Peer to Peer Magazine

Dec 2013

The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association

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best practices Bring Change Management to Project Management by Char LeMaire of Traveling Coaches, Inc. The rate of change is now unprecedented. Industry-related changes firms commonly deal with include alternative fee arrangements, the changing role of legal secretaries, a deluge of client audits and the increased scrutiny around security. The number of IT projects managed by law firm project management offices (PMOs) is easily in the mid-double-digit range. As the rate of change continues to increase and more disruptive technologies find their way into law firms, the importance of finding more effective ways to implement and manage change so that projects finish on time, stay on budget and achieve perceived payoff is critical to a firm's success. A 2012 survey from McKinsey & Company on large-scale IT projects revealed that, on average, these projects run 45 percent over budget and seven percent over time, and they deliver 56 percent less value than predicted. Yet, according to Prosci, one of the foremost authorities in the change management field, "Companies using change management effectively are nearly six times more likely to achieve the desired business results from the change initiatives." Those are the kind of stats you want for your firm. Change agility — the ability to adopt and adjust to change rapidly — is considered a core competency in successful organizations. So how agile is your firm? If you are not yet changetolerant, how can you get there? Project Management vs. Change Management Today, most firms have dedicated project managers (PMs) tasked with keeping up with and managing the deluge of IT projects. 8 Peer to Peer When it comes to the task or technical side of change, PMs have the expertise and talent to keep up with the details, milestones and activities required to complete a project. Through detailed project plans, progress is measured by completing tasks on time and within budget. Often the project is considered complete when the new technology is in place and the people have been through training, but is the project a success at that point? Implementing new technologies and offering training classes reflect good project design and planning, but they don't reveal the results of the change. Are people adapting and demonstrating their ability to use the new technology as it was designed to be used? Have they changed their behaviors and adopted new processes? A well-structured change management process can rally support for change while building the knowledge, skills and incentives to sustain the change. It is known as the "people side of change." Good change management focuses on the people and what their needs are regarding the change. It also looks at barriers or pushback to change, often by studying past projects and people's ability or lack thereof to adapt. Knowing the culture of the firm and how change-tolerant the users are is crucial to building a desire for the change. The best change management strategy engages users early in the process and involves them in planning the solution. Using this approach, you can build buy-in and ownership with users. Remember that not every user will change at the same pace. They must first be aware of the change and have the desire to change before moving on to attaining the knowledge, ability and competency needed to achieve change.

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