The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/67910
A Look Ahead: Five Factors That Will Drive Progress Mobile nirvana promises numerous benefits and advantages that affect all areas of a legal organization. Lawyers will not have a learning curve from device to device, internal and client collaboration will be easier, and the overall technology environment will be simpler to maintain or modify. All of this translates into increased profitability and a better experience for attorneys and clients. While there are many factors and innovations that are shaping the future of this mobile environment, developments in five key areas will not only accelerate progress, but also compel us to embrace these new advances as precursors to achieving mobile nirvana. 1. I Am My Own Virtual Office Each day, lawyers use myriad devices to access applications and data. From office computers, smartphones and tablets to home computers and televisions, each technology provides an access route to information, but each has different access methods and functions — some performing better than others. Today's emphasis is on delivering a complete and consistent end-user experience regardless of device or platform. This focus is very different from making an application "available" on different devices because it is focused on the end-user experience and not the ability to access the information. At the epicenter of this next- generation mobile effort is virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), the server computing model enabling desktop virtualization and encompassing the hardware and software required to support the virtualized environment. While many firms have implemented some form of remote access, VDI enables legal IT departments to create a layer of abstraction between the device and the end-user experience. This setup takes the lawyer's main device preferences and customization settings and applies them across every device he uses. Taking this step even further, the next phase in the virtual user experience will be the ability to sense the device's screen size, processing power and input methods so that the experience can be tailored for productivity. Ultimately, we will all be running smartphone apps on one or two devices of our choice. Everyone has become familiar with the smartphone and tablet interface and will expect more of their interactions with "computers" to have the same look and feel. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers are already delivering smartphone apps that are complementary to their Web-based services. Firms will begin to invest in their own "app stores" and smartphone app projects, which will complement or replace existing applications. This will be similar to the migration to browser-based applications a decade ago. As a result, instant access, intuitive user interfaces and very familiar devices will provide lawyers with technology that will make them more efficient and more effective. Clients and attorneys will collaborate via familiar apps, receive better service and see firms as modern and cutting-edge. The Dawning of Mobile Nirvana 2. The Yin and Yang of Online and Offline Lawyers are a highly mobile workforce. An effective offline mode of computing must allow lawyers to securely access business applications, client files and other network-resident information without the need to be continuously connected to the firm's network. Laptops and electronic mail have traditionally been the de facto solution. Lawyers still send themselves files to work on at home or have email folders on their laptops that must be synchronized to stay current. With the improvements in cellular data speeds and the near-ubiquity of Wi-Fi, IT departments have started an "online is the new offline" movement, finding it easier to provide cellular modems and mobile hot spots rather than trying to improve the offline experience. Firms are now buying into the idea that being connected means better security, better document management and greater productivity. As advances in VDI and SaaS solutions continue, we will see the online and offline experience begin to blur. Secure access is already becoming more seamless, and synchronization will recede into the background. Attorneys will find themselves connected at all times, instantly accessing the data they need from where they are and from the device of their choice. From a firm's perspective, one of the biggest benefits will be the ability to control the flow of data in and out of internal systems. 3. The World (and Data) at Your Fingertips Each day, law firms manage tremendous amounts of information, all of which is highly organized and retained for extended periods of time. In some cases, that data is stored in different offices. Added to that are the USB memory sticks, smartphones, Web- based email accounts and shared computers. It quickly becomes very challenging to understand where the data reside and how to manage movement. Today, some firms are regionalizing or centralizing their data to simplify management processes, reduce synchronization, reduce their hardware footprint and streamline disaster recovery solutions. Organizations are leveraging new storage technologies and higher- speed networks to improve system performance and resiliency. As these initiatives are completed and the technology and management policies mature, firms will focus on data security. Priorities will include strengthening controls around data movement and mobile access, archiving and retention, reducing the cost of storing data and managing growth, and the attorney experience, thus creating the perception of always-available and localized data. This sets the stage for a virtual and mobile experience that can be delivered to an end user anywhere in the world from a central point without the data ever leaving the data center. Overall, mobile nirvana is a catalyst for data consolidation and vice versa. The more centralized the data become, the more consistent and robust the end-user experience, leading users to prefer to work online. The more VDI is leveraged, the more Peer to Peer 71