Hiring A Statistical Consultant Copyright (c) 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies. This material is intended solely for educational use by licensed users of LearningStats. It may not be copied or resold for profit.

The Ideal Consultant Statistical Skills Nonstatistical Skills Training (usually M.S. or Ph.D) Experience (get references) Skill recency (occasionally an issue) Nonstatistical Skills Dataside manner (questioning, non-defensive) Problem-minded (not “data-minded”) Interventionist (wants to improve client skills) Organization and practicality (focused) Communicates (interacts, informs client) See D. A. Zahn and D. J. Isenberg, “Nonstatistical Aspects of Statistical Consulting,” The American Statistician, V. 37, N. 4, 1983, 297-302.

Ideal Consultant - Practical Focuses on deliverables Identifies the real client Ascertains client’s goals Sets boundaries on the problem Defines a stopping point Sets a timetable Establishes milestones Produces a plan and/or prototype Evaluates progress, gets client reactions See D. A. Zahn and D. J. Isenberg, “Nonstatistical Aspects of Statistical Consulting,” The American Statistician, V. 37, N. 4, 1983, 297-302.

Ideal Consultant – Professional Ethical responsibility Maintains neutrality Indicates limitations of the analysis Refers client elsewhere if necessary States fees clearly (non-contingency) Professional performance Provides full report and documentation Identifies key non-statistical issues Recommends options for further study

Ideal Consultant - Reports Oral Sensitive to client’s reactions Allows interruptions and questions Answers questions patiently Prepares clear exhibits Written Avoids unnecessary jargon Provides a rough draft as early as possible Respects confidentiality (no loose copies) Keeps it concise See J. R. Boen and D. A. Zahn, The Human Side of Statistical Consulting (Lifteime Learning Publications, 1982).

Dataside Manner Handling Emotions Communication Group dynamics Client fear (sources, comforting) Client anger (sources, defusing) Communication Written Verbal Non-verbal Group dynamics Stereotyping Dominant personalties See J. R. Boen and D. A. Zahn, The Human Side of Statistical Consulting (Lifteime Learning Publications, 1982).

Tough Clients Number freaks Number phobes Heterogeneous audiences Local politics Local culture Domineering clients Power struggles Personality clashes Harried clients Indecisive clients See J. R. Boen and D. A. Zahn, The Human Side of Statistical Consulting (Lifteime Learning Publications, 1982).

Make or Buy? Statistical literacy is nice ... Every employee needs some statistical training Every firm needs some in-house expertise But an outside consultant can ... Bring in exactly the skills needed when needed Straddle internal political issues and biases Help you improve your in-house staff skills

Hiring a Consultant It’s your money ... so get the most by Evaluating the consultant before hiring Interacting with the consultant Listening to the consultant with an open mind Evaluating the consultant’s work Rehiring a good consultant (and conversely)

Suggested Reading J.C. Baskerville, “A Systematic Study of the Consulting Literature as an Integral Part of Applied Training in Statistics,” The American Statistician, Vol. 35, No. 3, August, 1981, pp. 121-123. J. R. Boen and D. A. Zahn, The Human Side of Statistical Consulting (Lifteime Learning Publications, 1982). Javier Cabrera and Andrew McDougall, Statistical Consulting, New York: Springer-Verlag, 2002. Derr, Janice, Statistical Consulting : A Guide to Effective Communication (Thompson Learning, 2000). D. A. Zahn and D. J. Isenberg, “Nonstatistical Aspects of Statistical Consulting,” The American Statistician, Vol. 37, No. 4, 1983, 297-302.