In other words, if you haven't decided where you want to go, you'll probably never get there. But setting your direction at the beginning of the process isn't as easy as it sounds. Nor is it simple to evaluate the performance of even the best consultants. Quality must be tracked from the beginning of the consulting relationship, with sufficient opportunities allowed for adjusting the process when it runs off course. Your consultant should be available to discuss his progress with you during regularly scheduled meetings or on an ad hoc basis.
Interim reports are necessary.
Any project lasting more than eight weeks probably requires a brief, written progress report by the midway point. This report can serve as the basis for a more detailed discussion with the consultant during which you make certain that everybody involved is holding up his or her end of the job. It's an informal document, serving as an indicator of the project's general health, making explicit much of what you've probably already seen or intuited, and ensuring that the overall focus remains steady. The report will not cap or complete discussion on the project, but rather open it up. Nothing turns out as planned.