What Does a Technology Strategy Consultant Do?

A technology strategy consultant helps organizations use technology to their benefit. A consultant, for example, might meet with executives and other organizational leaders to discuss problems they are having and to brainstorm about potential solutions. Clients often determine which duties they would like consultants to perform. For example, one client might only want a technology strategy consultant who acts as an adviser, though he or she might use an in-house Information Technology (IT) department to perform implementation of new technology. Another kind of client, however, might benefit from a consultant who literally leads implementation of new technology.

In most cases, a technology strategy consultant is a professional who has worked in areas such as management and IT for a number of years. This kind of professional tends to keep up with new technological and market developments. He or she also may join professional organizations in which he or she can network with other professionals and learn about new ideas and strategies.

In general, there are three different areas in which a technology strategy consultant can help his or her clients: growth, process, and employee communication. When a consultant helps a client in matters related to growth, he or she might advise a client which kinds of programs to use to handle increased volumes of clients and transactions. Consultants who are concerned with an organization's processes might focus on clients' problem areas and help them to streamline processes and improve workflow. A technology strategy consultant who helps clients improve employee communications might implement new business intelligence systems, workflow systems, and even orchestrate training sessions.

When a client wants to implement new systems to improve processes quickly, a technology strategy consultant can act as a project manager. In this scenario, he or she might work with in-house IT professionals to discuss options for implementation and discuss compatibility issues. Likewise, a consultant might meet with managers and department heads to discuss issues regarding training and employee performance. A consultant in this role might even work with financial representatives to discuss factors related to cost.

Aside from working in the private sector, a technology strategy consultant also can help governments at all levels. Instead of focusing on improving productivity and profitability, however, this kind of consultant might help governments to engineer new social programs. He or she might also conduct research in the form of surveys that are distributed to affected community members.