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Going from one layer to the next is not easy - because, there is a glass ceiling separating each layer. By merely being efficient in doing what you do best, you do not necessarily get to the next higher level. Organizations like ours that pitch as "IT Consultants" need to have certain key differentiation. What differentiates the players in the IT Consulting game from those below it? As we see it, six things. These are Domain, Tools, Methodology, Quality, Innovation and Branding. Lets talk briefly about these before we move out of Vizag.

A Session in Progress

To be world class, the first requirement is to be able to state your domain. Your domain tells every one what you stand for. If a company wants to be recognized, it is not always important to be large, it is important for the company to be able to say what it stands for.

The next important thing is the use of tools. What distinguishes an ordinary hospital from an excellent one is not just medical talent. It is also the access to sophisticated tools. The underlying assumption is that the power of the doctor to heal fast and heal well depends on the tools at her command.

The third, and probably the most critical, is methodology. Methodology represents organizational knowledge and is the best guarantee for delivering predictable performance. For example, when an organization invites a Big 4 consulting company to study its needs, the consultant uses proprietary methodology to determine customer needs. This makes the need assessment process itself defect-free and at the same time ensures that irrespective of which person is deputed on the assignment, the result will have predictable Quality. Unless we build a methodology driven company, it will be difficult for us to make a mark in the IT Solutions space.

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Subroto Bagchi is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for MindTree Consulting (P) Ltd. The "Making of the MindTree" is told in the first person by Subroto Bagchi. In condensed form, it was published by Business World, filmed by InfiniTV, and aired on CNBC, IT Hour. Websites: www.mindtree.com & www.mindtree.com/subrotobagchi