The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/230349
case studies • Apply weighted criteria, such as law firm orientation • View product demonstrations and/or online tours of top products • Obtain budgetary quotes based on IT list of vendor deliverables In Summary The extranet replacement project is serving as a pilot for requirements process improvement at McGuireWoods, under the guidance of our IT governance group. While some IT projects don't need as much process rigor, an extranet replacement project requires careful planning and execution. Requirements documents in this process could include: • Pull Dun & Bradstreet reports for finalists to determine viability The goal was to identify which products most closely matched the firm's business requirements within our architectural framework. Among other activities, our core project team met with a major client and a fellow law firm that had been through this already, and we consulted with third-party implementers. Our procurement office helped us assemble budgetary quotes for the final list covering three options: hosted, self-hosted and built internally. They were averaged using the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) analysis for the 2014 budget request ahead of a formal RFP. Business system analysis (BSA) output for the assessment included the business requirements in an Excel spreadsheet, the master assessment in Word, an executive presentation in PowerPoint and the budget data. Total BSA time was under 250 hours for this project assessment. • Business case • Business requirements • Procurement documents • Functional design specifications • Technical requirements • System design A business-centric approach differs from a system-facing one in that functional, technical and system requirements are not developed until business requirements are known fully. Thoroughly understanding business requirements ahead of an RFP or build ensures the product chosen is right for the business. Takeaways from our extranet replacement assessment are: • Form an advisory team comprised of lawyers, paralegals, secretaries and other key users who work with IT subjectmatter experts to identify current- and future-state extranet features, pain points with the current system and business priorities for a new system • Do your homework ahead of time to understand the current state • Know your stakeholders • Identify vendors and compare their offerings against specific business requirements to match the new extranet with what users need On to the RFP! Ruth Winston is a Business Systems Analyst with McGuireWoods, a global law firm with more than 900 lawyers who speak 35 languages in 19 offices. Dating back to 1834, the firm today crosses borders, practices and industries. Ruth brings many years of business systems analysis experience across multiple industries to the firm, which she joined in January 2013. Contact her at rwinston@mcguirewoods.com. 30 Peer to Peer