The Challenges of Remote Consulting, Part 2

Consulting or collaborating from a distance makes it more challenging to coordinate the participants’ activities.

Image by Anil sharma from Pixabay

Remote, or virtual, consulting offers both consultants and their clients considerable flexibility. However, not working in physical proximity poses challenges as well.

This is the second in a series of three articles that explore some issues to keep in mind if you’re consulting at a distance. The first article in the series addressed building a constructive relationship between consultant and clients, as well as establishing effective communication mechanisms. This article explores the practicalities of coordinating the day-to-day work.

Coordinating the Work

Suppose you’re a business analyst (BA) working remotely with a software development team. There’s a certain expectation in business analysis that requirements workshops and other group activities will be facilitated from the front of a roomful of people. But if you’re a lead BA or consultant working from a distance, the rest of the group might only see your face on a screen or hear your voice over a speakerphone.

If you’re present in the room only virtually, consider how you can ensure that there’s a rich…