The Rollout the Software Polka: Eight Rules for Successful Software Rollout.

Legal Assistant Today, Creative Computing, Vol. 10 No. 5, May/June, 1993-

By: Tatiana von Klan and Jack Baldwin-LeClair

Tatiana von Klan is a Branch Manager at Mead Data Central. Based in Mead's Philadelphia office, Tatiana is a specialist in LEXIS/NEXIS software implementation and human resource management. This issue we are lucky to have Tatiana von Klan as a guest columnist. She is a software resource specialist with the LEXIS/NEXIS group of Mead Data Central. Tatiana is my LEXIS/NEXIS Guru. Tatiana has givem me excellent advice for years about CALR and legal technology related problems.

Having supervised and nursed the implementation of many a software package in major law firms throughout the country, Tatiana has developed eight principles for "software rollout", a term of art in the software biz meaning successfully preparing the way for new software and making it work not only technically but because personnel in the organization understand it and use it effectively. Successful rollout is an integral part of controlling the technology of your firm.

Regular readers of this column may remember from an earlier column that applications are critical components of successful technology which must be managed and integrated into a firm's production flow. Without further meandering, here are Tatiana's suggestions for making new software at home in your old production environment.

1. Introduce the software and what it can do before it is actually on your system. This is the same as letting the kids know they are getting a dog and what it looks like before you actually bring Rover home. Everyone will be more comfortable. Use your firm newsletter or e-mail system to introduce the name and the function of the new software. At the same time, provide a time frame and possible impact on day-to-day operations of the firm. For example, "By the end of next week all attorneys on the fourth floor will have the Jurisoft Tools: CheckCite, CiteRite, CompareRite and FullAuthority. This software will be loaded on the network, and you will see another line item on your main menu screen. By agreement with our management, the Jurisoft reps will be providing an orientation to the software at the firm meeting next week. Please attend." The test of your success here will be how many people say to you, "I didn't know we had this. Since when?" In an ideal world, and all last minute depositions, court dates and personal emergencies aside, this will be a small number of people. If you do compare the announcement of software to bringing a puppy home, there are a couple of differences. There is a chance the dog will be better received and it is unlikely that anyone at the firm will hug you when they get the news.
2. Pick a "champion" for the project. In most organizations, there is one individual known as "the computer guru". People around her are sure that she knows all there is to know about computers, software and networks, and they may admire her. She can serve as a major "influencer" in creating a positive response to your new software, so it is easy as possible for her to be successful using it. Give her an advance copy, or some additional training to learn the more advanced applications of the package. This person should also be included in some decision-making (even if on a minor scale). She should discuss this involvement with her peers in the firm through a memo detailing the benefits of the package, or in a presentation. If this is a younger staff member or an associate, she will probably be glad to share her expertise in this way. If a more senior member of the firm, she will probably be glad to demonstrate yet another level of contribution to the firm's efficiency.
3. Be an advocate yourself. When it comes to software and enhancing the productivity of the firm, you are an "agent of change". This means you will assume a "senior statesman" position with regard to the software. While it may not be all things to all people, it is the package of choice and you and the attorneys in the firm are committed to it. We have observed this most effectively done by an Information Systems director of a large firm who knew the produce inside out - and who could relate it to the rest of the firm's plans. When challenged he spoke with confidence and took his time explaining the benefits of the software to the partner who had objections.
4. Rely on the software vendor as much as you can. The software vendor is counting on that. In more cases than we would like to remember, a consultant (who charges by the hour) has been paid to evaluate and to install a package of software that could have been easily handled by the software manufacturer or local distributor. In one case, we observed personally, a law firm paid $1500 to have LEXIS/NEXIS software installed. Mead Data Central, meanwhile, maintains a staff of several hundred to dp the same thing - at no charge. While it is true that not every organization can afford to do this in a quality way, you should feel free to ask your vendor to provide the support for which you may already be paying.
