Questions CIOs and consultants should ask each other

TechRepublic.com has some basic advice for CIOs and consultants who are seeking a business relationship. For the IT executive vetting a potential consultant, stimulate a discussion to see how the consultant really thinks, and describe a specific problem that you need solved to get a sense of how the potential the individual thinks. Also, try to determine if the consultant can integrate knowledge from a broad range of subjects in order to provide the best solutions.

From the consultant's end, it is key to interview the potential employer, including probing factors that will be needed for mutual success. This could include inquiring about how the company's team works, what kinds of testing and documentation procedures are in place, how changes in software are tracked, what kind of dialog exists with end users, and how the business actually works.

For more on this give and take:
- see this TechRepublic.com article