Visual Files
Objective
The aim of the project was to deliver a case management system that could support the accurate reporting of matter financials in a form defined by the client.
Project Challenges
The project involved a significant number of challenges including a client threatening to move to another law firm; the availability of internal IT resourcing; a lack of work process understanding; a solution that didn't support global deployment, and a lack of clarity as to how data should be reported.
The Client
The threat of a client leaving was the first of the challenges because it meant that there needed to be an honest discussion with the legal team as to how they worked, how they delivered against client expectations, and the issues arising with that delivery.
This analysis phase enabled the project team to draft a comprehensive RFI for suppliers indicating the key functional requirements using a MoSCoW analysis.
Given the client situation and the need to demonstrate progress, the analysis and solution selection phase was inevitably brief.
Internal Resources
The project could not have started at a worse time because the IT team was delivering a full program of projects. On paper there was no capacity to undertake any further work.
The project was therefore delivered using a very skilled consultant from Lexis Nexis and a reliance on the good will of the IT team to fit in work when requested.
Work Process
Visual Files is a work flow tool and needs to be configured to reflect business process. The analysis phase was intended to identify how the system needed to be configured,. However, is soon became apparent that everyone had a different view on how they worked.
The agreed work process was therefore designed by one Associate who had a clear vision on how work should be delivered, rather than how it was delivered. This design was signed off by Partners before delivery to Lexis Nexis for configuration.
Global Deployment
During the RFI processes, the key requirement was that a solution needed to be used by a globally distributed team working on the same matters. This requirement was reviewed by Lexis Nexis and they confirmed that Visual Files did support it.
During delivery however it soon became apparent that Visual Files could only support a global team if the solution was deployed to one region and the other regions accessed it via Citrix. This approach was disappointing but the teams agreed that it would be acceptable and so the project progressed to conclusion.
Reporting
Client reporting was the critical output from the system as it informed the client as to their likely financial exposure to current and likely future claims. The effectiveness of reporting was the key benefit from the system but no-one could agree on how reporting measures were to be calculated.
In collaboration with the client and legal team, the project team produced an agreed dictionary of measures and calculations which were then used in the reporting output.
Outcome
The project was delivered on time and within budget using a significant amount of good will from the IT team.
The relationship with the client was maintained and reporting became an automatic process rather than a quarterly effort that consumed 180 hours of Associate and Partner time.
Interestingly whilst the project delivered for one client, the legal team were unwilling to roll the solution out more widely despite there being a clear business benefit it it had been.
Lessons Learned
- Question suppliers carefully on critical requirements. Understand how requirements will be met and if those solutions will be acceptable.
- Be flexible enough to deliver new projects that may come out of the blue and which need to be delivered quickly.
- Maintain excellent relationships with the IT team so good will can be used if needed.
- Be prepared to guide and cajole subject matter experts to ensure they provide the information required.
- Engage the client as part of the project team. Communicate effectively and ensure their requirements are properly understood.