[calabin]

There are a huge number of more focused + results-oriented boutique consultancies out there. I run a very small and technically-focused automation consulting firm, and have a number of colleagues at firms in the 30-150 person range that do some pretty interesting work.

While some of the hand-wavy and "if the client wants it who are we to question it" stuff happens in all forms of consulting, it does exist on a spectrum. In some firms that comprises the majority of the work, in others its a small part of a larger and more targeted engagement.

I'm not too proficient on LinkedIn's search capabilities, but I imagine that if you were able to do a wildcard "* partners" search for companies in your area, you'll probably find a handful of boutiques to learn more about.