Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/34417
general counsel are fully aware of the ACC Value Challenge and generally very open to giving this initiative some meaning.) Clients must be approached with a concrete proposal for improvement. Finally, collaboration is absolutely critical and there must be a high degree of trust between participants. Assuming the type of work is project-oriented, it must then be mapped out in detail and all parties must agree to adhere to the project plan. Undoubtedly there will be certain key points during the execution of the plan when KM is required to play a role — for example, in a transaction, access to key precedents; in a litigation file, access to external experts. KM professionals also need to ask the question: Is there another better way of doing this? If process improvement is about building a better mousetrap, then project management is about putting structure in place. KM has to provide a supporting role to the project but in a much more targeted, integrated and proactive manner. Building and maintaining multiple KM repositories of potentially useful documents is no longer a sufficient response. KM support must be available at a given point in time — just-in-time not just-in-case — and KM professionals must be much more tightly integrated with the frontline work. What Is “Lean?” Lean can be defined as a set of principles, concepts and techniques designed for the relentless pursuit of the elimination of waste. Based on the work of the quality guru Edward Deming and developed originally by Toyota, its purpose is to deliver to customers exactly what they need, when they need it, in the right quantity, in the right sequence, without defect, at the lowest possible cost. Lean focuses on every task and asks “Does this task add value? Would a customer pay for it? If not, can it be eliminated?” Lean businesses are rigorous in measuring the performance of all of their processes. Lean is often used in conjunction with Six Sigma and considered together as a single discipline known as “Lean Six Sigma.” This makes sense in a manufacturing context, but many commentators argue that Six Sigma has less utility in knowledge- 52 Knowledge Management ILTA White Paper driven work. Admittedly, it’s hard to perform a material replenishment calculation in an environment that has no real materials. It is also interesting to note that some companies such as 3M have abandoned Six Sigma in their research and development areas, deeming it to be “anti-innovation.” But Six Sigma does have its place in knowledge-based industries. The banking industry in particular is adopting Lean Six Sigma for its transaction-driven lines of business. Similarly, law firms are littered with business processes, but most lawyers do not care to admit as much. Six Sigma builds beyond Lean — it is a rigorous and disciplined methodology that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company’s operational performance by identifying and eliminating “defects.” ILTA