This review is based solely on ERP implementation and delivery projects. I cannot speak for pie in the sky advisory work. From a delivery perspective, Huron is terrible at project team planning, organization and communication. Possibly the worst I’ve seen in 20 years. Huron leadership has unwarranted large egos. They expect you to do what they say no matter how wrong they are. There is no collaboration allowed, no questioning allowed. They build a hostile work environment, where you have to walk on eggshells all day. I’ve seen many people fired for questioning the gods.
Multiple incredible projects were ruined by stupidity, arrogance, and narcissism. Leadership teams for a project are built off of a “good ole boy” relationship (and I don’t mean male dominated), where two or three people (from their local Chicago click) will plan changes and direction (completely wrong, underestimated, and ignorant of the consequences of what they are doing) and then will dictate it to the project team. Less experienced teammates would ask questions, and are belittled, talked down to, shamed, or worse. Experienced people ( those with 15 or 20 years ) have to waste time tactically taking apart the plan so the clumsy leadership can understand why their plan is a disaster, and then try to hold their hand while the plan is rebuilt. I’ve heard this story from numerous experienced hires.
Veterans, often ignored, must continually request to be included in planning sessions to save the project and the team from arrogance and incompetence. Huron does not know how to deliver a solution. Their prior success was spent advising clients about trends and technology opportunities. They are not bad at this. In fact, they could be considered at the top tier when it comes to visionary ideas that no one has to deliver on. Then they decided they had what it takes to do delivery, implementation, ERP. This is like asking a science fiction writer to actually create in real life, all the cool things they talked about. Not gonna happen. They do not have the skills. To give you an idea of how off base they are, Huron does not staff ERP projects with technical resources. They have none. That should tell you all you need to know. Projects that under estimate report requirements by 3,000 hours. Development hours off by 1,800 hours. Timelines that are off by 1 year, and sometimes 2 years. The solution? Don’t change the scope or the timeline. Throw 15 fresh graduates at it who have no real life or business experience.
Add to that, Huron is radically politically correct. So much so that it gets in the way of successfully running any project. Everything offends this new generation of college grads. Everything is racist, everything is sexist, everything is not fair. I finally had enough and had to leave. It’s like working in a daycare center. You don’t want to wake up the kiddies, they are taking a nap. Don’t make any loud noises.
