All this talk of Value related to legal services brought back a value lesson I recall from a few years back. The methodology I saw provides a direct way of assessing any value proposition. In its most basic form the measurement is: If you removed “X,” what will the impact be on “Y.”
For instance – if law firm X were to close its doors at 5:00 on Friday, what will the impact be to its clients on Monday morning? The level of pain they would feel would be proportional to the value the firm currently provides.
As a mental exercise and way of helping our readers assess their value proposition in their current jobs, I provide a contrast of two law firm departments and their value proposition using this method. This analysis is oversimplified to make a point. Consider that before you ‘hoist me by my own petard.’
First up – Marketing
If marketing were shut down on Friday at 5:00, what would the impact on a firm be Monday morning? Absent support for some immediate seminars or RFP responses, there might not be much impact. In the mid-run, a firm would stop putting on seminars and running ads. Or basic marketing functions would shift to partners. Would this put the firm out-of-business? Probably not. They may lose some market awareness, but perhaps not much in the way of work from current clients. However, in the long-run the firm would begin to feel the pain from this short-sided action.
Next up – IT
If IT were shuttered at 5:00 on Friday, a firm would quickly feel it. If you are unable to create, print and send documents, you cannot practice law.
Does this mean if you are in IT you can relax? Absolutley not. The sands of law firm operations (and organizations in general) can shift quite quickly in the New Normal. The lesson here is that you should conduct a value assessment of your current position on a regular basis.
Personally I think that’s the New Way. If you are not constantly looking to improve your value proposition, it can quickly disappear. Think of this as a fun challenge instead of a burden. This New Way values creativity and critical thinking over the mundane and dull. And in my opinion, it delivers a much more fulfilling job.
Image (cc) boskizzi

I love this question and the the contributions we received this week. The answers were as diverse as the 24 defined traits. Some of the contributors cheated a little and named off more than one, but that’s okay. Steven Levy’s answer that it is wise not to limit the world to a 24-cornered box of traits. However, since we had a handy list of 24-traits, we thought that was enough for at least an good Elephant Post question.

Although my personal favorite was “Curiosity,” there are many traits that I look at on this list of twenty-four that make for interesting conversation when it comes to the personalities you work with day in and day out. Enjoy the discussion, add a comment or two of your own if you think someone missed an important trait, and then take a look at next week’s Elephant Post where we turn this question upside down and ask what trait would be the biggest hindrance in your profession.

Peg LaFrance
Librarian
Citizenship: working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group

These are tough choices. I really wanted a combination of grit and citizenship. I am known as a person who rolls up her sleeves and does what needs to be done even if it isn’t really part of my job.  But, this morning, I told a vendor that I really value a sense of humor and competence, but I’d take a competence over humor if I had to.  Perhaps a healthy sense of the absurd would be the best trait to have in a law firm.

Jennifer Ekblaw
Librarian
Social intelligence: being aware of motives and feelings of other people and oneself

Librarians create very useful services for their users/patrons, but sometimes they are underutilized because the marketing of these services does not resonate with the target audience.  Therefore, it is crucial that librarians understand the motives and needs of users in order to demonstrate how services satisfy those needs.

Steven B. Levy, author of Legal Project Management
Author, consultant, teacher
Wisdom: being able to provide good advice to others

Wisdom: the ability to see that dividing the world into 24 overlapping traits is ridiculous.

Gene Hamilton
Helper of Technology Helpers (HelpDesk Supervisor)
Open-mindedness: examining things from all sides and not jumping to conclusions

Forced to choose one, I’ll take open-mindedness. There are lots of places where this also blends with list items “curiosity” and “grit”. In the tech support world, we’re constantly faced with integrating what we know well (technology) with what we generally know less well (application to law practice).  Way too many times we jump in quickly with a solution, often to be reminded that they haven’t fully expressed their problem yet! We need to *want* to poke around (curiosity), need to be determined to poke around until we get the right answer (grit), and we need to be able to accept the right answer when we see it, even if it doesn’t agree with what we wanted the answer to be (open-mindedness).  There are lots of other good candidates, and I certainly think that anyone who wants to be great at what they do had better demonstrate well the majority of items on the list.  As an analogy, I have often said that HelpDesk answers need to be technically correct, timely, and genuinely helpful (gets into aspects of attitude as well as searching out the whole problem). Missing any one of those three significantly reduces the value of the response.

