As in most of the entries in our blog, we do not want to repeat the definition of terms. There are numerous knowledge databases on the internet for that. It’s more about how we interpret these terms and answering questions that our customers ask us.
In order to answer what IT consulting actually is, several aspects must be taken into consideration.
On the one hand, the question arises as to what functions IT has in the company, and on the other hand, the various areas of IT must also be analysed. This results in the different roles of an IT consultant. The overlaps between these roles then also become clear.
In addition to the question of what exactly IT consulting is, we would also like to address other questions in this text, such as: ‘What does an IT consultant do?’, ‘How can consulting positively influence your business?’ and ‘Why you should definitely seek advice?’.
The different areas of IT cannot and should not be separated from each other. Although there are not always direct connections, the roles and individual functions have an indirect influence on each other. Understanding this basic philosophy is important because it is part of the core idea behind our consulting and general services.
IT is a component that supports the core business, whether directly or indirectly. This statement is debatable and some critics might argue that there may be applications and programmes that support accounting, yield, controlling or HR that are not directly part of the core business.
Of course, these areas of a company are not the core business in the strict sense, but they are also important components without which a company cannot function.
This basic idea of the functions of IT gives our interpretation of IT consulting a narrower and more tangible scope. Once we have understood what function IT must have in a company, we can recognise what IT consulting is.
IT consulting has the task of analysing the functions, working methods, effectiveness and processes in connection with the tasks of IT.
This means that IT consulting must never refer purely to technical functionalities and components, but must always consider the overall construct as a whole.
IT consulting can be divided into different areas. This is because IT consulting is only one part of the complete range of management consulting services. However, this is one of the largest areas of the consulting sector and therefore basically a field in its own right, but a historical breakdown makes the connections easier to understand and shows that the field of IT consulting should never be measured purely in terms of individual technical components.
But what exactly does an IT consultant do?
For us, the IT consultant is the controlling authority, the person who primarily answers all IT-focussed questions within the company and counteracts any problems that arise with internal solutions. Our definition can, of course, be shown with a much finer granularity and can be adapted accordingly in a variable range, which is agreed with the respective customer.
But let’s look specifically at one of the most interesting areas of IT consulting, which is also only a small part of this large overall construct of management consulting. The role of the IT security consultant.
IT security in general is a very specific area, as there are not only interfaces to almost all areas of IT, including IT infrastructure, software development and actually all other areas, but also because IT security is always closely linked to physical security and the protection of an object. In practice, this means the following: No matter how good my software-side security is, it is of little use to me if my physical components and the infrastructure of my system are not protected accordingly.
Another factor and the biggest weak point from a security point of view, apart from the protection of the infrastructure, are the employees of a company.
Paradoxically, it is often the managers who do not adhere to security guidelines and protocols. But why is this the case? Because employees in management often take the easy and shorter route, as this is what they are used to. Conversely, this leads to a breach of the established protocols.
Many sub-areas can also be identified in the area of IT security. As the above example shows, the range of IT security services extends from physical security and employee security awareness to safe coding (the IT security-compliant coding of programmes). It is quite clear that each component must be controlled and configured accordingly, an understanding of security must prevail within the company and a distinction must be made between active and passive security measures.
IT consulting helps to ensure that the budget allocated to corporate IT is utilised more efficiently and in a targeted manner. Competent IT consulting can increase the productivity of the entire company and save a considerable amount of time, not only for the management level.
In many cases, companies need a complete overhaul of their IT infrastructure. The mammoth task here is to ensure that sensible IT solutions are integrated holistically into the company and that the transformation of the data can be carried out without any problems.
Identifying the interactions between digital technologies, platforms and customer behaviour is one of the most difficult tasks that an IT consultant can help with, as it requires a detached and professional view of the system as well as practical expertise.
Maintenance and expansion of network security, employee training, an efficient entry into the cloud area or the well thought-out expansion of an existing cloud environment are just a few of the notable reasons in favour of professional IT consulting , in addition to the fact that it saves time.
In addition to the options mentioned above and the opportunity to tap into new markets, the potential cost savings should not be neglected.
But at what point do I reach the point at which it is worth resorting to IT consulting?
Two of the key business cases here would be: ‘Can my company save costs in the long term through professional digitalisation ?’ and “Will an upgrade enable the development of new markets, as well as an increase in new customers?”. – In most cases, the answer to these two questions is ‘yes’.
Author: Gabor Fried – 19.07.2021
