While some law firms dedicate time and resources to developing expertise in project management, far fewer have employed product management disciplines.

This matters because the increased role of technology in a law firm, and the expectations of those that use it, demand a focus on the end-user and continuous improvement. 

A product management approach enables firms (and those responsible for technology initiatives) to be collaborative, user-centric, and shift towards a focus on continuous improvement that can result in increased product relevance and customer satisfaction, improved usage and adoption, and greater ROI. 

The most successful Experience Management initiatives are viewed as living, breathing programs that must continue to evolve to reflect changes in firms and their work, preferences of users, and evolution in related technology.

Law firms with the most successful Experience Management programs make a deliberate decision to move to a product management approach from the outset. 

Building a Product Roadmap

A product roadmap is a critical product management tool and a vital first step. It provides a clear guide for those charged with managing the product and users of the product as to how the product will be developed over time and for what purpose and outcome. There are many benefits to developing a product roadmap. It ensures there is a clear vision aligned with the firm’s strategy. The product’s releases, detailed in the roadmap, allow for the growth of a sustainable solution that is flexible and meets user needs as they evolve. Product roadmaps enable better resourcing as firms can begin to build teams around the product, ensuring the success and upkeep of the program, related processes, and data. Finally, firms benefit from the experience management programs’ positive impact on process and workflow, changing how firms (and individuals) collect, interact with, and report on data.

The Unique Challenges of Legal Technology

The use of technology within law firms often comes with complex challenges. These include compliance with ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements, data security, and the evolving needs of legal professionals (and their clients). As a result, a Product Manager's role and skill set becomes particularly vital. By conducting in-depth and regular needs analysis, developing and maintaining a product roadmap, staying updated on legal and industry trends, and collaborating with cross-functional teams, Product Managers shape and maintain technology solutions that resonate with users.

Successful Experience Management Projects Take a Village

The genesis of an experience management project will often originate from a single function or business requirement. The most impactful and successful implementations determine, that to be truly effective requires engagement with and participation from representatives from across a firm. Only by working collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams can a program establish the foundations that provide the ability to meet longer-term objectives to gather, manage, and use experiential data for a range of purposes beyond a single group or use case. In that sense, successful experience management programs truly “take a village”. 

Building a High-Performance Team

When establishing a multi-disciplinary experience management team, it is important to carefully consider the mix of resources, representation, and skill sets. 

The size of the firm and the scope of the experience management strategy and roadmap will determine the exact nature and representation of the team. High-performance project teams comprise junior-level members who can help identify data sets, conduct data hygiene activities, and provide general day-to-day support. They’re also comprised of mid-level members who support lawyer training, practice, and department rollouts. Senior-level members drive strategy for the deployment, manage scope, and assess requests for changes to data structure, taxonomy, and layout. Finally, sponsors and firm leaders provide visible and sustained support of the initiative, remove ‘roadblocks’ and advocate for the value of experiential data. 

Beyond Experience Management: Change Management Principles

The launch of a new experience management system will only result in meaningful impact or business value if it is accompanied by significant change management and enablement activities. It has been shown that as many as 25% of technology projects fail outright, and a further 20-50% show limited to no ROI. The common factor is a lack of attention to supporting the business with change activities pre-, during, and post-launch.

When a strategic plan and roadmap for the experience management journey has been developed, a skilled and motivated team has been assembled, and a product management mindset has been established, it’s important to dedicate time and attention to the following change management principles.

Communication

Do not underestimate the need for, and value of, regular and open communication that keeps all relevant individuals and groups ‘in the loop’. 

Stakeholder Engagement

Identifying business stakeholders and effectively engaging with them throughout the project is vital to developing advocates for the initiative and establishing a network of ‘change agents.’ 

Goals and Objectives

It is important to define clear and measurable goals for each phase of the project to determine the scope and scale of the change and implement programs and activities to help manage that change. 

Risk Management

Recognize that any project of this scope, scale, and ambition will come with risks - they must be identified, assessed, and proactively managed. 

User Training and Support

It seems highly unlikely that any project of this type would overlook end-users - but it’s never too early to plan and deliver end-user training. 

Feedback Mechanisms

Managing change and associated risks demands two-way communication and allows stakeholders and impacted personnel to provide input, share concerns, and provide feedback on behalf of the groups they represent. 

Change Champions

By identifying and empowering change champions within your organization, project teams can create enthusiastic supporters of the program and its objectives, improve local awareness and adoption of technology and new working processes, and act as ‘influencers’ that drive a positive culture of change.

Phased and Considered Implementation

It is important to break down a project into manageable phases - and consider the impact of the necessary changes at each stage. 

Celebrating Success

Successes may be limited to the project team or the firm at large, but each should be recognized and shared to boost morale, retain energy for the initiative, and reinforce the positive aspects of the change.

Post Launch Activities

The launch of an experience management solution is only the start. Change management activities must be sustained for as long as it takes to fully enable individuals and teams as defined by the roadmap, project goals, and objectives.

Learn more about integrating Experience Management into your law firm. 

This is a summary of a series of articles by Rachel Shields Williams, Rachel Cohee, and Kieron Champion, that first appeared in JD Supra.