The Importance of a Technology Strategy for Legal Services Organizations
I have helped dozens of organizations in the legal field to develop technology strategies over the last decade from private firms, to legal aid organizations, to legal based nonprofits. In my work I’ve found that no matter the size of your organization or its mission, it’s vitally important to have a clear technology strategy in place. In my years of work in IT management I’ve seen many technology crises befall an organization due to a lack of foresight and planning. Such incidents have a real world cost in terms of time, money, and stress on personnel. The effects of these events can include cybersecurity issues, equipment replacement, hiring new staff, and the stress of managing daily tasks when technical needs aren't met. I’ve found this to be true particularly in the legal field, where access to technology can make the difference between success and failure in every client interaction.
What is a Technology Strategy?
A technology strategy is a blueprint for how an organization uses technology to its benefit. Many mistakenly view technology as just a tool for daily tasks, but in today's world, it's where business happens. Imagine running your organization without email or the virtual meetings we relied on during the pandemic. These examples highlight that thriving in today's world requires technology. With a proper strategy, business tools can be well-understood and effectively used by both your team and clients, transforming technology from a necessary burden into a powerful advantage.
How to Develop a Technology Strategy for your Organization
Here are some important guidelines I’ve found to be effective when creating a technology strategy:
Start Small
Have a small group of 2-5 people within your organization draft a plan. It's important to include individuals with technical expertise, someone familiar with your organization's current challenges, and someone who can align your technology strategy with the organization's overall goals.
A draft plan should include:
- A list of current technology challenges along with a survey of current equipment and software
- An analysis of emerging technology trends in the field and recommendations for updating key technologies
- A thorough review of cybersecurity efforts and plans for security improvement
- A roadmap and budget for the implementation of new technologies
- A summary of how the technology strategy aligns with the goals of your organization
Use a People First Mentality
Adopting new technologies can create unnecessary stress , but this stress can be improved by communication and training. Ensure your plan accounts for communicating with your clients on any changes for how to access your services and communicate with you, and carefully plan how to train your staff on how to adopt and use new technologies you plan to implement. Training can be accomplished through the use of vendors or experts, or by leveraging internal expertise. You should also work with both internal and external groups when developing your technology strategy, particularly when evaluating new technical tools.
Don’t Overdo It
When developing a technology strategy there’s often a desire to get the most powerful new computers, or invest in exciting software and technical trends. Caution is warranted here however. Carefully concentrate only on what is going to practically work for your organization. Does every firm and organization need an in house server along with a hugely complex suite of software with the latest artificial intelligence tools?
The answer is a definite no.
Limiting yourself to only the technologies you truly need is a great way to lessen the disruption caused by the resulting changes called for in your strategy.
Consult the Experts
It's easy to miss a number of options and opportunities that might be available to us due to a simple lack of knowledge regarding what’s out there. This is why it’s important to get a second opinion when developing your technology strategy. A good practice is to review a draft of your technology plan with a partner organization, another friendly firm, or a consulting firm. Consultants specializing in legal technology can be particularly helpful in this regard as they have knowledge and experience with a number of tools you might not be familiar with.
Here are some specific resources to consider when drafting your technology strategy:
Employing Your Technology Strategy
Once you’ve reviewed and finalized your technology strategy, it's now time to implement it. Here are some thoughts about how to best accomplish this:
Share and Promote Your Plan
Sharing your technology strategy is a great way to increase the confidence of your internal and external stakeholders as it can clearly demonstrate your organizational commitment to keeping up with emerging technologies and practices in the legal field. This is a great way to showcase your organization’s professionalism and ability to adapt, change, and grow.
Provide Training
Perhaps the most important aspect of your technology strategy is how you plan to implement the daily use of new tools and software within your organization. It’s vital to remember that these are the people who will be using your new technology every day and have the biggest stake in how it works in the real world. It is absolutely essential to provide your staff and partners, and your clients, with ongoing training on the technologies used by your organization, and easy access to policies, procedures, and other documentation that clearly outline how it is to be used.
Update It Frequently
A true technology strategy is not something that’s completed once and then considered done - it’s a living document with a lifecycle as long as that of your organization. A technology strategy should be updated on a regular basis, annually at the very least. By continually updating your technology strategy you allow your organization to continually take advantage of new technologies and practices in the legal field.
Conclusion
The way your organization uses technology has a fundamental impact on the way you communicate with your clients and how your personnel are able to complete their daily work. Technology is how we transact almost every aspect of our business today, and failing to consider this fact can have a net negative impact on your organization.
At A2J Tech, we are dedicated to helping organizations like yours identify and implement optimal technology solutions, ensuring you maximize their benefits. A technology services assessment is an excellent first step in refining your strategy and harnessing technology to serve both your business and its people effectively.
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