Bob Wells
Manager
Self-control: regulating what one feels and does; being self-disciplined

Running a mandatory bar puts one in the gunsights of disgruntled members, legislators, citizens and others.  You are often the face of the organization, so you have to gauge all of the political winds and potential consequences without revealing your personal beliefs.  And you have to move the organization forward without letting up.

Amy Bowser-Rollins
Litigation Support Guru
Love of learning: mastering new skills and topics on one’s own or in school

Technology is constantly changing and it has a direct impact on the role of litigation support so we need to attempt to keep up as best we can.  Others on the legal team rely on litigation support to know the latest trends and technologies in litigation support and electronic discovery in general.

Scott Preston
Technology Alchemist
Curiosity: taking an interest in experience for its own sake; finding things fascinating

It is difficult to pick one trait as most important, but I believe curiosity is the trait that has served me best in my career as a legal technologist.  My curiosity for the impact that technology has on our world has been at the center of my career.  Curiosity is the trait that keeps us searching for a better way.  A trait that isn’t listed but should be (IMHO) is perseverance.  Perseverance is the trait that came to mind when I first though about the question.  In the legal  space you must be able to press forward even when you know that change is slow and adoption is slower than change.  Another trait that is very important (and also not listed) is humility.  Working with a lot of type A personalities can be very challenging and a good dose of humility will serve you well.

Ayelette Robinson
Knowledge Management
Social intelligence: being aware of motives and feelings of other people and oneself

Kudos on a fun and challenging question, Greg. While of course it’s difficult to pick “the” most important trait here, since several are keys for success, the one on the list that stands out for me is social intelligence. Not because in and of itself it’s more necessary than the others, but because — among the required traits — it’s perhaps the one that’s least obvious. And yet, if you don’t understand where other team members are coming from (and whether where they’re coming from is the same as or different from where you’re coming from), an otherwise successful project can fail.

Sarah Glassmeyer
Director of Content Development, CALI
Hope: expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it

Unless my liberal arts education is failing me, I do believe that the one thing left after Pandora opened the infamous box and unleashed chaos and evil into the world was “hope.”  And it’s for good reason that the myth writers included this fact.  Hope gives you the courage to try new things and keep plugging away through failure because even though things may seem bleak, crazy and scary – and lets face it, things sort of do for both the legal and information professions currently –  you at least have the belief that one day they can and will get better. Otherwise, why bother?  I couldn’t continue to do what I do if I thought I was only contributing to a broken system.  Why would anyone, really?  I mean, you could, but it would just make you bitter and crazy.  Which perhaps explains some of the people I’ve met along the way in my career.  🙂  Hope is a reason for getting out of bed in the morning besides a mortgage and student loans.   It turns a job into a profession.

Meg Hayden
Librarian
Hope: expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it

Without hope, many of the other traits lose their meaning. Hope is what makes work fun, makes you enjoy the journey, kill yourself to learn something new, rejoice with others when something works, serve the public with kindness and compassion, explore possibilities, laugh off your errors, and just feel part of the greater good.

Karen Sawatzky
Librarian
Curiosity: taking an interest in experience for its own sake; finding things fascinating

In order to find the hidden ways to help your clients, it’s important to be genuinely interested in them. Being curious about their business as well as their personal lives gives me insights in performing the “magic” that I do. It helps me with ideas about how to align myself with their goals. And gives me an excuse for reading 3 Geeks regularly 😉

Lena
Librarian
Grit: finishing what one starts; completing something despite obstacles; a combination of persistence and resilience.

Since I am not one to be beholded to artificial boundaries (like “pick one”), I am picking Grit, Social Intelligence, Creativity and Leadership.    Grit:  Work, like life, will throw you obstacles.  You have to have perseverence to get where you want to go.  Don’t stop swimming, even if you have to tread water once in a while. Social Intelligence: You have to understand what motivates yourself and others before you can make intelligence decisions and know how to best implement your ideas and inspire others. Creativity:  This is how you build a better mousetrap.  Being a problem solver is a highly valued skill.  Don’t just complain-offer a solution. Leadership: This may not apply to everyone, but if you are responsible for a team, if they succeed, you succeed.  Making your team successful is your job.

Andrea Cannavina
Legal Virtual Assistant
Integrity: speaking the truth and presenting oneself sincerely and genuinely

Without integrity there can be no trust.

