Being a Consultant page

Being a Consultant (not just a domain expert)

At Bitovi, we pride ourselves in being able to deliver more than just staff augmentation (additional staff on a project). Being a consultant requires a deep understanding of the client’s business, the ability to build strong relationships, and the skills to offer strategic value that goes beyond simply completing tasks.

As a consultant, your role is to be a partner who actively contributes to the client’s success, using your technical knowledge to solve problems in a way that aligns with their broader business objectives.

Build lasting partnerships

Your role as a consultant is not just about executing tasks — it’s about building a partnership where you help clients achieve meaningful outcomes. This requires a shift from seeing yourself as a service provider to becoming a trusted partner who deeply understands the client’s goals.

• Partner, don’t just provide a service: Approach every project as an opportunity to form a strategic partnership. Focus on understanding the client’s larger objectives, not just the immediate tasks at hand. For instance, if asked to implement a new feature, dig deeper to understand how this feature fits into the product’s long-term strategy and how it impacts the business. Align your work with these broader goals to ensure you’re adding value beyond simply delivering a feature.
• Become a trusted advisor: Clients rely on you not just to complete tasks but to offer thoughtful advice. Proactively identify challenges or opportunities they may not have considered. For example, if a client is prioritizing a short-term deadline, help them weigh the potential long-term consequences of those decisions. By offering well-reasoned recommendations, you become someone they trust to guide them toward the best business outcomes.
• Learn about the client’s business, product, and customers: To be an effective consultant, take the time to learn about the client’s industry, who their customers are, and how their product fits into the competitive landscape. This knowledge helps you provide more targeted and valuable solutions. For example, if you’re working with a client in retail, understanding the shopping habits of their customers will allow you to suggest improvements that better serve those customers and increase the client’s success.
• Show genuine care for results: Being a great consultant means caring deeply about the client’s success. Show commitment to achieving the best outcomes, and others will recognize your dedication. This helps build trust and opens up further opportunities for collaboration and growth within the project.

Examples:

• Aligning with business goals: A Backend engineer notices that the client’s request for faster API response times aligns with their broader goal of improving the user experience to retain more customers. Rather than just optimizing the API, they propose adjustments to the data architecture that could lead to even greater performance improvements across the system.
• Suggesting process improvements: A QA engineer identifies that the client’s frequent releases are creating quality issues. Rather than just testing, they recommend automating parts of the testing pipeline to reduce human error and ensure consistent quality in each release.
• Considering user experience: While fixing a UI bug on the client’s website, a Frontend developer notices that the current navigation structure is cumbersome for users. Instead of just fixing the bug, they propose a streamlined navigation design to improve the overall user experience.
• Planning for cross-team impacts: A TPO overseeing a feature rollout realizes that pushing too many updates at once could overwhelm the QA team. They suggest staggering the releases to ensure thorough testing and reduce the risk of bugs in production.
• Suggesting post-launch improvements: After delivering a major design overhaul, a Product Designer offers to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like conversion rates post-launch to measure the success of the new design and suggest future tweaks.

Tips and techniques:

• Refer to the Engagement Summary Document: Regularly refer to the Engagement Summary Document created at the start of the project to remind everyone of the shared objectives and reinforce the common goals.
• Frame your work in terms of client goals: When presenting solutions or updates, explicitly connect how your work supports the client’s larger objectives. This helps the client see you as a strategic partner, not just a task executor.
• Take initiative to identify gaps: Don’t wait for the client to ask for help. Actively look for areas in the product, process, or project where improvements could be made, and offer recommendations proactively.
• Document for future context: When delivering a task, leave clear documentation not just of what you did but why you did it. This helps the client or future team members understand the decision-making process and maintain consistency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams: Involve team members from other areas (design, QA, etc.) when making decisions that could impact their work. This ensures a more well-rounded approach and minimizes unforeseen issues.

Questions to reflect:

• How can I demonstrate that I understand the client’s larger objectives in my next project meeting?
• Are there any risks or opportunities the client hasn’t yet considered that I could help identify?
• How do I demonstrate my commitment to the client’s outcomes in my day-to-day interactions?

Ask insightful questions and truly listen

Strong communication is essential for any consultant. It’s not just about delivering information but also about asking the right questions and actively listening to the answers. By asking thoughtful questions, you can avoid assumptions and gain a deeper understanding of the client’s needs, which leads to better solutions. Listening carefully ensures you are aligned with the client’s goals and can adapt your approach based on their feedback.

