publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/550988
ILTA WHITE PAPER: JULY 2015 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 8 costs, and they, in turn, asked for and came to expect more value and efficiency from their law firms. KM is an effective way to respond to these pressures. With KM's mandate expanding and expectations changing, many law firms and in-house legal departments with mature KM are rethinking and re-evaluating their KM strategies. Organizations that have not yet adopted formal KM are now seriously considering implementation. Whether refreshing your current KM systems, starting a KM program from scratch, or doing KM project-by-project, the following recipe should help you design a KM approach that fits your organization. SURVEY THE ENVIRONMENT Before you can start planning, you need to get a lay of the land by examining both the external and internal landscapes. What is considered "market" for KM in law firms specifically and professional services firms generally? What are your organization's business goals, culture, leadership, structure, content, processes, technology and resources? This will help you gauge how your organization compares with others and what makes the most sense for your organization. First look outside of your own organization. Where have other organizations succeeded? What has proven fruitless? You will want to get a flavor for what is hot and trending. Follow KM blogs and consult ILTA KM surveys and white papers for valuable insight into KM developments, hits and misses, must-haves and conundrums. With an understanding of the external environment, you are ready to take a hard look at your organization, zeroing in on its business goals and any barriers or enablers to successful KM. Business Goals. Identifying your organization's business goals could be straightforward or require research, depending on how clearly your organization articulates its goals and how broadly your leadership shares this information. Look for the business goals by reviewing the organization's strategic plan and annual reports. Talk to primary stakeholders. Is the organization looking to gain market share? Is it focused on increasing efficiencies and reducing costs? Is increasing the level of client service the number one goal? Or, is enhancing associate competencies the top priority? In analyzing what you discover, you will want to ascertain the organization's short- and long-term objectives and critical projects to assess whether and how KM has a role to play. Content and Process. In many organizations, KM plays a major part in gathering, developing and organizing content and standardizing and enhancing processes. Conducting a knowledge audit is fundamental to understanding your organization's current knowledge challenges, knowledge sources within the organization and kinds of knowledge already being shared. Use the audit to determine whether any reusable work product (for example, precedents and research) exists and what remains to be developed. Try to uncover people's pain points and the workarounds invented to get their work done. Find out whether any processes have emerged for capturing and sharing knowledge. A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: COOKING UP KM FROM SCRATCH Look for projects that make a difference to the entire organization or sizable groups rather than one or two lawyers.