Technology is an essential component of what makes a law firm tick, but it can’t do everything. If people, processes, and the right change management culture aren’t in place to support the technology you deploy, your problems won’t be solved by the most recent software or hardware. The link between strategy and success is strong – and often it doesn’t need the latest technology to make it work, but instead the right trifecta of these three components:
- Ensure the right people are focused on the right work
- Examine how process, culture and communication contribute to success
- Align technology decisions with strategic goals for the firm
To ensure successful implementation of technology solutions within your law firm, people, processes, and culture must all be taken into consideration. It is essential for a law firm to have the right people carrying out the right work in order to maximize efficiency and achieve success. The key is to identify the roles within the firm that are most critical for its operations and then ensure those positions are filled with personnel that possess the necessary skillset and abilities.
Examining how process, culture and communication contribute to success is just as important as having the right people in place for a law firm to achieve its goals. The processes a firm has in place need to be designed around the core of what the business does and be flexible enough to accommodate change. They must also be in alignment with current firm culture or be part of a larger strategic plan. Without people using the technology daily in accordance with those processes, any attempts to solve problems through technology will only be temporary Band-Aids rather than permanent solutions.
Aligning technology decisions with strategic goals for the firm is essential in order for a law firm to be successful. It’s important to understand how each new technology being introduced will both help and hinder the firm’s goals, and make sure that whatever technology is put into place is bringing benefit to the organization as a whole.
Without a well-rounded approach to problem solving that takes into account people and their behaviors, processes built around how people use the technology, and cultural factors such as client expectations or staff morale, any attempts to solve problems with technology will be ultimately unsuccessful.
The bottom line is people are responsible for taking action and making changes to solve problems. No matter what tools are available or how advanced the technology is, it's people who make decisions about how products are used and create the processes necessary for successful implementation of those tools. Building a solid strategic plan for your law firm that takes a holistic approach to these key areas will ensure your firm is set up for success.
