Pros
Detica offers consultancy firmly routed around clients' technology problems. There are a broad range of business units covering much of the UK government and commercial sectors, offering a mix of different client cultures. The senior leadership are well established, charismatic and have set out a clear vision for the future of the business. Its people are a huge selling point - intelligent, hard working with a modesty uncommon in many larger consultancies. Although the priority is getting the work done, it offers a very good work life balance. The graduate induction programme has become increasingly structured in recent years and now offers a firm foundation in a specific area of technology both for business and technology consultants.
Cons
The company has grown hugely over the past few years and has sometimes had difficulty in adapting its structure and processes to accommodate the larger range of people and projects it now manages. With the BAeS takeover imminent there is considerable uncertainty ahead. Consultancy is generally limited to that concerning technology projects, though there are more exceptions given the acquisition of some more pure-play consultancies in the UK and US. Opportunities beyond the UK are only available in small numbers, as the acquisitions of the past few years take time to bed down and develop requirements for support from UK-based staff. Cross-pollination between business units is often lacking, as is an effective cross-company approach to knowledge management.