5. Consider using a test group within your organization, rather than one full- scale launch. This has been done successfully by a number of firms, such as Pepper Hamilton and Scheetz (with several hundred lawyers) in Philadelphia. When Wolf Block (using Wang in its main Philadelphia location) introduced an IBM and WordPerfect setup to its suburban office, it worked because, according to John Sroka, "As a practical matter, using a small controlled group makes it possible for you to know your test participants and to evaluate the package on a micro level. This can be MSBWA, Manage your Software By Walking Around". As a result of working with a small group, you may also end up with user-created documentation and "tip sheets" that will be more specific to your firm than anything the software rep can provide. On a larger scale, you will be able to gauge the impact of this software on your network or mainframe system.
6. Training is EVERYTHING. While we all eagerly await the day that software is "load and go" for the new user, we are far from that time. For now, training and documentation has to be developed and delivered by the firm so it will get the maximum benefit from its investment. These are suggested key components of the model training plan: Scheduling- plan for most people to attend -- but for many people to miss -- their appointed training session. While training is important, it is less important than billable hours or an attorney's individual professional reputation. At least for the first go-round, be understanding when this happens, because it will. When John and his staff at Wolf Block implemented CheckCite training, they worked closely with local LEXIS/NEXIS representatives. According to John, "We knew this would require intensive one-on-one training with the firm's researchers, and that we would not be able to meet with everyone in the first few scheduled sessions. My team made sure working with the attorneys who wanted to use CheckCite was a priority as it was loaded onto the network for general use. That was our committment from the outset. After that, we relied on the local Jurisoft sales team for support and trouble shooting". Acknowledge different levels of enthusiasm and familiarity - partners of a firm may need to know about a new redlining package, but chances are that they will not use it as often as their subordinates. They may require an orientation to the firm's software resources instead of hands-on training. If there is a chance that this group of partners is less than enthusiastic about the product - go back to step 2 and have someone help in the presentation. Develop your staff (and yourself) to live by training's golden rule: No question is a bad question. Encourage all forms of discussion. Expect that some of the most pressing questions will not be asked, because of the risk of appearing "uninformed". While no one likes to feel less knowledgeable about a subject than anyone else, this sentiment is particularly acute among those employed in law firms, at all levels. Follow up. Chances are that you will cover the basics in the first set of sessions. That's good, but you will get more from your investment if you go further. Enlist the help of the manufacturer or the firm in following up one-on-one if you can, with the people who have most enthusiasm and use for the product or service. In the case of LEXIS/NEXIS, for example, we expect everyone to have basic documentation and access to the 800 number for customer service. As a follow-up we may focus on those people who do a lot of research and who regularly assist others in electronic searching. This is the best use of attorney and researcher time. Documentation is too often the last part of the creative process when it comes to rolling out a software package. This is too bad, because when it actually comes time to use the software, all the user may have is the documentation - and a high level of frustration. Documentation provided by the software manufacturer will be somewhat helpful - especially if you are in a law firm where people are sufficiently interested in automation so that they will consider documentation of this kind bedtime reading. In years of experience, we cannot remember this. A more reasonable expectation is that users will ignore the documentation until there is an emergency, and then they will try to dig it out from among the other papers under the credenza.
7. Plan for the worst- it will happen. In our experience, a plan is not complete until it accounts for the darkest moments - say, someone doing research at midnight on a Sunday on a "save the farm" issue covered on that night's 11 o'clock news in the case of LEXIS/NEXIS, accompanying word processing software and e-mail to communicate with the client, everything has to work. Build this into your set-up. You can't assume you will be there to help - Murphy's law says this will happen when you are away on your honeymoon or taking the bar exam.
8. Use your success with this rollout to build toward the future. Assess your success and your problems, write them down, note problem areas that are structural, that are part of the production process itself (hardware, management and other technical support issues), and those that are human resource problems. Plan ways to fix problem areas and meet with your implementation team and management to create new strategies. Take a week off -then back to step one.

Again, my thanks to Tatiana for sharing her insight and suggestions with us. I will revisit LEXIS/NEXIS and Jurisoft products in the near future