How to Evaluate a Data Consultancy: What to Ask Before You Sign

Most data consultancy engagements go wrong before they start. The proposal looked good. The references checked out. The team seemed capable. Six months later the project is late, the deliverables are not what was expected, and the relationship is adversarial.

These are the questions that separate firms who will deliver from firms who will disappear after the invoice.

Ask to see work they have done that is similar to yours

Not case studies. Actual deliverables - anonymized if necessary. A report, a dashboard, a data model. The quality of past work predicts the quality of future work more reliably than any sales conversation.

Ask how they handle scope changes

Every real project has scope changes. The question is not whether changes will happen but how they get handled. A firm that has no answer to this question will handle changes however is most convenient for them.

Ask who specifically will do the work

Sales teams at larger consultancies are not the people who will work on your project. Find out exactly who will be doing the work, review their background, and if possible, meet them before signing.

Ask what they need from you to be successful

A firm that cannot answer this question has not thought through the engagement. Real projects require access to systems, subject matter expertise from your team, and decision-making availability. A consultant who does not tell you this up front is setting up for delays they will blame on you.

Ask what happens when something goes wrong

Projects hit problems. Systems behave unexpectedly. Data is messier than anticipated. How does the firm communicate when things are not going according to plan? Ask for an example from a past project.

Ask for the out

What are the terms if the relationship is not working? A firm that makes it difficult to exit a bad engagement is one to approach with caution.

We answer all of these questions directly and in writing before any engagement starts. If you want to evaluate whether we are the right fit for your project, reach out.