Before you buy legal tech software, do this

1. Understand the problem you’re trying to fix. Understand what’s causing the problem in granular detail from the end-user’s/client’s/customer’s perspective.
2. Don’t assume software will fix your problems. Most lawyers know very little about software and tech salespeople are slick – that’s their profession.
3. Capture the data you need to be able to compare your current state to the future state and report on your success.
4. Understand the business impact of the problem in time wasted, $ wasted or to be gained, cashflow impact, “real risk” reduced (which must be connected to time or $) and opportunity cost. Know to the minute and $ what the size of the problem is.
5. Think about (brainstorm or ideate are new fancy words for thinking) solutions to the causes of the problems. Some of the solutions may include software, but some may not.
6. Do the possible solutions fit with organisational reality (budget, strategy, priorities, existing systems and processes)?
7. What does the organisation already have that might solve the problem? What skilled resources do we already employ? What software do we already use? What software is in the pipeline?
8. Iterate your proposed solutions – think about the problem again, but now with other stakeholders involved from your key internal clients who’ll benefit from the proposed tech and your internal IT team.
9. Cut through the software jungle by selecting the ‘category’ of software which will achieve at least 80% of your scope. Now do your due diligence on exactly what tech you need to solve the cause of the problem.
10. Be prepared to run a pilot or develop a proof of concept – a short term pilot will save you in the long term.

If you want to discuss any of the above, cut through tech vendor “smoke and mirrors”, or develop your business case to buy legal tech, contact us.