When it comes to implementing new legal technology, there are a lot of unknowns — will it work? Is it worth the price tag? Will it boost productivity and efficiency like it promises? If it doesn’t, you just cost your company thousands with nothing to show for it. You know the potential efficiency gains could be massive, but you’re not sure if the risk is worth it.
While nothing worth having is risk-free, your legal technology implementation can go more smoothly when you adopt a change management strategy. Change management helps you take the leap with confidence and facilitates long-term success with your new legal tech tool.
Why change management is crucial for transformation initiatives
Implementing new legal technology into your organization may seem like no big deal given how prevalent SaaS tools are today, but it still requires a change in expectations, daily routines, and the vehicles you use to achieve your goals.
Many tech implementations fail when the champion or company leadership don’t enable their teams to navigate change. A change management strategy helps bridge that gap and pave the way for more seamless change. By facilitating expectation setting, effective communication, and getting buy-in from stakeholders, change management helps increase your chances of gaining widespread adoption.
Every change management strategy has these essential elements:
- Clear objectives
- Stakeholder analysis
- Communication
- Training and support
- Implementation plan
- Monitor and evaluate
Notice that the implementation plan is only part of a full strategy. To truly reap the benefits of implementing legal technology, you have to know why you’re doing it, what impact you want it to have, and how you’ll support your team during the transition period.
Key steps for implementing a successful legal technology project
Implementing legal technology using a change management framework requires that you know exactly what you’re getting into. It creates a clear roadmap for increasing engagement with a new tool (or process).
Start with buy-in.
Get the right people in on the project from the beginning. Show leadership and key collaborators what problems you’re solving, perceived benefits, and projected outcomes. Don’t forget to get buy-in from the end user, too.
Plan for disruptions.
There’s no such thing as a perfect implementation or adoption process, so factor delays and hiccups into your implementation timeline.
Communicate as much as possible.
People tend to be more chill when they know what to expect. Increase user adoption and engagement by letting your team in on it. Let them know the purpose of the change and what that will mean for their day-to-day life.
Enable your team to use the new legal technology.
Provide ongoing training and support as you ramp up your team. Cater to different learning styles and give them ample opportunities to seek clarification or provide feedback.
Remember, people take time to adjust to new things — it’s why so many people hate the discomfort of change. It’s okay if there aren’t immediate gains.
Takeaways
Change management is an important part of every legal technology project. To ensure successful implementation timelines and outcomes, involve the right stakeholders early on — especially IT. Communicate as much as possible to everyone so no one feels blindsided by this change, and measure your efficiency along the way.
