There is a difference between talking about how to solve a problem, and actually implementing the solution. Talking with a designer about the problems they would be facing and about how they would approach some of them is very different than having them implement the solution (a complete design). I suspect the same applies to programmers. As long as you're not asking for the implementation (working code), it's probably fine.
"There is a difference between talking about how to solve a problem, and actually implementing the solution."
Is there?
You are giving your expertise with the intention of improving their situation and potentially saving them time. It's not uncommon to get paid to consult about problems that a team is facing without actively implementing it yourself. How is this any different?
