Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/18157
project. Automating new matter intake processes requires evaluating many complex processes and involves many stakeholders in the firm. The scope of the project can quickly become overwhelming. When initiating your firm’s first BPM project, it is better to start simple. Work with various departments in your firm to find a workflow that has been well documented, has a very clear routing and has relatively few decision and approval points. This gives your firm the opportunity to work out your processes for evaluating, improving and documenting your workflow development strategy on a smaller project. A good project to start with might be an administrative process like a check or vacation request. Even with a complex workflow process like new matter intake, the project management steps taken will be very similar. First, you should define the project concept and create a scope statement that will specifically identify what the BPM project deliverables will be. Deliverables should include the following: • Purpose and benefits of the process • Clarification of what the project will and will not accomplish • Evaluation of existing process, user roles, required data, routing and approval points • Identification of any changes in process that must be incorporated and the process for reviewing and approving suggested changes • Identification of the tools required to develop and support the project from a technological and staffing perspective • Documentation of all process stages, identification of roles or individuals allowed to participate in each stage and the actions available at each stage • Creation of a graphical workflow document that identifies how information is transferred and stored, as well as who is responsible for tracking and maintaining firm information that the process will produce • Determination of the approval process for sign off on the finalized process Once you have a better grasp of what the project deliverables will be, you can develop a requirements document which will include the functional and technical requirements for review by internal and /or external development, training and support resources. Additional steps at this phase include developing a rough draft of the project budget, resource list and timelines. PLANNING The goal in this phase is to develop the project management plan, which will include collaborating with the project team to define the milestones, risks, resources, roles and responsibilities, and to obtain budgetary approval. Detailed planning allows you to avoid high-level pitfalls that are common to workflow projects. Some of these issues include projects competing for resources, internal resources lacking the right development or support skill sets, and cultural changes that new processes, functions and technology create. www.iltanet.org Project Management 17