The business model

As a senior practitioner, you are able to be selective about your position. But the alternatives commonly available even at your level may still require compromises you'd rather not make.

• The executive or ownership positions available within traditional service companies provide appropriate financial rewards, but place extreme demands on personal time.
  
  
• Single person consultancies allow greater flexibility but have their own drawbacks: Sales and marketing efforts reduce billable time. You are often engaged in teams of mixed abilities, where project goals are compromised. Personal time away from the office means lost momentum. And billing rates are often not commensurate with those commanded by consultants of comparable expertise at larger companies

UI Architects was created to attempt to gain some advantages from each of these options – the flexibility of the single person consultancy without drawbacks.

The proposition

No equity proposition. No long-term model of growth. No infrastructure building. UI Architects simply extends the single person consultancy model for senior consultants without compromising on remuneration.

• Pooled marketing costs. UI Architects is marketed as a unified offering that provides a senior-level collaborative team. Since the marketing costs are pooled, however, the individual contribution towards marketing and sales costs is less than with a single consultancy.
  
  
• Familiar dependable resources. UI Architects offers the opportunity to collaborate with true peers.
  
  
• Personal time is respected. Because the company has an ongoing marketing presence, the rest of the team continues to field leads and retain a presence in the marketplace.
  
  
• Higher bill rates. The broad resource offering and marketing presence of UI Architects allows for bill rates that reflect market value.
  
  

		Income		Overhead		Personal flexibility
Single consultant
Service company owner/executive		(Potential)
UI Architect partner

Recruiting

UI Architects is a team of individuals that complement each other's skills, operate professionally, and contribute to an enjoyable work environment. The primary criterion for consideration as a Partner Consultant is the successful completion of at least one significant project as an Associate Consultant with UI Architects. This way, both parties have the benefit of a completed client engagement to evaluate the relationship.

Shared overhead

Overhead shared by the Partner Consultants includes:

• Out of pocket expenses including rent, common staff, etc.
• Management/Administration/Marketing time

Each partner provides their own physical workspace and infrastructure (phones, computer, etc.). As a virtual organization, out of pocket expenses are minimized by collaborating online and by phone. New overheads such as shared space or staff will be taken up only with the unanimous agreement of the Partner Consultants.

UI Architects has a mid-term goal to procure a small amount of centrally located office space for hoteling consultants, hosting meetings and housing shared staff if required. This will enhance visibility and credibility with clients, and provide space for physical collaboration when consultants need to work closely on a phase of the project.

Management/Administration/Marketing tasks are allocated a certain number of hours and shared between Partner Consultants. This overhead time is assigned a value, so that inequities between partner contributions can be resolved easily and equitably.

Sales

Each partner is expected to contribute to sales efforts by participating as needed in proposals, sales meetings, etc. Compensation for bringing new work into the consultancy will be determined by the Partner Consultants.

Sound interesting?

If you believe that you are a good fit for the UI Architects approach to consulting, contact us to begin a conversation.