Marry up tech investments with change management

Returns aren’t guaranteed on tech investments – an effective change management strategy is just as important as the initial purchase, says Simon Farthing, commercial director, LexisNexis Enterprise Solutions.

Time and again one hears excited announcements about investment in new technology by law firms, explaining how it’s deployment will transform their business and securely position the firm on a growth trajectory. Two years on, you speak to the firm about how transformative the technology has been and you hear things to the effect “we have done some really great foundational work.” You ask, how many users of the technology there are and the reply is – “we don’t want to talk about numbers, because we are on a journey.” Asked whether they have un-installed the old technology, their response is – “oh no, it’s still in use as we are still transitioning.” These are all signs that the project hasn’t been as successful as the firm expected.

So, what stops technology projects from succeeding? Frequently, organisations spend significant amounts of money on deploying the latest and greatest technology, with the expectation that the business efficiency curve or the employee productivity graph will see a sharp upward rise – but it doesn’t, causing grave disappointment. This is despite every analysis being diligently undertaken – why the technology is needed, where friction lies in the processes, how the new system will enable new ways of working, and so forth.

Most of the time, I find that the key reason for limited technology project success is change management, or lack of. You wouldn’t let just anyone in the firm work on a complex M&A matter, leaving them to their own devices to figure out the legal complications of the work – would you? The same argument applies to new technology adoption.

For any new technology adoption, from a change management standpoint, here are some pointers:

Communication and dialogue: For technology teams, the business imperative for new technologies may be obvious, but for business stakeholders, the rationale may not be as clear cut. For some time-poor legal professionals, learning and becoming comfortable with the new processes may even be disruptive to their workday.

Change management at the time of adoption is important, but involving stakeholders in a meaningful way where they feel empowered to input on their requirements is a better approach. Rather than go down a hobbyist approach by saying “when you have a moment, could you feedback on the data mapping process?” it might be better to give people the time and space to be involved strategically in the technology project from the beginning. The individuals can then drive the process or technology development so that it actually solves their problem – at which point they then become invested in the solution. Otherwise, individuals are likely to be conflicted between prioritising the day job – on which they are measured – over inputting into a data mapping process, which carries the risk of a tick box exercise on their part.

Structured change management: For technology projects to be taken seriously as strategic programmes, they must have structured and planned supporting change management initiatives, with senior sponsors with authority driving them. This will ensure that there is buy-in for the “business imperative” of the project. If you are well-engaged with your stakeholders, the reasons for change are understood without having to articulate these after the solution’s delivery. Ensuring that everyone knows where you are going and why is as important as getting a solution completed.

Consequences: There must be deliverables, deadlines and consequences, attached to every technology project. The project must be completed by X date, Y will be the quantifiable and named deliverable, and if these aren’t achieved, the consequence will be Z. This will enable measurement of the return of investment too.

I would conclude by also saying that the amount of significant technology change that has historically happened in law firms is relatively low, but is ever increasing.  Work with suppliers and partners who can share valuable change experience, and know-how to get you to the best outcome whilst avoiding pitfalls that they will already have seen.