publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/395170
end user, by the technology and by the department members involved. We color-coded these three divisions on all process maps to make it easy for end users and departments to see their responsibilities and where technology is involved. For those unfamiliar with swim lanes, it might behoove you to take a look at some samples; it might make the process a little easier for you than it initially was for us. OUR BELLY FLOPS We did a lot right, but we did get some things wrong — the first mistake came in our initial communication of the project. We should have started at a high level and gotten buy-in from department heads. We started with the people who were actually doing the work. People do not like being under a microscope regarding their job duties, and there was some fear of the effects of mapping out these processes: People were afraid they might be replaced or outsourced, which was never contemplated. You need to be cognizant of this danger and appreciate the effect it has on those being asked to share vital process information. We also had some difficulty identifying the person or persons most familiar with the processes. Your department heads should have that information (another reason to start with them). Even with their participation, it's still important to find all the people involved; To get a complete picture of each process, you need to include not only those who own the processes but also those who perform them. Be sure this need is communicated along the way. Inevitably, there were times when we encountered a resistant audience that either did not have the time or desire to share with our facilitators. Having a way to handle such resistance is vital to keeping your project moving forward. At that point, we, as facilitators, had no power over resistant audiences, so we needed the heavy hitters to step in and compel them to participate. Because the department heads were not involved at the outset, that was not always possible — a lesson learned the hard way. GO FOR THE GOLD We did this process mapping several years ago in a business climate different from today's, so our goals were not what they might be now. We were simply looking to document the processes. Years later, we have gained unexpected benefits when re-examining our processes with a goal toward improvement — eliminating non-value steps, automating tasks and reducing bottlenecks and duplication. We had the processes documented, which put us well on our way. Documenting a multitude of processes as a whole might be daunting, but don't shy away. Just jump in — pick something that's not too involved, and you'll quickly find you're learning to swim. ILTA WHITE PAPER: OCTOBER 2014 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 20 SWIM LANES: MAPPING PROCESSES WHILE LEARNING TO SWIM As processes start unfolding, you will be identifying gaps and doing a lot of revising.