Types of IT Consulting: A Comprehensive Guide

The consulting industry is one of the most diverse markets within the professional services industry, and as such, there is a wide range of types of consultants in the sector. In addition, being a “consultant” is not a protected professional degree like most other professions and, as such, anyone can be referred to as a strategy, management, business, finance, human resources, or IT consultant. With the growth of the industry, it has become increasingly difficult to find a common definition of “consultant”.When it comes to IT consulting, there are several different types of consultants that specialize in different areas. In this article, we will explore the different types of IT consulting and what they do.

Operations Consultant

Operations consultants are consultants who help clients improve the performance of their operations.

Consulting activities in this segment range from consulting to practical implementation support, both for the main functions (e.g., sales, marketing, production, etc.): finance, human resources, supply chain, ICT, legal, etc. Operations consultants constitute the largest segment of the advisory branch, and most consultants work in one of the many underlying operational areas. Because operations are often associated with a company's strategy and technology, active operations consultants often work side by side with experts from these domains.

Financial Advisory Consultants

Consultants who work in the financial advisory segment usually work on issues related to the financial capabilities and, in many cases, also to the analytical capabilities of an organization. Therefore, the profiles of consultants working in these segments can differ considerably, from corporate and M&A finance advisors to risk management, tax, restructuring or real estate advisors. Consultants specializing in forensic investigation and litigation advice are also included in the financial advice segment.

Most financial consultants work for large combined accounting and consulting firms, or for specialized advisory offices.

IT Technology Consultants

IT technology consultants, also known as IT, ICT or digital consultants focus on helping customers develop and apply information technology (IT) in their organization. IT consultants focus on transitions (projects) in the ICT landscape as opposed to what regular IT employees do who deal with everyday IT operations (so-called “business as usual” activities). Most ICT consultants work on implementation projects such as extensive ERP system applications where their role can range from project management to process management or system integration. Within IT consulting, the fastest growing markets are digital, data analysis (also known as data science), cybersecurity and computer forensics.

Conclusion

The consulting industry is vast and varied with many different types of consultants available. This article has explored some of the different types of IT consulting available and what they do. Whether you are looking for an operations consultant to help improve your business operations or an IT consultant to help you transition into a new ICT landscape there is sure to be a consultant that can help you achieve your goals.