Janet Smith
Legal Assistant
Integrity: speaking the truth and presenting oneself sincerely and genuinely

They are all important!  Striving together as a team, striving towards implementing all of these traits will bring change and growth to any Firm or business.  Mastering these skills in a working environment benefits all.  Will everyone like you if you attempt to master all of these traits? No, of course not.  But, will you like yourself and do well at your job, be noticed and appreciated by your employer, the executive committees, others, who make the Firm/Company run and stay in business?  Yes, and the true reward for being diligent in giving your work your best effort by utilizing these traits, is in your heart, not in your paycheck.  Paychecks, bonus, rewards – all good, but happiness comes from the rewards of mastering your work products and making change for the better and helping the Team, to meet goals and to be recognized as a Firm with integrity.

Next Elephant Post:

What Trait Is The Least Important To Have In Your Profession?

I really need to state this question in a different way, but needed it short for the “title” of the next Elephant Post. Think of it this way – if someone you work with has too much of one trait, does that mean that he or she loses something off of another important trait? Does too much grit mean that there is too little open mindedness? We all deal with strong personalities. I have to deal with Toby and Lisa a few times a week, so I understand your pain of dealing with strong personalities!

Let us know if being too strong in one trait can cause someone to not be well-suited for your profession.

Steve Jobs

1955 – 2011

Steve Jobs has had a profound impact on personal computing and beyond.  His vision, drive, care, aesthetic eye and belief in self should serve as an example to us all.  Much like the Beatles, who fundamentally transformed rock and roll, Steve Jobs and Apple have fundamentally transformed the world of consumer technology.  Never afraid to make a mistake, Steve Jobs believed he could make a difference and what a difference he made.
Thank You Steve 
Rest In Peace

[Photo credit: JoseLuisApple]

[Guest Post by Elaine Egan]
For decades technology has been an enabler for Knowledge Management.  Industries have surrendered to the pressure of a technology solution that doesn’t factor in the real human element of organized information, defined terms and evaluation that lead to actionable knowledge.  The founding principles of knowledge management are that unique information held by an individual, group or organization and leveraged to best knowledge advantaged creates a competitive edge.   This unique knowledge makes one group better decision makers, more creative and they perform faster; leaving the other guys in the dust.   By learning, sharing, reusing, collaborating and innovating, one group is viewed as more appealing and valuable.

Of course a portal, website, intranet, database, CRM and a Google search feed the hungry information seeker; but the information is only as good as the evaluation it has undergone.  Enter the Library and information professional.  The information professional possesses the subtleties of data relationships, subject expertise, content understanding and integrates desired information with technology efficiencies leading to actionable knowledge.

With all this competition in the market, is it no wonder why Marketing and Business Development teams are not only supporting but driving strategy and constantly seeking opportunities?   I think of Business Development in a law firm or professional consulting firm like an R&D division at Johnson & Johnson, DuPont, Dell, Apple and GE.  The R&D group much like a BD team requires elements of planning and research prior to implementation or bringing a product to market.  The initial planning phases typically would probe and assess based on a few basic thoughts.

  • What is needed or possible in the market?
  • Do we want to be part of it?
  • How do we find who, what, when, where and why?
  • Does it support the organization’s mission or goals?
  • Have we the expertise?
  • Can the organization support the outcome?

By responding to RFP’s and gathering Business and Competitive Intelligence, Business Development teams are building a strategy based on some forms of these R&D questions.  However, we know there is a big gaping hole when firms do not include the information professional in aspects of this planning process.  When a Business Development team requests a basic TAXI report, a Hoovers report or a League Table the firm isn’t widening the intelligent view of a client, an industry or creating a unique opportunity.  By formalizing the partnership between the Library Information Center, Knowledge Management and Business Development you gain a connection between data, information and content with a broad spectrum view of industry specific knowledge management that supports long term business goals.  The Library and information professional are the linchpin that promotes agility, by reducing response times and delivering trusted information that intersects with intelligent decision making.  Knowledge Management within the Library demonstrates that concepts, data and industry awareness adapt to changing needs.  This knowledge is the resource that is a business development value proposition.

A couple years ago, I wrote a post called “Open Source in Law Firms – Unimaginable or Brilliant?” where I wondered if a BigLaw firm would consider using Open Source software for some of their technology needs. I mentioned Kuali, an open-source accounting system as an opportunity, but then went on to beg everyone not to use that example to your IT departments as their introduction into using open-source software. There is one open-source software out there, however, that may be a better introduction to the idea, and it just happens to be a library automation package, so it is also an ideal situation for the law librarian that has a techie side as well.

