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There is much to be desired of legal education, particularly as it relates to practical skills: basic coding, Microsoft Excel, writing a legal team’s budget, and importantly, how to procure software. In the centuries old legal profession where tradition and precedent rule, technology is the bold innovator.
Successful organizations and lawyers today must harness the power of technology to boost efficiency, increase productivity, and maintain a competitive edge, particularly as we enter an AI renaissance. However, navigating the technology purchase process can be daunting. This comprehensive, five-step guide will help lawyers navigate through the process, ensuring you can make informed business-intelligent decisions that add real value to your organization.
The first step in your technology purchasing journey is to establish an all-in budget, one that goes beyond the initial purchase price. This involves working closely with your procurement department to determine how much you can afford to spend, typically over the course of 1 year, also aligning with your organization’s buying cycle. Consider all the potential costs, including:
A clear budget enables you to guide your conversations with suppliers and help you avoid overcommitting financially.
Once you have a budget, start reaching out to software suppliers. The goal is to determine if their solutions solve your specific problems. During these calls, focus on:
Prepare a list of questions to ensure you cover all your bases during these calls. Understanding the unique value each offers will help you narrow down your options.
Before delving into detailed discussions with suppliers, put a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place. This protects your supplier's confidential information and ensures that any proprietary information shared during the evaluation process is secure. The supplier will also wish to maintain confidentiality around their pricing and technology they will share with you. It’s a crucial step to safeguard your interests and foster a transparent dialogue with potential suppliers.
After preliminary discussions, schedule a technical capabilities call with each supplier. The purpose of this call is to ensure the software can integrate well with your existing systems. Be practical throughout the process. Not all technology will integrate perfectly but if it is 80% of the way there, you’re in a great spot. Invite all internal technical stakeholders to participate as the process moves forward to facilitate agreement and endorsement. For example, you should certainly invite a member of your internal security team as well as your internal integrations/IT team. In the event you don’t know who those stakeholders are exactly, don’t fret: a prepared supplier will be able to help you navigate the org chart to find them.
During this call, you will do a deeper technical dive and demonstration. Discuss:
Involving your IT/engineering/security department to these calls is crucial to address technical concerns and ensure a smooth integration process.
There will likely be follow up questions from your team. It streamlines the process immensely to consolidate the questions by setting internal question gathering timelines, otherwise there will be open ended processes that will drag out cycles for everyone involved.
Once you’ve selected a supplier, the next step is to establish success criteria and prepare for deployment, including a timeline with milestone dates. Define what success looks like by setting clear, measurable goals. This might include:
Preparing for deployment involves creating a detailed implementation plan, scheduling training sessions for staff, and setting up a support structure to address any issues that arise post-deployment.
How to Ensure Technology Doesn't End Up on the Shelf
The final and perhaps most critical step is ensuring the technology you purchase is actively implemented and used and doesn’t end up sitting on the shelf. Here’s how:
By following these steps, you can make a well-informed technology purchase that enhances your organization’s operations and avoids the common pitfalls of underutilized software. Investing time in the selection and implementation process ensures you get the most value from your technology investment.
There is much to be desired of legal education, particularly as it relates to practical skills: basic coding, Microsoft Excel, writing a legal team’s budget, and importantly, how to procure software. In the centuries old legal profession where tradition and precedent rule, technology is the bold innovator.
Successful organizations and lawyers today must harness the power of technology to boost efficiency, increase productivity, and maintain a competitive edge, particularly as we enter an AI renaissance. However, navigating the technology purchase process can be daunting. This comprehensive, five-step guide will help lawyers navigate through the process, ensuring you can make informed business-intelligent decisions that add real value to your organization.
The first step in your technology purchasing journey is to establish an all-in budget, one that goes beyond the initial purchase price. This involves working closely with your procurement department to determine how much you can afford to spend, typically over the course of 1 year, also aligning with your organization’s buying cycle. Consider all the potential costs, including:
A clear budget enables you to guide your conversations with suppliers and help you avoid overcommitting financially.