Asking questions to gain clarity

Asking questions allows you to fully understand the project’s context and avoid potential pitfalls caused by assumptions. Whether you’re new to a project or have been working with the client for a while, never hesitate to ask for clarification. The more you understand, the better positioned you are to provide meaningful solutions.

• Ask early, ask often: Asking questions early in a project helps you lay a solid foundation. In the initial phases, you’re still learning about the client, their team dynamics, and their goals. This is the best time to ask about their business objectives, constraints, and expectations. The more you understand from the outset, the more effectively you can contribute as the project progresses.
• It’s okay to not know everything: You aren’t expected to have all the answers. If something is unclear, don’t be afraid to ask — even if you feel you should know the answer. Admitting when you need more information demonstrates your focus on getting things right, not just moving quickly.
• Prepare before asking questions: Research your question first and show your effort. This demonstrates respect for others’ time.
• Share your efforts: When asking questions like “Have we worked with [company] before?”, include what you’ve already done to search for the answer. This shows that you have invested effort in trying to find the answer yourself first.
• Ask to avoid assumptions: Assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and mistakes. If a client requests a feature without giving full context, don’t assume it’s similar to something you’ve done before. Always ask for clarification to understand the specific use case and how it fits into the project. Asking questions shows thoroughness and a commitment to delivering the right solution, not just a quick one.
• Frame questions as value-driven: Position your questions as a way to help the client make informed decisions. Instead of simply asking for clarification, explain how understanding their broader goals will lead to better outcomes. For example, when discussing a new feature, ask how it impacts the overall strategy. This approach shows that you’re thinking strategically and not just gathering information for yourself.
• Turn discomfort into growth: Don’t let fear of asking the wrong question or looking inexperienced hold you back. Every question you ask brings you closer to becoming a true expert in the client’s needs. Clients and team members appreciate your curiosity and commitment to understanding the project thoroughly. Embrace that discomfort, knowing it’s part of the process of delivering better results.

Listening to understand

Listening is just as important as asking questions. It’s not enough to simply hear what the client is saying — you need to understand their priorities and concerns to offer the best solutions.

• Listen actively: When engaging with the client, listen carefully and take notes. Reflect back on what you’ve heard to confirm your understanding and clarify any uncertainties. This ensures you’re fully aligned with their goals and expectations.
• Address client concerns proactively: Pay attention to what the client cares about most, and address those concerns in your solutions. If a client is worried about scalability, make sure your recommendations take that into account. By showing that you’ve listened and tailored your approach accordingly, you build trust and demonstrate your commitment to their success.

Examples:

• Catching nuances in UI feedback: A client asks a frontend developer to “make the button more prominent.” Instead of rushing to change the size, the developer listens further and realizes the real issue is user confusion around the entire form layout. This prompts a more holistic redesign of the form.
• Clarifying deployment environments: A DevOps consultant is tasked with setting up CI/CD pipelines but notices the client hasn’t specified whether this is for production, staging, or both. By asking, the consultant uncovers that the client needs a multi-environment setup, which avoids potential future issues with mismatched environments.
• Listening to uncover business priorities: A TPO is reviewing a product roadmap with the client and listens carefully as the client describes various features. By focusing on what the client repeatedly emphasizes, the TPO identifies that the real priority is improving time-to-market, even though the client initially focused on technical details.

Tips and techniques:

• Reframe assumptions as questions: If you feel you’re making an assumption, turn that into a question to verify your understanding. This can be as simple as, “Am I correct in thinking that…?” It encourages clarification without making assumptions.
• Summarize key points before asking questions: After a client explains a need, summarize their points and then ask clarifying questions. This technique shows active engagement and ensures that your questions are based on what they’ve actually shared.
• Ask open-ended questions to clarify: If you’re unsure about something, ask questions like “Can you tell me more about that?” This allows the client to expand on their thoughts and may reveal critical details.

Questions to reflect:

• Think of a recent project. What questions could you have asked earlier to improve outcomes or avoid problems later on?
• How do you handle situations when the client’s priorities seem to change frequently? How can better listening help navigate those moments?

