Consulting is changing. AI now automates the work of providing clients with expert judgment and measurable results. What used to consume weeks and months of consultants’ time now takes hours and days. SEI was built for this moment with highly experienced teams, an owner mindset, and a hands-on approach that pairs senior consultants with AI to move from idea to impact quickly.
The Shift: From Pyramid to Obelisk
Harvard Business Review (HBR) recently described a new consulting model that is taller and leaner than that which came before. Furthermore, it is driven by experts who use AI to accelerate insight and delivery. The old pyramid consulting model that relied on a wide base of junior staff doing research and analysis in support of the few senior people at the top has been replaced by an obelisk consulting model. The obelisk, tall and narrow, consists of fewer layers, smaller teams, and more leverage at every level.
Why SEI Fits the New Obelisk Consulting Model
• Highly experienced talent. We hire only experienced consultants who hit the ground running and add value on day one. This allows us to keep teams small, focused on decisions and delivery.
• Employee-owned. Our ownership model aligns incentives with outcomes. We reward doing the right work quickly and well.
• Hands-on delivery. The people who design your solution are the same people who stand it up and make it stick.
The Three Obelisk Roles Clients Get with SEI
HBR highlights three roles around which the AI-enabled obelisk consulting model is built.
• AI facilitators who orchestrate data, models, and workflows so you get production-ready insights fast.
• Engagement architects who translate AI outputs into operating changes, roadmaps, and KPIs your teams can own.
• Client leaders who partner with executives to guide change and de-risk adoption.
Proof of Impact
Recent SEI work shows the power of small senior teams paired with AI and modern data practices.
• Automated QA and real-time analytics for call transcripts
A healthcare leader moved from quarterly QA cycles to same-day feedback, enabling better coaching and measurable gains in service quality.
• Data governance maturity for healthcare analytics
Built a clear path to scale a new data platform with stronger governance, risk controls, and adoption.
• Boosting patient satisfaction in healthcare
Reduced friction in operations and improved patient experience with clearer requirements, better data validation, and measurable process changes.
• Business planning for a healthcare AI nonprofit
Formalized strategy, governance, and funding to launch a global AI consortium.
• Data strategy for GenAI success
A practical playbook for moving from experiments to enterprise-grade AI with the right data foundations.
What Changes for Clients
• Speed without shortcuts. AI compresses analysis timelines. Senior judgment keeps decisions sound and traceable.
• Outcomes over hours. The focus is strategic impact, not time spent on tasks machines can do.
• A simpler team. Fewer handoffs. More accountability. Faster adoption.
How we engage
1. Frame the decision and the metric that matters, so we agree on what good looks like.
2. Pilot with a joint senior team to prove the outcome and readiness to scale.
3. Scale what works with process, training, and platform changes that last.
SEI is a national, employee-owned consulting firm that hires experienced consultants and works locally with clients to deliver measurable results.
Ready to deliver faster outcomes with AI?
Sources and Further Reading
- Harvard Business Review: “AI Is Changing the Structure of Consulting Firms” (Sept 10, 2025) Link
