FAQ
Where does technology assisted automation and business process reengineering begins and ends? It's all a bit confusing
They are highly integrated and inseparable nowadays. Legal and operational procedures and processes present opportunities for improvements across vectors such as risk management, process efficiencies and profitability. Technology, when properly integrated, is an inseparable enabler. Certainly though, technology is a means to an end.
My software vendor provides a PM, why should I use your services as well?
Over the years we learned time and again from our clients that vendors rarely provide complete initiative management that goes beyond standard PM practices. More complex projects require more than rote PM check lists. The firm’s internal managers who own such initiatives already have very time demanding day jobs that preclude the kind of dedicated time and mind share needed to meet success measures. ii3 assumes the role of a "quarterback" and works directly with all stakeholders, internal and external, overseeing details small and large - while reporting directly to to the initiative’s business owner/s.
Why should we outsource vendor selection process to ii3? We can do so internally!
There could be 2 major reasons to do so: 1) when vendor selection includes pre RFP activities such as high level requirements gathering, and crosses multiple stakeholder groups in the firm (e.g. IT, business departments etc.) - scarcity of internal resources capable of doing all of the required steps for a successful selection process could be an issue - one that ii3 can help back-fill and/or 2) internal firm resources do not have up to date experience with a given solution and therefore the lay of the land in the vendor space. ii3 can drive early requirements that help sharpen vendor selection procedures, build consensus among internal stakeholders to smoothly overcome objections and slow downs, motivate vendors to participate by giving them the best platform to present their case, and provide tools to assess vendor responses.
Are adoption and change management practices critical to your practice?
When it comes to processes and systems that affect attorneys and staff directly, especially day to day, there’s little that’s more important as a measure of success. First and foremost, we make it an explicit part of the initiative. Learning about their needs, recruiting and informing key stakeholders that represent end users, making changes to processes and functionality in order to increase probability of adoption, and developing a myriad of communications, training and support protocols is interleaved into the project from inception to end. It is not an afterthought. We lived through dozens of projects with high impact on end users, some of which had high resistance quotient. We, together with our clients, apply best practices and lessons learned, but also the experience that comes from practical, not just theoretical know how.
How will your services translate to tangible value?
Assuming that some budget was already allocated to project management tasks, our proven track record, experience, and deep knowledge of law firms and how they function translates to far less risk in meeting the firm's goals for timelines, budgets and adoption process utilization goals. Another way to see our value is like insurance. It's a bit of a premium but one that allows business leads in the firm to spend far less time worrying about meeting the project goals - including budget goals, timelines and desired impact. It is safe to assume that the initiative's business leads will therefore reduce the time they dedicate to the project, allowing them to do more of their "day job" instead. Considering the total cost of ownership associated with complex automation and process re engineering - our costs will represent a small portion of it and in many cases will dramatically reduce the possibility that the firm will face budget overruns, increased timelines and the stress and friction associated with them.
Why should we use your services when we have business level managers and/or a dedicated internal PM?
There are scenarios when internal senior project management resources work well. In fact, such an individual has a tremendous value. So much so that they’re usually over extended already. Here are other scenarios:
*Such resources may not have expertise and best practices associated with a given initiative and its focus.
*The firm may not have internal resources with sufficient seniority to meet the demands of a project's complexity and level of effective interaction across the firm’s departments and stakeholders seniority levels.
*In some cases internal PMing is technology focused. In contrast, ii3 brings strong business focus and collaboration, in addition to its technology expertise.
Does your firm have expertise in each of the systems you’re helping implement?
Hard core technology expertise is the purview of the software or integration vendor. Our clients appreciate our independence and that we’re free from bias while having rich experience with a host of top tier vendors and their products and are more than familiar with the most common platforms currently deployed with law firms.
How well do you work with external vendors?
Being an external consultancy ourselves, having developed and implemented successful automation solutions for many years, we have insights into classic vendor management issues and the value such vendors could bring to the project. We focus on making a qualified vendor the best they can be in order to leverage their potential to their utmost. We do so by creating a productive, positive relationship with vendors. Treating them as crucial stakeholders in the initiative’s success. But in the same time we keep very close watch on progress metrics and deal with delays or budget and scope issues that may be vendor related - quickly and as early as possible. To ensure integration vendors are as efficient as possible, and can meet their obligations, we will help resolve internal firm issues they may run into. That said, we manage vendor expectations regarding internal resources and their availability from the outset. This, especially when planning ahead, reduces the probability of vendor cost overruns and resource availability.
When evaluating technology vendors, do you consider cloud services?
We absolutely do, when it makes sense. When evaluating technology solutions, the best cloud based solutions offer firms an opportunity to get out of the business of managing hardware and software, a risky and expensive undertaking. It also offers unique scalability. Mid size and even smaller firms can adopt solutions that were usually the purview of large firms.