Help fill the gaps

There are many roles on software projects:

• Client stakeholder: Represents the client’s interests, provides feedback, and approves deliverables.
• Business Analyst (BA): Gathers requirements, documents processes, and ensures the solution meets business needs.
• Product Owner (PO): Defines the product vision and prioritizes the product backlog to ensure the development team delivers maximum value.
• Project Manager (PM): Oversees the project, ensuring it stays on schedule, within budget, and meets the client’s requirements.
• Scrum Master: Facilitates Agile ceremonies, removes impediments, and supports the team in following Scrum practices.
• Product Design: Designs the user interface and experience, focusing on usability, aesthetics, and overall user satisfaction.
• DevOps: Manages deployment processes, infrastructure, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
• Backend: Develops server-side logic, databases, and APIs, ensuring the application’s functionality and performance.
• Frontend: Implements the user interface and client-side logic, ensuring a responsive and accessible web application.
• Quality Assurance/Engineering (QA/QE): Tests the application to identify bugs, ensure functionality, and verify that requirements are met.

As a consultant, you are expected to be an expert in one of these roles, but being a consultant is a lot more than just being a domain expert.

One of your jobs is to identify who the people are that either have these job titles or are operating in these roles. For example, you might not have a Scrum Master on your project, but someone should be facilitating the Agile ceremonies. This could be your Product Owner or your Project Manager.

Similarly, you might not have separate people acting as the Project Manager and Product Owner. A Project Manager usually oversees the project, ensures it is on schedule, within budget, and meets requirements. In contrast, a Product Owner should define the vision for the product, prioritize the backlog, and refine issues. Sometimes, one person may fulfill both roles.

The key point is that there are many different roles and it’s important to identify who is serving in these roles because if no one is performing these duties on a project, you must highlight this as a risk. For example, if there is no real Product Owner defining the vision, refining the backlog, and communicating with customers, we need to ask, “Who is doing this?” Sometimes, we must fill in those gaps ourselves.

Drive towards business outcomes

As a consultant, your primary responsibility is to ensure that your work delivers real value to the client’s business. It’s not enough to complete tasks or deliver features — you need to focus on the business impact of your work. This means understanding how your contributions align with the client’s larger goals and ensuring that your efforts drive meaningful outcomes. Shifting from a task-oriented mindset to an outcome-driven approach is what sets a great consultant apart.

Focus on impact

Every task you perform should contribute to the client’s broader business objectives. It’s easy to get caught up in completing individual tasks, but the real value comes from understanding how each task moves the needle for the client.

• Understand the “why” behind each request: Before diving into a task, clarify the reason behind it. For instance, if a client requests a UX update, ask what they hope to achieve — whether it’s to reduce bounce rates, increase conversions, or enhance customer satisfaction. Understanding the “why” allows you to tailor your approach to meet their specific goals.
• Connect tasks to business goals: Always ask yourself, “How does this task help the client’s business?” For example, if you’re building a new feature, think about how it impacts user engagement, increases revenue, or improves operational efficiency. Keeping these business outcomes in mind ensures you’re not just completing tasks, but contributing to the client’s success.
• Align technical decisions with business objectives: Your expertise should guide the client in making decisions that benefit their business in the long term. For instance, when discussing a technical implementation, consider how it aligns with the client’s strategic goals, such as scaling the product, improving performance, or enhancing security. This alignment reinforces your role as a consultant who prioritizes business outcomes.
• Contextualize your work: Always understand the bigger picture of the tasks you’re assigned. If you’re asked to fix a bug, think about how that fix could enhance the overall user experience or improve system performance. By seeing the broader context of your work, you can make decisions that not only solve immediate issues but also contribute to the project’s long-term success.

Prioritize based on business objectives

When everything seems urgent, it’s critical to focus on the tasks that have the most significant impact on the client’s business. Collaborating with the client to prioritize effectively ensures you’re working on what matters most.

• Help the client prioritize: Clients may struggle with prioritization, especially when there are competing demands. Help them identify the tasks that align most closely with their key objectives. For example, if a client is focused on increasing user engagement, prioritize features that improve user experience or reduce friction in their product.
• Don’t treat everything as urgent: While clients may present multiple urgent tasks, not everything requires immediate attention. Work with them to distinguish between critical tasks and those that can wait. By focusing on what drives the most business value, you can help the client allocate resources effectively.