Once you have a budget, start reaching out to software suppliers. The goal is to determine if their solutions solve your specific problems. During these calls, focus on:
Prepare a list of questions to ensure you cover all your bases during these calls. Understanding the unique value each offers will help you narrow down your options.
Before delving into detailed discussions with suppliers, put a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place. This protects your supplier's confidential information and ensures that any proprietary information shared during the evaluation process is secure. The supplier will also wish to maintain confidentiality around their pricing and technology they will share with you. It’s a crucial step to safeguard your interests and foster a transparent dialogue with potential suppliers.
After preliminary discussions, schedule a technical capabilities call with each supplier. The purpose of this call is to ensure the software can integrate well with your existing systems. Be practical throughout the process. Not all technology will integrate perfectly but if it is 80% of the way there, you’re in a great spot. Invite all internal technical stakeholders to participate as the process moves forward to facilitate agreement and endorsement. For example, you should certainly invite a member of your internal security team as well as your internal integrations/IT team. In the event you don’t know who those stakeholders are exactly, don’t fret: a prepared supplier will be able to help you navigate the org chart to find them.
During this call, you will do a deeper technical dive and demonstration. Discuss:
Involving your IT/engineering/security department to these calls is crucial to address technical concerns and ensure a smooth integration process.
There will likely be follow up questions from your team. It streamlines the process immensely to consolidate the questions by setting internal question gathering timelines, otherwise there will be open ended processes that will drag out cycles for everyone involved.
Once you’ve selected a supplier, the next step is to establish success criteria and prepare for deployment, including a timeline with milestone dates. Define what success looks like by setting clear, measurable goals. This might include:
Preparing for deployment involves creating a detailed implementation plan, scheduling training sessions for staff, and setting up a support structure to address any issues that arise post-deployment.
How to Ensure Technology Doesn't End Up on the Shelf
The final and perhaps most critical step is ensuring the technology you purchase is actively implemented and used and doesn’t end up sitting on the shelf. Here’s how:
By following these steps, you can make a well-informed technology purchase that enhances your organization’s operations and avoids the common pitfalls of underutilized software. Investing time in the selection and implementation process ensures you get the most value from your technology investment.
Successful organizations and lawyers today must harness the power of technology to boost efficiency, increase productivity, and maintain a competitive edge, particularly as we enter an AI renaissance. However, navigating the technology purchase process can be daunting. This comprehensive, five-step guide will help lawyers navigate through the process, ensuring you can make informed business-intelligent decisions that add real value to your organization.
The first step in your technology purchasing journey is to establish an all-in budget, one that goes beyond the initial purchase price. This involves working closely with your procurement department to determine how much you can afford to spend, typically over the course of 1 year, also aligning with your organization’s buying cycle. Consider all the potential costs, including:
A clear budget enables you to guide your conversations with suppliers and help you avoid overcommitting financially.
Once you have a budget, start reaching out to software suppliers. The goal is to determine if their solutions solve your specific problems. During these calls, focus on:
Prepare a list of questions to ensure you cover all your bases during these calls. Understanding the unique value each offers will help you narrow down your options.
Before delving into detailed discussions with suppliers, put a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place. This protects your supplier's confidential information and ensures that any proprietary information shared during the evaluation process is secure. The supplier will also wish to maintain confidentiality around their pricing and technology they will share with you. It’s a crucial step to safeguard your interests and foster a transparent dialogue with potential suppliers.
After preliminary discussions, schedule a technical capabilities call with each supplier. The purpose of this call is to ensure the software can integrate well with your existing systems. Be practical throughout the process. Not all technology will integrate perfectly but if it is 80% of the way there, you’re in a great spot. Invite all internal technical stakeholders to participate as the process moves forward to facilitate agreement and endorsement. For example, you should certainly invite a member of your internal security team as well as your internal integrations/IT team. In the event you don’t know who those stakeholders are exactly, don’t fret: a prepared supplier will be able to help you navigate the org chart to find them.
During this call, you will do a deeper technical dive and demonstration. Discuss:
Involving your IT/engineering/security department to these calls is crucial to address technical concerns and ensure a smooth integration process.
There will likely be follow up questions from your team. It streamlines the process immensely to consolidate the questions by setting internal question gathering timelines, otherwise there will be open ended processes that will drag out cycles for everyone involved.
