Summary

This chapter focused on the importance of preparing for the project and explained the reasons why preparation is extremely important for a consultant before he/she starts actual work.

The chapter also covered what kinds of preparations a consultant must undertake. It's good for a consultant to know about the company, how it operates, and its goals and objectives.

We also looked at how a consultant should understand the different types of business users and the roles they play. The other aspects we looked at are important for a consultant in terms of understanding the data sources and various tools the client uses. The chapter also focused on what challenges the companies usually face, and lastly, the importance of a project champion and why it's important to work closely with him/her.

In the next chapter, we will look at the prerequisites before a consultant can start his/her work. We will also look at scoping a project and planning for risks.