Peer to Peer Magazine

58 PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ILTA | SUMMER 2017 When we think about harnessing technology in our planning systems and firm cultures, it is useful to assess whether we have appropriate resources, partners and policies in place to conduct both long- range predictive planning practices (cyclical, adaptive forecasting based on traditional and historical market conditions) and pivot planning competencies (proactive strategies and value networks to ensure enough flexibility to adapt based on unforeseen market and culture issues). Both types of legal technology planning are inherent in creating and sustaining organizational and practice success. Predicting and Pivoting Traditional law firm technology organizations have an annual planning process in place that includes long- range predictive planning exercises such as an annual staffing plan to determine infrastructure, hosting, redundancy, hardware, soware and training needs. As part of this budgeting exercise, most firms also leverage soware to predict annual revenues, expenses, accounts receivables and risk to the budget based on technology expansion and support. Ticketing systems, uptime and downtime reports and other tracking tools allow for seasonal trend comparisons and real-time data to help with storage and security needs annually. The second type of planning, pivot planning, requires a new way of incorporating real-time feedback into the technology planning process. Using data inputs from a broad spectrum of soware tools and interdependent departments, nimble firms today meet unexpected demands for scalable and flexible resourcing, data storage and security by analyzing results on an ongoing basis. Rather than waiting for monthly or quarterly formal reports, leading firms We are all front-row spectators to the disruption, innovation, new market creation and value displacement happening in legal. These are the colliding business, legal and technology events transforming, destroying and sometimes sustaining our firm's growth strategies. by Seelin Naidoo of Intelliteach Best Practices in Predictive and Pivot Planning have learned how to create a culture of continuous feedback. Internal feedback about what is working and what isn't allows managers to use pivot planning tools to make smart decisions based on actionable data. Notice an uptick in help desk requests related to a new soware rollout? See training logs shi toward case management video downloads? When iterative planning processes include mechanisms for identifying trends in real time, proactive solutions can be employed to provide tips, tools and updates to ensure the highest user compliance and firm productivity. Forward-looking firms also know that pivot planning includes an emphasis on building partnerships with outsourcing experts; this is so trusted advisors are in place when needs adjust up or down to avoid staffing, bandwidth and security shortfalls. Investing in training and networking is critical to understanding when systems might be ready for upgrades, overhauls and replacement. Interactive dashboards and feedback loops are important to pivot planning because they ensure that all team members are empowered to share insights before an unseen change disrupts policy, bandwidth, client structure or economic conditions. Making a Good Plan Whether you are long-range predictive planning or pivot planning, two other critical business issues come into play: culture and training. Even with the best technology that money can buy and the best-laid plans for interactive feedback, a firm's success depends on its technology users. Law firms must implement planning strategies that include significant investment in resources to close the gap between technology and people. Oen overlooked elements of the planning process, technology training and IT support are the best ways to affect your technology planning process both in the short and long term, and they pave the way for increased contribution to the firm's boom line. P2P EXTRAS Best Practices in Predictive and Pivot Planning

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