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WWW.ILTANET.ORG
Conducting a Market Review for Vendors
Look at contenders with stability and longevity in
the market and newcomers who bring state-of-
the-art technology. Review provider websites for
core business models and to learn if this tool is
their main product or a sideline.
You can gain useful insight about the vendors by
looking at blogs, the ILTA site and trade shows and
by asking colleagues at other firms.
Consider nonlinear replacement options; you
might find one new tool that can replace several
you have.
Select your top three vendors.
» Request product literature, security
compliance and pricing information.
Reluctance to provide this could be a red flag.
» Do an initial preview of the tools to be sure
they meet your minimum criteria.
» Get a feel for the vendor's customer support. A
great sales representative does not mean the
company has great customer support. Further
assess their responsiveness and expertise
during the testing phase.
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Bringing the Focus Group Together
Include both power users and newer people in
this group. With their assessment of the ease of
use and definition of the learning curve, the laer
are key to the process.
This is a huge opportunity for end users to
contribute to the firm's success above and beyond
their regular duties. Fostering inclusion also
serves as motivation to complete the project,
especially when the product directly relates to
their daily practice.
Do not waste users' time. Set a reasonable
schedule and keep demos under one hour.
Adhering to deadlines is key.
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The Well-Made Action Plan for Firm Initiatives
CASE STUDIES
We found the right solutions, on time and
on budget, using this action plan. The plan's
success relied on team input, collaboration with
excellent vendors and support from the firm's
decision makers.
CATHERINE MCPHERSON
Catherine McPherson is a Litigation
Management Consultant at Bartlit
Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP.
She has many years of experience in
litigation support as a paralegal and
consultant.
