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An IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCBenefits of Certificationfor IT Partners andConsultantsFully Certified TeamsDeliver the Best ResultsRESEARCH BY:Cushing AndersonProgram Vice President,IT Education and Certification, IDCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsNavigating This InfoBriefClick on titles or page numbers below to navigate to each.Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3In This InfoBrief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Research Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Certification Leads to Greater Alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Certification Improves Project Successand Client Satisfaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Certified Teams Properly Scope andExecute Engagements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Partners Recognize the Value of Certifications . . . . . . . . . . 9Essential Guidance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10About the Analyst. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Message from the Sponsor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsExecutive SummaryResearch of more than 600 IT consultants and resellers found that fully certified teams,where 100% of team members have the certifications they need, have better projectresults than teams with less than 25% certified members.Fully certified teams are 35% more likely tofinish projects ahead of schedule compared withpartially certified teams. Fully certified teams typicallyfinish more than two weeks ahead of schedule.84% of partners believe thatcertified IT consultants providebetter service and support and aremore valuable to their clients than theirnoncertified colleagues.Fully certified teams met 95% ofthe clients’ objectives and havean average net promoter score (NPS)score that is 36% higher than thepartially certified teams’ projects.Partner program managers at technology firms should continue to leverage certificationsand establish programs that reward partners that fully certify team members.InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Table of Contents3

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsIn This InfoBriefAccording to the IDC Software Partner Survey (May 2021), almost 70% ofpartner organizations agree that certifications accelerate the implementationof technology and result in higher staff productivity.Partner organizations agree that certificationsimprove levels of service to customers. Thisresearch examined how well “fully certified teams”performed compared with “partially certified teams”in terms of project success (objectives met), clientsatisfaction, scoping, and project execution.Our Approach R espondents were divided into cohorts based on thepercentage of the team who held technical certificationsappropriate to their responsibilities. W e analyzed the performance of partially certified teamsand compared it with fully certified teams.InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821DefinitionsFully certified team: Each member of the project team held allthe partner certifications appropriate to their responsibilities.Partially certified team: Less than 25% of the team is certified.Illustrative implementationteam may include:ooooooArchitectsProfessional administratorsProduct managerProfessional developerData analystsAssociate-level techniciansDRAFTTable of Contents4

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsResearch ScopeDescription of PopulationIDC surveyed 602 IT consultants and resellers; approximately200 each in North America; Europe, Middle East, and Africa;and Asia/Pacific.Analysis included certified consultantsand resellers from these firms: T he respondents worked for IT, computer, software, internet services,or telecommunications firms and provided sales or technical services. R espondents had completed a significant project involvingtechnologies from specific firms with whom their employer had apartner or channel relationship.InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821DRAFTTable of Contents5

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsCertification Leads to Greater AlignmentFully certified teams have a greater awareness of project intentions, includingkey project milestones, scope, and the client’s success measures.This leads to greater alignment between the partner team and the client and improves the focus onoutcomes such as business and technology value expectations, key performance indicators, andcustomer satisfaction indicators. This alignment leads to better project outcomes.Awareness of Project Success Measures70%60% are morelikely to beaware of successmeasures44%Partially certifiedInfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Fully certifiedTable of Contents6

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsCertification Improves Project Successand Client SatisfactionAcross the various indicators we measured, fully certified teams consistentlyhad greater project success and higher client satisfaction.100% of fully certified teams reported that their project was successful. Fully certified teams are 10%more likely to rate a project successful than partially certified teams.Fully certified teams also report that the project on average met 95% of the clients’ objectives.Ultimately, fully certified teams reported the project’s NPS score averaged over 90, which is 36%higher than the partially certified team’s project.NPS ScoreSuccess of Project98%63%Partially certified92%36%higher NPSFully certifiedInfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Partially certified100%10% more likelyto rate a projectvery successfulFully certified% Objectives Met87%Partially certified95%10% moreobjectivesmetFully certifiedTable of Contents7

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsCertified Teams Properly Scopeand Execute EngagementsFor consultants, implementers, and their clients, completing projectssuccessfully and on time is critical to maximizing project value.Fully certified teams are 20% more likely toproperly scope projects and execute projectsto the plan.Fully certified teams are20% more likely to be“on plan” for effortFully certified teams are35% more likely to beahead of scheduleUltimately, fully certified teams are 35% morelikely to finish projects ahead of schedulecompared with partially certified teams,finishing on average more than two weeksahead of schedule.Helping clients remain on schedule helpsclients reach time to value sooner andallows the consultant to move to the nextengagement on time.InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Table of Contents8

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsPartners Recognize the Valueof CertificationsPartner companies agreethat certifications accelerateimplementations and improveproductivity. 8 2% of IT consultants recognize the valuecertifications offer clients. 8 5% agree that certification representsvalidation of extensive product and processknowledge. 8 4% of partners believe that certified ITconsultants provide better service andsupport and are more valuable to theirclients than their noncertified colleagues.85%82%Certificationsmake the consultantsmore valuable totheir clients.InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Certifications representextensive productknowledge.84%Certifications improvethe level of serviceand support offeredby consultants.Table of Contents9

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsEssential GuidanceAs digital transformation becomes increasingly important,technology firms will increasingly rely on the partnernetwork, including consultants, implementation teams, andresellers to help design and deploy solutions.To ensure your clients complete their projects as rapidly as possible, meettheir business objectives, and get the maximum value from their investment,your partner’s project teams must be fully capable. Fully certified partnerteams are better able to: Resell solutions, products, and servicesDesign and architect solutionsDeploy or implement products and solutionsManage customer IT environmentsMany technology firms have developed and deployed robust certification programs specificallydesigned to help their partner network effectively select, configure, and deploy their technologies to meetclients’ requirements. The value of those programs and the impact to clients depends on how well the fullconsulting team understands their roles to help leverage the technology to meet the client’s requirements.InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Table of Contents10

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsEssential Guidance (continued)Partner program managers at technology firms should continue to leveragecertifications to drive their partners’ success. Certified team members are better ableto maximize the value of the partner network and, ultimately, the value of your productsand solutions to your clients. Companies should consider these steps: Promote the value of certifiedindividuals: Certified consultantsimprove time to value for your solutionsand increase client satisfaction.Define skill requirements:Develop and maintain certificationprograms to validate skills forcritical roles.Market the value of skillsand certifications: Publicizethe importance for bothpartners and certificationsponsors (and their clients).InfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Reward partners who fully certifyteams: Establish program statuslevels that recognize the value of fullycertifying every team member.Promote upskilling: Developprograms to support rapid reskillingand upskilling of consultants astechnologies and solutions evolve.Analyze impact: Investigate theimpact your specific certifications haveon partner performance and clientsuccess in order to continually improvecertification value.Table of Contents11

Benefits of Certification for IT Partners and ConsultantsAbout the AnalystCushing AndersonProgram Vice President,IT Education and Certification, IDCCushing Anderson is responsible for managing the research agenda, field research, and custom research projects forIDC’s IT Education and Certification research program. Cushing’s research ranges from the value certification providesto IT professionals to the selection criteria used when selecting transformation training for the IT organization. Heconducts regular research on the views and experiences of IT professionals and IT education buyers. He frequentlyevaluates the impact of various types of training and certification on IT organizational performance.More about Cushing AndersonInfoBrief, sponsored by ITCCSeptember 2021 IDC Doc. #US48201821Table of Contents12