The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/21494
the software makes their jobs easier and enables them to work more efficiently. Get Personal. Structured, in- person, hands-on training led by an experienced trainer is the best way to learn a new piece of software, and this type of training should be compulsory for all employees who will be using the software. For training large groups of people (e.g., implementing a firmwide document management system), a good option is to have your own employees train their colleagues. The success of this method is completely dependent on the people you choose to do the training. If they have a comprehensive knowledge of the software, and have the patience and demeanor to teach, they can be very valuable resources in your organization. Training by manuals and pre-recorded videos is going to leave knowledge gaps and should really be used only as a supplement to live training. It’s better than no training at all, but it may not be enough to get people over the intimidation factor of a new program. 2. 3. 4. Make Information Easy to Digest. Don’t overwhelm training attendees by putting too many people in a classroom or by making the training sessions too long. Small classrooms (8-10 people maximum) for short periods of time (2-3 hours maximum) are the preference. Grouping people with similar jobs together also supports collaborative training efforts. Explain the Big Picture. Make sure the trainer focuses not just on the “how” of using the software, but also the “why.” People tend to learn more comprehensively if they understand why using the software will make their jobs and lives easier. The more a person can see the bigger picture, the more likely he or she will adapt to the new program. Karen Clifford is Regional Sales Manager for Client Profiles, an Atlanta-based developer of practice management and CRM software for law firms. Karen has more than a decade of experience in legal technology and oversees business development for the western U.S. She is a graduate of the University of New Mexico. She can be reached at kclifford@clientprofiles.com. Are you exploring the possibility of using a blog to deliver training information? Yes No 39% 61% Are you exploring the possibility of using Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn to deliver training information? Yes No 16% 84% See the complete write-up on page 12. Peer to Peer the quarterly magazine of ILTA 47 5. Keep the Momentum Going. Finally, follow- up training is essential. Immediately after the classroom training, keep the trainers on the floor for an extra day or so to help everyone through the initial stages of working daily with the software. Following the initial “go- live” date, about six to twelve months down the road, have a trainer come back to help get new users up to speed, help staff utilize the software more effectively and provide some more advanced training. Whenever you purchase new software or hardware, plans for training should be built into the budget. In fact, your firm would be better off not buying new software if there is no money or time in your budget for sufficient training. You wouldn’t let a new BMW just sit in the driveway. Take that same attitude when you get new software and make training a priority. It will pay off in improved efficiency for your firm which, in turn, should lead to a bigger profit margin. ILTA Survey says . . . Are you exploring the possibility of using a wiki to provide training information? Yes No 53% 47%