At our last STC CIC SIG meeting, a discussion arose about the difference between a contractor and a consultant. As I position myself as a consultant, I was asked to provide an article that delineated the differences between the two designations. This article specifically addresses the differences between these services in the technical communication field.
Someone once explained the difference between contractors and consultants by declaring that contractors were paid “to do” and consultants were paid “to think”. I believe that is an oversimplification. We both do and think, but in different ways. I began by looking up the two terms in Wikipedia, which claims that a contractor is a person or business “which provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract” whereas a consultant is a “professional who provides expert advice in a particular domain or area of expertise.” In an article in IT Toolbox, Matthew Moran expands on this distinction, explaining that a contractor’s role is directed, and limited to a particular project; a consultant is often hired to fill an advisory role, such as a strategic vision.
In the world of technical communication, the distinction between the designations is often ambiguous. A technical communication contractor might very well claim to be providing advice in an area where the company has no expertise, as well as providing services. In this case, a further distinction is needed to determine whether the role is a consulting role, a contracting role, or a dual role of consultant-contractor. I’ll compare two similar situations where technical communication professionals would be called in, and my expectations of a contractor, and of a consultant.
Client A has a need for documentation to go with a product. They need someone to create a manual and a help file. They would hire a contractor. There is a set deliverable (a manual, a help file), and a contract to create those deliverables at an established rate. The client may decide they need additional services, perhaps training material, and the contractor agrees to provide those services, again at an established rate. Where the contracting may provide some consulting is if the client is unclear on what is needed or how to deliver the content, and the contractor provides some strategic advice – perhaps on how to derive all three content products from a single source – but as the consulting portion is relatively small and contained, the contract would be for contracting services.
Client B wants to improve the delivery of their content that accompanies a product. They have been delivering content in traditional ways, and want to hire someone to create a new delivery model. They would hire a consultant. There is a set deliverable – typically an analysis phase, followed by a report on the analysis, and a strategy document outlining the proposed delivery model – which is probably billed on a per diem basis or for a fixed rate. The contracts are often structured by the client to pay a percentage at key milestones, such as the delivery and acceptance of certain documents. For example, a project with a gap analysis and a strategy document as deliverables could be done for, say, $8,000, with $4,000 payable upon acceptance of the gap analysis and $4,000 payable upon acceptance of the strategy document.
Once Client B decides to implement the strategy developed by the consultant, they could decide to hire the consultant to do the implementation. In that case, the consultant could be acting as a contractor or a consultant-contractor, depending on the role. A contractor would implement the strategy, whereas a consultant-contractor would interpret the strategy as well as do the implementation.
Some contractors would contend that they provide consulting services as well as contracting services, as the client has no idea what is needed when they come aboard. However, as they were originally hired as a contractor, there does not seem to be an opportunity to charge consulting rates for the consulting portion of the work done. This underlines the distinction between self-defined identity and the rates charged. No matter what a person calls themselves, the critical distinction is what types of services are provided, and generally at what rate.
A consultant often works independently, defining the deliverables as the first order of business, and charges out at a higher rate in light of the considerable expertise that creates a demand for them. The contractor generally works on a schedule, at a more moderate rate, and bills by the hour, with steady invoices going out on a regular basis. A consultant may provide cross-over services as a contractor, perhaps because there are some implementation aspects better completed by the same person, and becomes a consultant-contractor. There is likely a rate differential between the consultant services and the contracting services provided. However, contractors are less likely to get away with increasing their rates for a portion of their contract.
Another common, practical difference between a technical communication contractor and a consultant is their relative breadth of knowledge. A contractor often specializes in an area, such as knowing how to create a particular kind of documentation (an industry vertical) or have deep knowledge of a certain tool. As a consultant, I have a broad knowledge of several tools, though know only a few deep enough to consider myself an expert. I do have a good understanding of how these tools fit within the context of a content strategy, and can distinguish the key benefits of each tool and describe how it would fit (or not fit). Though I don’t use tools to carry out work, I have licenses for numerous tools so I can demonstrate techniques to clients, and make technology recommendations accordingly.
The final distinction lies in reputation. A consultant is often known for having an area of strategic expertise, while a contractor is known for their tactical expertise. In other words, a contractor may be known as an expert in such things as using Flare, using the Adobe TechComm Suite, or structuring content in DITA. A consultant may be known for their ability to provide a content strategy, diagnose an ailing department and suggest performance improvement measures, or recommend whether a content management system should be implemented – all soft skills that come with experience and a good understanding of business.
Sometimes reading the code of ethics helps determine what types of services are being delivered. But whether you follow the code of ethics for technical writing through STC or the code of ethics for your brand of consulting, remembering that you are bound by your profession to deliver services as a professional in your field. The rest is a question of semantics.
