![]() ![]() When few people “did IT” for a living, the folks engaging them valued both their expertise/advice and their labor. ![]() But the short version is that it comes from a time before today’s ubiquitous computer programmer. Well, the backstory there is complicated. How did this come to pass? Why does the definition of “software consultant” include “software developer that does not consult for a living?” Why do we literally need a whole taxonomy to determine if a software consultant is a software developer, or literally a lost soul in some professional purgatory? Software consultants are software developers that work for companies that sell software development labor. You’ll find various definitions, but they generally add up to the same idea. Go do a google search on software consultant, and look at the definitions you find. Think of the way the definition of “literally” also includes “not literally.” ![]() ![]() We in the software industry have managed to take a simple definition and… complicate it… to the point where it means something totally different. Why Most Definitions of Software Consulting Aren’t Helpful Well, the case should close there, but, sadly, it doesn’t. So software consulting is just doing this same thing, but with a narrow focus on software. And what you’re not selling is your labor. You’re selling your own hard-won knowledge. Simple enough, right? As a consultant, businesses hire you, an outsider, to furnish an opinion. Consulting is most often used when a company needs an outside, expert opinion regarding a business decision. The providing of expert knowledge to a third party for a fee. The business dictionary has a pretty serviceable definition (emphasis mine): In order to know what software consulting is, we need to define consulting itself. What is Software Consulting? For That Matter, What is Consulting? I’ll link off to plenty of opinions for further reading as I go, but this is all about defining what software consulting is, how to start doing it, and how to make a living. But now, I’d like to get into the nitty-gritty. So I’ve got the subject of software consulting surrounded. This includes a take on why everyone should want to. In fact, I have an entire posting tag devoted to transitioning from being a developer to being a consultant. On this blog, I’ve talked at length about both software development and consulting. ![]()
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