Oracle market is filled with consultants claiming to be OBI experts. I have been on a number of projects where bad consultants spend a lot of client money and more have to be spent to fix all the bugs left behind.

As a consultant, here is my recommendation for clients looking to start OBI initiative:

  1. Hire a small firm instead of Big-3. Your money will be better spent and you will get better ROI even if rates look higher
  2. Insist on client’s recommendations
  3. Review consultant’s profile. This is the most important in my opinion. Every consulting firm has mix of A and C players. You want to get the A players. Here are a couple of things to look for:
  • Certification: Do they have CBIP certification? Are they vendor certified? OBIEE certifications are not out yet, but from what I hear, Oracle is going to come out with it soon.
  • Personal Branding: Does he participate in Forums and Mailing lists: How is the participation level? Does he blog?

Now, I am not suggesting that blogging is a necessary condition, but it is useful nevertheless. I have worked with many super consultants who have never blogged and rarely visit forums. They just don’t have time! And I don’t blame them. With the growing competition, personal branding would no longer be a choice but become a necessity.