Open consulting

What is "open consulting"?

What might this term mean?

Hmm, I hadn't come across this term before... what might it mean? Well, referring to open teaching, open education, and open educational resources, I think it relates to access and freedoms. There could be any number of consulting models under this term: open. For example:

1. A freeware model - You might offer consultation services free of charge and all the materials you use for that consultation are available at a charge. Of the other way around, all the materials you use are available free of charge, but your consultation comes at a fee.
2. A free software model - Your materials are available free of charge AND free for reuse, but likewise your consultation service comes for a fee
3. Free or charge - (might this be gratis?) Where both service and material are free. And this model could have a number of submodels - mostly relating to methods of obtaining income:

• free and open materials made available in particular formats (like printed and bound books, DVDs etc) are available for a charge and distributed at the free consultation;
• initial consultation is for free, with follow on or focused consultation at fee..
• alternative views such as by providing consultation for free you gain other forms of income such as networking, or research, or community contribution etc.

External links

• Open consulting: A new contracting paradigm, Howard Fosdick