Once you’ve selected a supplier, the next step is to establish success criteria and prepare for deployment, including a timeline with milestone dates. Define what success looks like by setting clear, measurable goals. This might include:
Preparing for deployment involves creating a detailed implementation plan, scheduling training sessions for staff, and setting up a support structure to address any issues that arise post-deployment.
How to Ensure Technology Doesn't End Up on the Shelf
The final and perhaps most critical step is ensuring the technology you purchase is actively implemented and used and doesn’t end up sitting on the shelf. Here’s how:
By following these steps, you can make a well-informed technology purchase that enhances your organization’s operations and avoids the common pitfalls of underutilized software. Investing time in the selection and implementation process ensures you get the most value from your technology investment.
There is much to be desired of legal education, particularly as it relates to practical skills: basic coding, Microsoft Excel, writing a legal team’s budget, and importantly, how to procure software. In the centuries old legal profession where tradition and precedent rule, technology is the bold innovator.
Successful organizations and lawyers today must harness the power of technology to boost efficiency, increase productivity, and maintain a competitive edge, particularly as we enter an AI renaissance. However, navigating the technology purchase process can be daunting. This comprehensive, five-step guide will help lawyers navigate through the process, ensuring you can make informed business-intelligent decisions that add real value to your organization.
The first step in your technology purchasing journey is to establish an all-in budget, one that goes beyond the initial purchase price. This involves working closely with your procurement department to determine how much you can afford to spend, typically over the course of 1 year, also aligning with your organization’s buying cycle. Consider all the potential costs, including:
A clear budget enables you to guide your conversations with suppliers and help you avoid overcommitting financially.
Once you have a budget, start reaching out to software suppliers. The goal is to determine if their solutions solve your specific problems. During these calls, focus on:
Prepare a list of questions to ensure you cover all your bases during these calls. Understanding the unique value each offers will help you narrow down your options.
Before delving into detailed discussions with suppliers, put a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place. This protects your supplier's confidential information and ensures that any proprietary information shared during the evaluation process is secure. The supplier will also wish to maintain confidentiality around their pricing and technology they will share with you. It’s a crucial step to safeguard your interests and foster a transparent dialogue with potential suppliers.
After preliminary discussions, schedule a technical capabilities call with each supplier. The purpose of this call is to ensure the software can integrate well with your existing systems. Be practical throughout the process. Not all technology will integrate perfectly but if it is 80% of the way there, you’re in a great spot. Invite all internal technical stakeholders to participate as the process moves forward to facilitate agreement and endorsement. For example, you should certainly invite a member of your internal security team as well as your internal integrations/IT team. In the event you don’t know who those stakeholders are exactly, don’t fret: a prepared supplier will be able to help you navigate the org chart to find them.
During this call, you will do a deeper technical dive and demonstration. Discuss:
Involving your IT/engineering/security department to these calls is crucial to address technical concerns and ensure a smooth integration process.
There will likely be follow up questions from your team. It streamlines the process immensely to consolidate the questions by setting internal question gathering timelines, otherwise there will be open ended processes that will drag out cycles for everyone involved.
Once you’ve selected a supplier, the next step is to establish success criteria and prepare for deployment, including a timeline with milestone dates. Define what success looks like by setting clear, measurable goals. This might include:
Preparing for deployment involves creating a detailed implementation plan, scheduling training sessions for staff, and setting up a support structure to address any issues that arise post-deployment.
How to Ensure Technology Doesn't End Up on the Shelf
The final and perhaps most critical step is ensuring the technology you purchase is actively implemented and used and doesn’t end up sitting on the shelf. Here’s how:
By following these steps, you can make a well-informed technology purchase that enhances your organization’s operations and avoids the common pitfalls of underutilized software. Investing time in the selection and implementation process ensures you get the most value from your technology investment.
There is much to be desired of legal education, particularly as it relates to practical skills: basic coding, Microsoft Excel, writing a legal team’s budget, and importantly, how to procure software. In the centuries old legal profession where tradition and precedent rule, technology is the bold innovator.
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