Koha is an amazing Integrated Library System (ILS) with many of the same features that you find in the very expensive “closed-source” systems that are common in law libraries. I’ve actually been playing around with Koha for years now and have found it to be incredibly powerful and pretty easy to use. I was first introduced to the product back around 2002 when I was a Project Manager on a FEMA project and we were needing a MARC catalog to process hundreds of thousands of records. In the end, we went with a much more basic open-source product called PhpMyLibrary because it was very simple and we didn’t need the bells and whistles that Koha brought. However, some eight years later, I’m testing the Koha waters again to see if it would function as an alternative to the major ILS’ in a law firm environment. I’m just in the early stages, but I can tell you that it does look promising.

I’ll update the status of the project from time to time, but I’ll run through some of the steps that I’ve had to go through so far:

  • If you really want to run Koha, you have to have a Linux server – if your IT department won’t support that, you’ll need to either test it outside your network, or buy access to a hosted system that will allow you root access to the Linux Box (this ain’t easy to find… trust me!) There used to be a Windows version of Koha, but that went away a few years ago, so don’t waste your time on that one. Hint: Go to the bookstore and buy a $15 Linux Magazine with a Ubuntu Install Disc. Yes, you can install Linux for free, but the install disc will save you so much time and effort!!
  • If you want to skip the set up and run Koha on a hosted system, you can do that as well, but it will cost money. I’ve seen it as low as $750 a year for complete hosted services. Considering it would probably cost you more to buy a Linux machine, this is a deal. Note: The Hosted Support doesn’t charge you for Koha, they only charge you for the maintenance of the system.  (Hosted Support)
  • I’ve actually set up a Ubuntu box with Koha 3.4 installed, and it took me about half-a-day to get everything set up correctly. Let me help you out by pointing you to an instruction guide that I wished I would have found earlier that walked me through the process of installing the ILS.
  • Once you have everything installed:
        1. Set up your library branches first (if you only have one location, then consider yourself lucky!)
        2. Import your users into the system next (there is a way to import an Excel spreadsheet with the specific information you need for new users.)
        3. Then import your MARC cataloging records.
  • Speaking of MARC records, hopefully the system you are currently using actually lets you export your MARC records. If you’re like me, and the system doesn’t allow you to export them… well, then you’ve got yourself some problems. There are two choices here, both of which call for another free software called MarcEdit (an awesome project supported by Oregon State University.)
        1. If you have access to the database structure of the old ILS, you’ll need to follow the instructions of MarcEdit to export the fields you need into a text file, then MarcEdit will actually convert these to MARC record files for import into the Koha system. Note: This is complicated, and requires at least some basic programming knowledge… which, luckily, I have!)
        2. You can, hopefully, use either the OCLC, Library of Congress, or other Z39.50 import feature built into Koha to bring in records that match your current catalog. If you can build a list of these standard numbers, you can batch import the records instead of having to do it one at a time. If you do have the ability to batch process the MARC records, then I suggest that you do it through the MarcEdit product initially, because you can edit the records before you import them into Koha (thus allowing you to add local information before hand in an automated way, rather than individually.)
  • Learn about the 952 fields and subfields… this will allow you to bring in the item records (the individual volumes of each title) and link them to your branch locations, as well as bring in specific information linked to each of those volumes.
Well, that’s about as far as I am into the project at this time. As things progress, I’ll let you know. There are certain features of Koha that I have not tested so far, but have on my project list:
  • Circulation Module
  • Serials Module
  • Acquisitions
  • Routing Lists
  • More…
Just to let you know, I’m not the first to play around in the Koha environment. I know that Brooklyn Law School is using it for their Integrated Library System, as well as a number of other University and Public Library institutions. I’m not sure if any BigLaw firms have made the dive, but if you have, contact me off-blog and let me know how it is going (good or bad.)
[Note: I initially said that the Brooklyn Law School was using it for a special collection. They contacted me to let me know they are actually using it for their ILS and are pretty satisfied with how things are going.]