Measure success beyond completion

Simply completing a project isn’t enough. You need to evaluate how well your work performs in the real world and whether it delivers the desired outcomes for the client.

• Establish metrics early: At the beginning of a project, work with the client to define clear metrics for success. For example, if you’re working on a feature to improve user engagement, agree on specific targets such as reducing bounce rates or increasing time spent on the site. These metrics help you stay focused on what matters and allow for meaningful assessment of the project’s success.
• Measure business outcomes, not just outputs: It’s not enough to deliver a product or feature — you need to know how it impacts the client’s business. Set up metrics to measure success, such as user engagement, customer satisfaction, or operational efficiency. Tracking these outcomes helps demonstrate the real value of your work.
• Iterate based on real-world feedback: Once a feature or product is live, gather feedback to assess its performance. If something isn’t working as expected, be prepared to adjust and iterate. For example, if user adoption isn’t meeting expectations, collaborate with the client to find a solution — whether that’s tweaking the design or improving the onboarding process. Flexibility and responsiveness are key to delivering outcomes that matter.

Examples:

• Frontend: Evaluating the business impact of a UI change: A frontend developer implements a new design for a client’s landing page. After launch, they don’t just check for functionality; they monitor how the change affects conversion rates, ensuring the design drives the intended business goal of increasing sales.
• Aligning feature development with business goals: A product owner is managing a backlog of feature requests. They prioritize features that will increase subscription renewal rates, rather than just addressing bugs or minor user requests, aligning development with the client’s goal to improve long-term customer retention.
• Balancing feature launches with ongoing maintenance: A program manager is balancing the need to launch a new product feature with the need to maintain system stability. By working with the client to prioritize the feature that enhances customer experience, they align with the business objective of increasing user satisfaction while ensuring critical operations remain stable.
• Prioritizing a feature based on user feedback: A product designer is working on several design improvements but chooses to prioritize a feature that removes a major pain point identified in user feedback. This decision aligns with the client’s goal of reducing churn by improving customer satisfaction.

Tips and techniques:

• Use client metrics to guide decisions: Before beginning work, ask for the key performance indicators (KPIs) the client values. Regularly check if your work is improving these metrics, whether they’re related to speed, engagement, or customer satisfaction.
• Track real-world results over time: Don’t just measure success right after deployment. Set a timeline for tracking metrics — for example, measuring customer satisfaction or operational efficiency 30, 60, and 90 days after launch — to ensure sustained success.
• Map tasks to business outcomes: Create a habit of mentally (or visually) mapping each task to a specific business outcome. This practice can help you avoid wasting time on tasks that have no measurable impact and focus on those that do.
• Use visuals to explain connections: Create flowcharts or diagrams to show how tasks directly influence business goals. This can help clients and team members visualize the impact of the work being done.
• Use a priority matrix: Create a simple priority matrix to help clients and team members categorize tasks based on urgency and impact. This will give a clear picture of where to focus efforts and what can be postponed.
• Facilitate impact discussions: Initiate conversations about the potential business impact of various tasks. Encourage the client to think critically about which tasks are “nice to have” versus those that drive tangible business outcomes.
• Use real-world analogies: When explaining prioritization, use analogies the client understands. For example, compare task prioritization to triaging patients in an emergency room, helping clients see why certain tasks must wait.

Questions to reflect:

• How does the work I’m doing right now tie into the client’s larger goals?
• Have I asked enough questions to fully understand why this task is important to the client’s business?
• Am I prioritizing the client’s business outcomes, or am I just focused on completing the work quickly?
• What are the potential long-term effects of the decisions I’m making for the client’s business?
• Are there any tasks I’m currently working on that don’t clearly align with business goals?
• Have I defined what success looks like for this project, beyond just delivering the feature or task?
• How can I show the client that the work I’m doing is making a meaningful difference in their business?

Solve problems

Solving problems as a consultant involves more than just fixing immediate issues. It’s about understanding the root cause and developing solutions that prevent future problems.

Address root causes

When problems arise, it’s tempting to focus on fixing the immediate issue. However, addressing the root cause is essential to providing long-term solutions. Your goal is to dig deeper and find the underlying reason for the problem, which prevents it from recurring and adds long-term value to the client’s operations.

