Open consulting

This resource is an undeveloped draft or outline. You can help to develop the work, or you can ask for assistance in the Colloquium.

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.

• Open consulting: A new contracting paradigm, Howard Fosdick