Image (cc) frotzed

Scott Preston and I wrote a piece for ILTA’s Peer to Peer Magazine this month entitled “Building a Bridge Between IT and Library Services.” This was the third piece of our collaboration of helping IT and Library Services (LS) understand that we are working toward the same goals, and that our abilities actually compliment each other more than we think. We held a webinar for AALL in April, and followed that up with a breakout session in Philadelphia for the PLL Summit where we fielded questions from the audience and defended some of our more controversial comments from the webinar. In the past few weeks, however, I’ve found that the divide between the technology side of law firms, and the library services side is still pretty wide.

I’ve talked with a number of technology leaders as well as other administrative personnel that are having a hard time understanding the direction that the libraries are going, and how that promotes the overall goals of the organization. What’s worse, I’ve heard from more than one person that they simply do not talk with the librarians any more. That is just not good.

In a way you can think of this as a simple language barrier. We all joke about how IT staff speaks in “techie” instead of English. Unfortunately, we law librarians may be guilty of doing the same type of jargon speak that inhibits the conversation and prevents us from explaining, in clear terms, what value we bring to our organization. If you can’t explain how a library catalog brings in value, in simple English terms, then why should you expect the organization to continue supporting it? If you can’t explain, in simple English terms, why a Serials Librarian is needed, then why should HR continue keeping that employee on the payroll?

We all hate playing the game of “Prove Your Worth.” In a way, we’ve been waist-deep in this game since at least the end of 2008. If you are not fully engaged in playing this game, or if you are still trying to figure out the rules to the game… then you’re way behind.

It’s not just about building bridges between the library and others, it is about adding sign posts that moves others in the right direction and warns of challenges that lie ahead. It is about being there giving directions on where we are and where we need to be heading as an organization and how we can help get there in a safe, efficient way. If you know that you are being excluded from the conversations of where the leadership is taking your organization, you need to find out why you are not in that conversation, and work to get included. Trust me, everyone that is included in those conversations has a plan for what to do with the library, just as soon as they can figure out how to push you out of the organization.

Greg and I decided to try something new. These “new thing” efforts typically occur during a three-beer solution, brainstorming session. This time we may have actually doubled our efforts, since the outcome has been … tragic.
We decided to try an affordable approach to tablets. With all the tablet hype and market growth going on, we wondered how a low-budget solution would fair.
We opted to try two different pads on the android platform. We had basic criteria along the lines of recent OS (Android 2.2 or higher), decent processing speed, good storage, etc. I went with a 7 inch screen; Greg went with a 10 inch screen. We both chose “off brands” in order to keep the cost reasonable.
My 7 inch pad was $150 – delivered. Greg’s 10 inch pad was $190.
Mine totally sucks. I don’t know where to begin in my evaluation since I have yet to find anything I like about it. The biggest problem is likely the touch-screen. Attempts to activate apps, use apps, input info and browse websites result in the highest levels of frustration.
My daughter was all excited when she saw it – calculating this might mean a tablet for her. I promptly handed it to her, with a hearty “good luck.” Five minutes later it was back in my hands.
Bottom-line: price-point tablets are not there yet. Hopefully the new Kindle Fire will bring this dream closer to reality. However, that model seems to be an “up-sell” environment. So up-front, low-cost may be a bit of bait-and-switch.
I suppose the biggest lesson from this experience – is to stop at three beers.
image [cc] Eva the Weaver

We have been asking Elephant Post questions for a little over a year now, and we just had a first for this week. No one answered this week’s question.

To refresh your memories, the question was “How are you implementing ‘efficiency’ at your office?” We had hoped that some would jump in and talk about adding structure to how attorneys are assigned matters, or how Legal Project Management programs have helped streamline the process of practicing law, or how changes in management structure have allowed employees to make local decisions rather than running everything through a committee or supervisor. That’s what we expected… we really didn’t expect to only hear the sounds of crickets chirping in the otherwise silent response.

In a way, getting no response might be telling. As Brian Rogers (aka @theContractsGuy) tweeted about the lack of responses:

lack of elephant posts re efficiency question must indicate a large audience of lawyers–not really an efficient bunch

Perhaps it was just a busy week for the readers of 3 Geeks and no one had the time to come up with a thoughtful answer to the efficiency question. Maybe there are a number of efficient processes that have been implemented across the legal practice spectrum that have truly revolutionized the way we do business, but these processes are kept as trade secrets by each of the firms that have instituted these revolutionary processes. Or, are we simply nibbling at the edges and giving lip service to efficiency because we really don’t want/need to be efficient?? I’ll let each of you decide which of those three options lead to the lack of response.

