The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/480238
WWW.ILTANET.ORG 13 • Partner with Others: Break out of your silo and work cohesively with other departments. Make the case that technology is a basic business skill, and see how you can participate in professional development programs. Learn from their experiences. Is there a day, time or speaker that consistently gets attendance? Use that knowledge to your advantage. See where you can partner with your knowledge management team, and explore new ideas like knowledge-sharing. • Embed Learning into Everyday Work: Create a mix of learning delivery methods. Choose formats that have the biggest impact for the audience and topic. Accept that you will not get 100 percent participation for every delivery type. Guide individuals to discover which delivery format best suits them, and help them develop learning goals and plans. Try new and creative ideas for technology training that are more relaxed than the classroom. For example, would an online learning lounge work at your firm? PROOF IN THE NUMBERS Still need convincing? Accenture, a global leader in management consulting, technology and outsourcing services, conducted a study to understand the value of their learning culture. An ROI model was developed that plots employee contributions against time with the company. For every dollar invested in employee training, the company received $4.53 back. They demonstrated that employees who took more training had more billable hours, higher billing rates and stayed with the company longer. They also proved the effects of learning are cumulative over time. There is no time to waste. Get busy building your firm's learning culture! Trainer Be Nimble, Trainer Be Quick by Heather Morrow of Loeb & Loeb LLP The key to being an effective technical trainer in today's legal profession is the ability to adapt to change and to do so quickly. AGILE, RAPID ONBOARDING The onboarding process has become less about training basic skills and more about learning the tools and applications specific to a law firm and practice area, with customized training to meet individual needs. SIMPLIFIED ONGOING EDUCATION As end users gain knowledge, they can determine what skills are required for their roles, and customized training continues to benefit them. While mandatory training might be required during an application rollout, fast, specific training is more important to support ongoing needs. SUPPORTING APPS There are many apps and software programs that perform specific functions. Often, the training materials and documentation for the software is "embedded," relying on intuitive graphical interfaces and standard icons to reduce the learning curve for users. BE ON TOP OF HOT TOPICS Staying up to speed on developments in legal applications is no longer sufficient for a trainer; being informed about world news is just as important. Security breaches make the headlines routinely, and developing a learning culture around security awareness is a critically important role for a trainer. While security is certainly a hot topic, it's important to stay on top of all significant technology-related developments. A SHRINKING WORLD As users become more familiar with computers, applications and devices, trainers' traditional roles are changing, and we must look for ways to add business value to our firms. We're well positioned to expand our roles, and we can leverage our constant desire for new knowledge and challenges. Other roles, such as application testers, project managers, litigation support specialists, business analysts, performance consultants, etc. are potential opportunities for us. BE NIMBLE, BE QUICK Trainers can only continue to have careers in legal if we evolve and grow in the role. Look for opportunities to assist the firm in client development and end-user growth. Leverage the knowledge and tools you already have in place to make processes work more efficiently. Don't just support technology changes, your agility and speed can position you to lead those changes.