas I would see the latter as getting much more into those gory details.

Kiron
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Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD Senior Project Manager| Infosys Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The only titles I see are PM and Consultant. What kind of consultant? It's a broad role. A PM may be managing a project that involves consultants. A consultant may be consulting to a PM or any number of resources on a project. I'm not sure a consultant has any formal responsibilities other than those specific to their expertise. A PM is responsible for the project.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Here how I see it in simple terms

The PM manage the project, is responsibilities is to make the decision.
The consultant will provide suggestions, not make decision.
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Jenny Arntzen Project Manager, Change Management Consultant| JA_PM Independent Consulting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
I think I see the difference now.

The role and responsibility of the PM is to complete project objectives on behalf of the Project Sponsor. Completion of project objectives includes meeting requirements specified in the project plan. The PM makes decisions that ensure successful completion of the project. The PM operates under authorization of the Project Sponsor.

The role and responsibility of the Consultant/System Integrator is to fulfill contracted services under the authority of the project manager. The consultant may be a subject matter expert, or may have specific knowledge, skills and experience to smooth system integration (according to project needs specified by the PM).

The consultant/system integrator reports to the PM. The PM oversees the work of the consultant/system integrator and verifies satisfactory completion of contracted services. The PM reports to the Project Sponsor.

I think I got confused by the idea that a Project Manager's services may be engaged as an Independent Consultant.

Thank you for your contributions to this thread!
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1 reply by Vincent Guerard
Nov 14, 2017 1:19 PM
Vincent Guerard
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Your understanding/description is correct.

I would add the a Consultant can be hire to manage a project, making it a PM within the context of the project.
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YATHIRAJU SELLAPPAN Markham, Ontario, Canada
The project manager carries lot more responsibility and decision making challenges in his role. Project manager may be a consultant hired for the duration of the project. However, due to the role requirements, he is leader who works to ensure the project is accomplished successfully and paves way for the achievement of organizational goals. In a narrow sense, a consultant may serve one or multiple objectives of the project, in a role that provides expertise to the project needs.The consultant may or may not have decision-making authority.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Nov 13, 2017 9:43 PM
Replying to Jenny Arntzen
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I think I see the difference now.

The role and responsibility of the PM is to complete project objectives on behalf of the Project Sponsor. Completion of project objectives includes meeting requirements specified in the project plan. The PM makes decisions that ensure successful completion of the project. The PM operates under authorization of the Project Sponsor.

The role and responsibility of the Consultant/System Integrator is to fulfill contracted services under the authority of the project manager. The consultant may be a subject matter expert, or may have specific knowledge, skills and experience to smooth system integration (according to project needs specified by the PM).

The consultant/system integrator reports to the PM. The PM oversees the work of the consultant/system integrator and verifies satisfactory completion of contracted services. The PM reports to the Project Sponsor.

I think I got confused by the idea that a Project Manager's services may be engaged as an Independent Consultant.

Thank you for your contributions to this thread!
Your understanding/description is correct.

I would add the a Consultant can be hire to manage a project, making it a PM within the context of the project.

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