This summer, I helped migrate our firm to Interwoven’s Mailsite/Worksite Web product, magically turning our KM into a matter-centric maven. Here are seven lessons I learned, in short snappy form.
- In order to understand why we force change, you have to understand the big picture. However, some roles in a law firm require focus only on the small things.
- There is no perfect solution. There is no perfect set of software that will work exactly like every single one of us wants.
- Patience is a virtue.
- Once the stakeholders are behind you, everyone else will simply have to accept it. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be screaming. My ears are still ringing.
- A successful software rollout may be defined as one in which most of the software works as expected and no one responsible loses their job. Measure twice, cut once.
- You will have to go to each individual computer and hand-modify at least one thing, even if you’re good.
- If you’re going to do it, you need a good manager who gives their life to the project. Handling the politics, the management, and the technicalities demands ability and sacrifice.
Thanks for the kind words, Jim. It was my first big project of that type, and it’s what I came up with in processing what happened ex post facto.
Hope you found some ideas of what to do here in Chattanooga from my blog. If you need some help in our fine town, drop me a line.
Comment by Noel — Friday, September 23, 2005 @ 5:20 pm