In all honesty, there was one answer submitted this week. It was from me, and was put out there to help get the ball rolling. I’ll go ahead and post it here. Maybe it will spark an idea or two and you can comment below on some processes that you’ve done that makes your workplace more efficient.

Also, don’t forget to look at next week’s Elephant Post question where we ask what trait (out of a list of 24) do you think is the most important in your profession.

Greg Lambert
Library/Records Guy
Getting people out of the process by going to Hosted or Cloud-based systems  

Bringing on an FTE is near impossible in any law firm these days. However, projects get requested (and approved) but we simply cannot put more of a burden on a group of people that are already doing the jobs that used to be assigned to two or three people. Now we look to hosted applications where the support is built into the price and no FTEs are required. Granted there are some drawbacks (we can’t simply modify things, and asking for reports or other one-off projects usually costs $$$) However, in the long run, it works and keeps existing staff from bolting out the door because they are being asked to take on one more task.

Next Elephant Post:

What Trait Do You Believe Is The Most Important To Have In Your Profession?

New York Times writer, Paul Rough, wrote an amazing piece a couple weeks ago called “What if the Secret to Success is Failure?” Although it focuses on the educational system in the US, the main theme that runs through the article is there are many factors in what makes someone “successful” and that the person’s IQ or how well they do on standardized tests doesn’t equate to automatic success. I really encourage you to read this article and think of how the story it tells can be transposed into your place of work.

There are 24 traits that are listed in the article, and they were all taken from Christopher Peterson and Martin E. P. Seligman’s 2004 book Character Strengths and Virtues. Take a look at these 24 traits and think of which one you think is the most important to have in your profession and let us know why that is.

Zest: approaching life with excitement and energy; feeling alive and activated
Grit: finishing what one starts; completing something despite obstacles; a combination of persistence and resilience.
Self-control: regulating what one feels and does; being self-disciplined
Social intelligence: being aware of motives and feelings of other people and oneself
Gratitude: being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen
Love: valuing close relationships with others; being close to people
Hope: expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it
Humor: liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing a light side
Creativity: coming up with new and productive ways to think about and do things
Curiosity: taking an interest in experience for its own sake; finding things fascinating
Open-mindedness: examining things from all sides and not jumping to conclusions
Love of learning: mastering new skills and topics on one’s own or in school
Wisdom: being able to provide good advice to others
Bravery: not running from threat, challenge, or pain; speaking up for what’s right
Integrity: speaking the truth and presenting oneself sincerely and genuinely
Kindness: doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them
Citizenship: working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group
Fairness: treating all people the same; giving everyone a fair chance
Leadership: encouraging a group of which one is a valued member to accomplish
Forgiveness: forgiving those who’ve done wrong; accepting people’s shortcomings
Modesty: letting one’s victories speak for themselves; not seeking the spotlights
Prudence/Discretion: being careful about one’s choices; not taking undue risks
Appreciation of beauty: noticing and appreciating all kinds of beauty and excellence
Spirituality: having beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe

Oh how I long for the days when I would boot up my IBM 8086 PC off of the dual-floppy drives and not have to answer any security questions in order to get to my word processing program. Granted, it was slow… but it was simple. It wasn’t connected to a fast Internet connection… but I was just happy to be able to see the three emails that came in each day. However, time marches on… speeds increase… software upgrades… networks expand… some idiot decides to hack into the system… then the IT world’s version of the TSA begins its march to make sure “our systems” are not hacked. It’s too bad we’ve stopped having “smoke breaks” at work, because each time we log in to our computers, open email, load a template in our word processors, or try to watch YouTube an online training video, we could go outside and light up.

I know, I know… IT Security is needed to keep the bad guys out (and it seems that there are many bad guys out there.) The drawback to this constant war on hackers is that we have all suffered the effects of the long slog against an enemy that simply won’t die… won’t surrender… and adjusts their tactics whenever we’ve had any reasonable success against the existing attacks.

