Ethics in IT Consulting

Taishaun OwensIS 578Project Presentation

Why Ethics?• As a Consultant, I am required to provide my clients with a

solution to their IT needs.• Daily me and my co-workers are asked by clients to do things

that is not supported within my line of work.• As a requirement and in my own belief to the do the right

thing I follow the ethics code set before me but as the clients can become convincing being ethical is not utilized properly throughout the company. This is where Ethics come in as to what’s right and what’s not as being a consultant.

IT Consulting and Ethics why it’s important

• According to Bob Nelson & Peter Economy “Ethics are important for anyone in business. They’re particularly important to consultants because of the high level of trust that organizations grant them and because of the access that many consultants have to the confidential and proprietary inner workings of the firms that employ them.”

• A Consultant must be able to gain the trust of a client to access information and provide an accurate solution. In order to perform this task ethics play an important role on how effective the consultant will be in IT consulting.

Ethics to follow in IT Consulting

• Account for your time accurately and honestly.• Serve clients with integrity, competence, and objectivity.• Keep client information and records of client engagements

confidential.• Use proprietary client information only with the clients

permission.• Accept only engagements for which we are qualified by your

experience and competence.• Charge fees and expenses that are reasonable, legitimate, and

commensurate with the services delivered.• Respect the property rights of your clients.

Ethics to follow in IT Consulting

• It’s important to follow the ethics listed. This is just some of the ethics consultants must follow. Depending on the business need whether its IT, business, or management consulting there will be a more extensive list of ethics each consultant must adhere to.

• Following the ethics required ensures that consultants are doing what is right by the clients served. It also provides the client with a ease of mind that the consultant is taking into consideration the level of trust and access provided to complete the task required successfully.

How Ethics apply to my position

• As a consultant daily me and my co-workers are asked to provide services that aren’t our level of expertise which leads me to the ethics rule quoted by AMCF “We will assign staff staff to client engagements in accord with their experience, knowledge, and expertise.”

• Many times were not following this ethical rule. We are providing services to clients where we may not be extremely knowledgeable causing issues to arise with the client and us as consultants.

• In order to be ethical it is our requirement to be able to inform the client our level of expertise and provide a reference to someone who may have the knowledge of what the client is requesting.

How can Ethics improve the IT Consulting environment

• Ethics can improve the IT consulting environment by providing consultants with a standard of rules that must be followed to protect the client, consultant and the IT consulting firm.

• Clients are provided with a sense of security that their information will not be shared with 3rd parties, information will be accessed on a need basis.

• Consultants will be impartial and provide accurate solutions to the client.

• Costs are calculated based on services provided and to the satisfaction of the client.

What can be done to ensure Ethics is practiced in IT Consulting• Ethical standards updated annually to ensure that consultants

are in compliance• Consultants are aware of their role in IT Consulting and what

ethics to follow.• Clients being informed of the services provided by the

consultant• Communication between consultants and clients performed

regularly to ensure that the Ethics required are being performed

Is Ethics in IT Consulting really a must

• Yes it is without Ethics IT Consulting firms would not be able to operate in an accurate manner

• The success rate would go down within the IT Consulting firm due to many factors:

• Inexperienced consultants• Advice for client would be based on what the

consultant think• Billing would be based on what the consultant

feel the fee should be• Information could be shared with 3rd parties

without clients permission• Law suits or penalties can be applied due to

unethical acts

Ethics in IT summary• Ethics is important to all areas of consulting• It’s a code that provides stability to how each consulting firm

must operate • It provides a ease of mind to the consultant and the client • Ethics allows the client to know that the level of trust is high

with the consultant and that their information is accessed when needed.

• Ethics allows the consultant to provide knowledge based on the level of expertise.

• Without Ethics no consulting firm would be successful there may be more debt than actual revenue occurring within the IT firm.