The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/271291
WWW.ILTANET.ORG 9 Have an "Open Mind" Policy: Demonstrate that new ideas are welcome with your words and actions. Stay Current: IT should be up to date on the platforms attorneys are using now and what they will be using next. Research and Ask Questions: Does the application solve a business problem? Is it only attractive because it is convenient? Understand the technical details of an application and the business problem it intends to solve. A comprehensive approach is critical to making intelligent decisions. Share Knowledge: You might already offer a solution that solves the business problem in question. When this happens, you are presented with a teaching opportunity. If an attorney identifies a gap in your service offerings, embrace the opportunity to improve the business. In either case, knowledge is transferred and value is delivered. Know Your Limits: Users will always have opportunities to subvert IT's control, so make sure they understand the purpose behind IT's policies. 5 WAYS TO WIN WITH CONSUMERIZATION INNOVATIVE SUGGESTIONS There are always exceptions to the rule. Some of the great applications we implement are ones we hear about from our users. Increasingly, attorneys are finding applications that fill service gaps in our IT offerings. It could be that their clients prefer to meet and collaborate using desktop videoconferencing. Perhaps attorneys want a better way to organize strong passwords using a password management application. There will always be new ways to use technology to do business better. It's important for IT to view these suggestions not as impositions or annoyances, but as opportunities to improve services. READY FOR CHANGE Unfortunately, it is not always easy to tell the difference between a subversive application and a great new business tool. It is harder still if IT isn't up to date on the technologies attorneys are using on their personal devices. It might not be our job to be experts on everything, but we should be familiar with the platforms that excite our users most. Without that knowledge, we cannot understand how applications really work, and we risk missed opportunities. Worse, we could fail to recognize potentially costly vulnerabilities. We cannot afford to ignore mobile and consumer applications anymore. Effective IT must always be open to suggestions and be prepared for change. If we aren't looking toward the future and to what's next, we aren't doing our jobs as technologists. The rise of application consumerization has changed the game for IT departments. Smart IT departments will use this change as an opportunity to re-educate their users, improve their technology offerings and improve security.