• Investigate the underlying issue: Don’t settle for surface-level fixes. If you encounter a bug or a system failure, take the time to explore what caused it in the first place. For example, if a feature is malfunctioning, look beyond the immediate error and examine whether there’s a deeper issue with the system architecture or workflows. By addressing root causes, you’re providing a more durable solution that benefits the client long term.
• Prevent future problems: Solving problems at the root level helps reduce the chance of similar issues appearing again. For instance, if a performance issue arises due to inefficient database queries, instead of just optimizing the query, consider if there’s a broader issue with how data is being managed and processed. Solving the broader problem saves the client from future headaches and positions you as a proactive consultant.

Collaborate to find the best solution

There’s rarely a single “right” solution to a problem. Instead of approaching issues in isolation, collaborate with the client and your team to explore multiple approaches. Brainstorming together ensures you consider various factors, such as immediate impacts, long-term effects, and the client’s priorities.

• Involve stakeholders in brainstorming: Get input from both your team and the client to generate a range of potential solutions. For example, if a client is experiencing system performance issues, involve developers, product owners, and even operations teams to explore different avenues — whether that’s optimizing code, revisiting the system architecture, or adjusting resource allocation.
• Consider multiple options: When presenting solutions, don’t limit the client to a single recommendation. Instead, offer a few different options, explaining the pros and cons of each. For example, if you’re discussing a change in the tech stack, explain how each option impacts performance, scalability, and maintenance. This helps the client make an informed decision based on their priorities.
• Be creative in problem-solving: Encourage open-minded thinking when tackling complex problems. Solutions aren’t always linear, and sometimes the best answer comes from thinking outside of standard approaches. Engage the team in discussing unconventional solutions and weigh their feasibility in the context of the client’s goals.
• Think holistically: Evaluate the ripple effects of your decisions. Every decision you make can affect other parts of the client’s business. For instance, a change in backend architecture might impact front-end performance or user satisfaction. Always think about how your work connects to other areas, and consider the broader implications of your choices. This holistic approach ensures you’re providing solutions that work across the entire system.

Examples:

• Data inconsistency: A backend developer notices occasional inconsistencies in customer data. Instead of creating a patch to correct the immediate data issue, they investigate the root cause and find that a flawed data migration process is introducing errors during updates. By redesigning the migration process, they ensure that future updates will not result in data loss or corruption.

Tips and techniques:

• Use the 5 Whys technique: To find root causes, ask “Why?” repeatedly until you reach the fundamental issue. Start with the immediate symptom, and for each answer, question the underlying reason until a root cause is uncovered.
• Document findings: Write down your discoveries about root causes, including insights gained during the investigation. This can help prevent future issues and provides useful knowledge for both your team and the client.
• Encourage early involvement: Involve stakeholders early in the problem-solving process to avoid missed considerations later. This also helps build trust and ensures that everyone feels heard and invested in the solution.
• Look beyond standard tools: When tackling complex problems, research and experiment with emerging technologies, frameworks, or methodologies outside your usual toolkit.
• Encourage “wild” ideas in brainstorming: Sometimes, the most unconventional suggestions can spark new ways of thinking. During collaborative discussions, encourage even impractical-sounding ideas, as they can lead to more feasible creative solutions.

Questions to reflect:

• When was the last time you encountered a recurring problem, and how did you investigate its root cause? Could you have gone deeper?
• Have you ever solved a problem, only to find a related issue emerged later? What might you have missed initially?
• How can understanding the broader system architecture or user workflow help you identify root causes in your role?
• Think of a recent project where a decision was made with limited input. How might the result have been different if other stakeholders had been involved earlier?
• Can you recall a time when you solved a problem with a non-traditional approach? What were the challenges and benefits?
• Are there emerging tools or techniques you’ve considered using but haven’t yet explored? What could motivate you to experiment with them?

Validate decisions with data

Your recommendations carry more weight when they’re backed by data. While intuition and experience are important, basing decisions on measurable evidence increases your credibility and ensures the solutions you propose are grounded in reality.