It seems that every year a new layer of security is added. Here’s just a few that come to me off the top of my head:

  • Username/Passwords
  • Advanced Password Requirements (where you have to add CAPITAL letters, Numb3rs, and Sp#cial Ch@racters)
  • Bio metric readers (finger print scanners)
  • Digital Codes on key chains that change every 60 seconds
  • Anti-Virus Software
  • Network Security Devices (anti-sniffer, sniffers)
  • Remote mobile devices wipers
  • Encrypted hard drives
  • Secure WiFi
Everyone of these (and the dozens or so I’m sure I didn’t list) are reactions to security threats that have either happened to your place of work, or to some other place of work and your IT staff doesn’t want to happen to them. Each of these is a burden upon the IT Group, the computer you’re using, the network you are on, and on you and your work production. The end result is that we have a fight between Moore’s Law and the Red Queen’s Hypothesis:

Speeds Double Every 18 Months…
But, We Need Them To Double Twice That Fast To Get Anywhere!!

I would have hoped by now that we would have things like automated security, instant boot-ups, programs that don’t move slower than their Windows 95 versions, tri-corders and food replicators… but alas, we do not. We seem to be stuck in an information world that is stuck marking time in a battle where winning is defined as simply not losing. I have to go now… my email program finished loading… and I have to make sure Postini didn’t capture any emails that I actually need to read.

For many years we have been talking about Intranets as a place to quickly find information. There has been much discussion about technology improvements and the latest design ideas.  We talk about how to organize (taxonomy) and access (in Outlook or web browser) information. We have even involved attorneys in the design process with the hope that by so doing, we will build a better Intranet. We keep thinking that if we get it right, the attorneys will start using it. But, with few exceptions, Intranets are little more than administrative clearing houses of static information.

The problem with the conventional view of Intranets is that it is an enterprise approach to what should be a consumer experience.  In order to succeed, the Intranet needs to be an adaptive, ever learning, ever growing aggregate of my view in the firm as well as my web based social interactions. It needs to allow me to organize information in a way that makes sense to me and it needs to have robust search that makes information easy to find.  As we all know, users are more likely to use a Google style search to find information than they are to look through various sub-sites trying to figure out how to reserve a conference room.  But, robust search on its own does not solve the problem.
The principles that apply to effective Internet websites also apply to Intranets. An effective website needs to be visually engaging and intuitive, but more importantly it needs fresh content. A site can be easy to navigate and have a great look, but if the content is stale, readers will go elsewhere. And, most Intranets lack fresh content. Yes, we post interesting stories about a deal that just concluded or we share information about what is going on in various offices. We remind people about firm policy or list training opportunities on a feature in Word, somehow expecting this to pique their interest.  We have not created a compelling place that draws viewers.  At best, it is yet another way station of  administrative information.

We need to do build Intranets that reflect the interests of the reader. A site needs to be able to look and feel different for each user to address each user’s unique perspective. 

An effective Intranet needs to blur the lines of personal and professional, because most of today’s workers do not have clear cut delineations between work and play.  For those few who still want the delineation, a well designed site will accommodate their wishes too. Intranets need to embrace social media, both external and internal. They need to foster a sense of community and quickly adapt to changing times.

The secret to building fresh content is to leverage the social interactions of one’s personal life and commingle them with their business needs.  As your interests change, the Intranet needs to change as well.  We see this technology being used in several different ways in the consumer market.  A simple example is gmail’s ability to present relevant information as you compose an email.  In the case of gmail, the relevant information comes in the form of advertisements that are based on your email’s content.  With an Intranet, instead of adverts, it would be research opportunities and precedent banks.  It would leverage your firm’s experience database and provide you with links to internal and external experts on the topic at hand. When done correctly, the Intranet would be a powerful tool for sharing knowledge, collaboration and communication.  When done correctly, the Intranet would become the portal we have always talked about.
Programatically speaking, this is not hard to do. Culturally, this is happening already, however it is happening outside the firm. And when it happens outside the firm, the firm does not benefit from the interactions, from the exchange of knowledge or the sense of community. When this happens outside the firm, you do not have the opportunity to share important information with your people or capture and re-purpose knowledge.
The biggest challenge we face in making this move is changing management’s perception that all this social media stuff is not only a waste of time, but also a time waster.  
The reality is, social media has replaced the water cooler.  Now, instead of interacting with a few people on your floor, you are interacting with the world. The benefit is greater exposure to real world needs and solutions, opportunities to be recognized for your contributions and new sources of information.
The change is upon us and yet we continue to build systems designed with the enterprise in mind and wonder why these systems are not being used.   It is time to change the paradigm and not think in terms of enterprise or consumer, but in terms of efficiency, improved productivity and systems designed to self-improve with increasing amounts of information.  Leveraging information is the key to success moving forward.