The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1065281
P E E R T O P E E R : I L T A ' S Q U A R T E R L Y M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 51 Choose the paths of least resistance when developing your change initiatives. Look for attorneys who speak openly about the value of automation or improving client service through transparency. This community does not need to be convinced that change is needed; they need only be presented with the 'right' change. Deliver solutions to problems your attorneys are already talking about. Not every technolo or change initiative the firm undertakes will deliver immediate value. Some initiatives require significant time to ramp up and may create a fair amount of discomfort along the way. One need only drive through a major highway project to understand the sacrifice some projects require. Consider prioritizing projects that deliver solutions to well-publicized problems. If your junior partners are constantly lamenting their inability to put consistent processes around their litigation work, consider engaging with that group to deliver a legal project management solution to the firm. If senior associates crave more time to do high-level knowledge work on their cases, see if an automation tool might allow them to more confidently delegate certain tasks to junior associates. Delivering much-needed solutions to your attorneys builds the respect and credibility needed to enable those more complex and long-term change efforts. Employ established frameworks for technolo adoption. Avoid re-creating the wheel. The most successful adoption strategies are based in established frameworks and then revised to meet the needs or makeup of the firm. Everett Rogers, a communication scholar, sociologist, writer, and teacher, developed the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory in 1962 to describe the process by which an innovation is spread through a particular social population. One of the most widely confirmed social theories, the DOI theory can be used in developing a technolo adoption approach within law. Rogers identified five stages individuals pass through on the path to adoption. Though the way your attorneys move through these stages may vary, understanding this construct may help guide your efforts. Knowledge. Once the firm has identified a particular technolo to target for adoption, it is essential that your attorneys are widely aware not only of its existence, but of its potential utility. Persuasion. It is at this early stage in the process that individuals begin forming a favorable or unfavorable opinion about the technolo. Expect your attorneys to begin seeking out additional information to determine whether the new technolo might improve their future. 1 2