• Test assumptions early and often: Avoid costly missteps by validating your assumptions as early as possible. For example, if you’re suggesting a new feature or approach, gather feedback from key stakeholders before moving forward. This helps you course-correct early, saving time and resources later.
• Use data-driven recommendations: Support your suggestions with data. For instance, if you recommend a design change, provide evidence from previous projects or relevant case studies to show how similar changes improved user engagement or system performance. This makes your advice more compelling and allows the client to see the tangible benefits of your approach.
• Iterate based on feedback: Once a solution is implemented, gather real-world data to see how it performs. Whether it’s user behavior metrics, system performance benchmarks, or customer feedback, the data will tell you if the solution is delivering as expected. If it’s not, be ready to iterate and refine your approach. This flexibility ensures you stay focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for the client.

Encourage clients to embrace validation

Some clients may be hesitant to base decisions on data or may not be familiar with data-driven approaches. As a consultant, it’s your role to advocate for validation and explain the value it brings to their business.

• Promote data-driven decision-making: Help clients understand that validation is key to making informed decisions. For example, suggest A/B testing if they’re unsure about a new feature, or encourage them to gather user feedback before making significant changes. By demonstrating the benefits of validation, you empower clients to make decisions with confidence.
• Explain the benefits of testing and feedback: Clients may resist testing because of time constraints or perceived costs. It’s important to explain how gathering feedback or running tests can save them from costly mistakes later. For instance, a small usability test can prevent a major design flaw that could alienate users, saving both time and money in the long run.
• Stay flexible and objective: Data-driven decision-making requires flexibility. Be prepared to pivot if the data suggests a solution isn’t working as expected. Staying objective and focusing on the best outcome for the client — even if it means changing course — shows that you are committed to their success, not just following a predetermined plan.

Examples:

• Convincing a client to gather user feedback before launching: A Bitovi TPO suggests a client run a beta test for a major new feature, but the client is resistant, fearing it will delay the release. The consultant shows them case studies of previous projects where beta testing helped identify critical issues that would have been costly to fix after a full launch. The client agrees, and the beta testing uncovers several usability problems that were addressed before the wider release, saving the client from a potential PR nightmare.
• Validating test coverage assumptions: A QA engineer suggests increasing automated testing to catch more bugs early in the development process. They gather data on bug reports from previous sprints and discover that 40% of bugs were in areas with little automated test coverage. Armed with this evidence, they recommend expanding test automation in specific areas, showing the client how this change could reduce bugs and save time during future sprints.

Tips and techniques:

• Use small-scale tests to validate assumptions early: Before committing significant time and resources, run small-scale tests or pilot programs to validate your ideas. This could involve testing a new feature with a limited set of users or simulating a technical change in a controlled environment. The goal is to collect data quickly without a full rollout.
• Document your rationale and supporting data: When presenting data-driven recommendations, keep a clear record of the data sources and methods used. This helps build trust with the client and allows others to follow your logic. Be prepared to explain why certain data points were used and how they support your recommendation.
• Leverage feedback loops for continuous improvement: After implementing changes, establish a feedback loop with the client and end users. This could be through regular user testing, analytics dashboards, or performance monitoring tools. This ensures that data is constantly flowing in, allowing for iterative improvements based on real-world performance.
• Be mindful of data biases: Always critically evaluate your data sources for potential biases or limitations. For example, survey results might skew towards certain user demographics, or performance metrics could be affected by external factors. Address these biases openly when presenting your findings to avoid misleading the client.
• Tailor your explanation to the client’s priorities: Frame your arguments in a way that aligns with the client’s goals and pain points. For instance, if they’re concerned about costs, explain how validation can prevent expensive mistakes. If they’re focused on user satisfaction, show how testing can improve customer experience. Always tie the data back to what matters most to them.
• Provide examples of past successes: Share stories of previous clients who saw positive outcomes from using validation techniques. Real-world examples can help build trust and make the benefits of data-driven decision-making more tangible to skeptical clients.

Questions to reflect:

• How can I incorporate quick, data-driven tests into my current workflow to validate assumptions before making larger decisions?
• How do I handle situations where data contradicts my experience or intuition? How do I balance both when advising clients?
• In what ways can I encourage clients to see the value in testing and validation, especially if they’re hesitant or unfamiliar with data-driven approaches?
• What are some common objections I’ve encountered from clients regarding data-driven decision-making? How can I address those concerns more effectively?
• How can I demonstrate the value of small, incremental tests to clients who are focused on immediate results?

Exercise

You are part of a project kick-off meeting where the client outlines several tasks they want completed. One task seems unnecessary and could be a potential time drain. How would you handle this situation?