Going Matter-Centric With Interwoven WorkSite 8

Ideally, most of an attorney's time will be devoted to the needs of clients. In the real world however, attorneys can waste valuable hours every week searching for content and wrestling with hard-to-use software for hours ' hours that come at the expense of client service and responsiveness. At Meyers Nave, our efforts to maximize productivity and efficiency began with the implementation of Interwoven WorkSite. This, in turn, led to further productivity gains with the other tools our attorneys use. Now, by upgrading to Interwoven's matter-centric WorkSite 8, we will achieve yet another level of improvement, helping us stay ahead of the competition and providing our clients with the best possible service.

Time is Money

Back in 2002, although we were already providing great service to our clients, we still saw the potential to do better. We surveyed our attorneys to measure how well they were using tools we had installed, and discovered that they were spending at least 45 minutes per day searching for documents in the Microsoft folder structure that we had in place at the time. By its design, this folder structure allows documents to be moved, renamed or saved over, which meant we had to go to backups to recover documents. As a result, it was often taking much longer than it should have for our attorneys to find the content they needed. I pointed out to our managing partner that if we could shave just 6 minutes from this process ' which was a conservative goal ' that we would save 26 hours per year per person, or almost 3000 hours firm-wide. That was all he needed to hear to understand how WorkSite could positively affect our business.

So, how to do it? Looking over the various content management systems on the market, it was clear to see that iManage (this was before their merger with Interwoven) was the leader in terms of client base, and also got high marks in analyst reports. Narrowing it down to WorkSite was the easy part; next, we had to figure out how to pay for the new system. As with any company, a big chunk of our operating budget goes to communications with clients: land lines, cell phones, e-mail, Blackberries, conference calling, faxing and so forth. By reviewing these contracts one by one and pressing vendors for better deals, we managed to save $166,000 dollars, which was more than enough to pay for our $150,000 WorkSite implementation. During our install we found that we had to upgrade our Windows 98 systems to Windows XP for improved performance.

Once Interwoven WorkSite was up and running, we had to help our users make the transition from a folder system to an open database in which they find content through a search mechanism. Some people caught on sooner than others, but once we trained them with the basic skills they needed, most agreed that the new system was a big improvement over how it worked in the past. Our attorneys and staff no longer had to worry about items being renamed or moved from folder to folder; specific documents were easy to find. For data mining, users can now search the entire database to find relevant previous work and save a copy out of this content to use as the basis for new work ' all without the risk of accidentally writing over someone else's work. As our efficiency and productivity improved, we were saving considerably more than the 26 hours per person per year that we had promised the managing partner.

Productivity savings are all well and good, of course, but it's a soft gain that you have to re-use or else it's lost. So we decided to invest the hours we saved into extra training – not just on WorkSite, but on calendaring, e-mail and the other tools we had in place to make sure our team was maximally efficient. We created a Technology Panel made up of staff at all levels to drive high priority training efforts, including creating videos and other learning systems designed for the different ways in which people learn, using surveys to measure their effectiveness and ensure success.

Once our users were up to speed on WorkSite, we also had to get our hard copy content into the system. Lexmark multi-function devices offered direct scanning of hard copy documents into WorkSite; you fill out a profile form on the screen of the Multi Function Device (MFP), and it is scanned directly into Worksite. Even better, you can create a barcode label sheet based on profile information, and then use that barcode to scan entire boxes of files into the system without having to re-key the profile. The Lexmark devices also made it possible to scan PDFs directly to e-mail, OCR (converts to Word, editable PDF, or text files) to e-mail, fax directly from the desktop and track fax and copy costs more efficiently. As a result, we were able to save a substantial amount of money, which we re-invested in WorkSite. Additionally, we realized even more savings when we discovered that WorkSite works particularly well with our NeverFail clustering software, which we rely on to fulfill our contractual obligations for secure backup, storage and disaster recovery.

Taking the Next Step

A couple of years ago, iManage (now Interwoven) had the insight to bring together their legal industry clients and ask them how they used the system to determine how it could be made better. Our recommendations included adopting a folder structure format and providing customers with a way to better manage e-mails. We also asked for support for ethical walls, so we could prevent inappropriate access to information. Interwoven responded to our needs, and those of other customers, with WorkSite 8, a new version that included an e-mail management module, the ethical walls we'd asked for and a unique new 'matter-centric collaboration' approach.

Basically, the matter-centric idea is an online version of the traditional physical case file. For each client matter, you create a type of workspace called a matter folder. Every type of content pertaining to the matter documents, scanned content, e-mails, notes, images are stored into the matter folder, organized by document types and subtype. People always know where to look for matter content, and they can access it from any location. The matter-centric system has all the advantages of the old Microsoft folder system in terms of intuitive navigation, but without the risk of losing track of content or having it moved around. And you can still search the full database by keyword or full-text, if that's your preference, or search within specific folders. Either way, you only see content items you're authorized to access, so the ethical walls are completely enforced.

Our migration to the WorkSite 8 server only took 3 weeks from planning to implementation. The transition was so seamless that none of our users even noticed when we upgraded our server.

One of the biggest benefits of WorkSite 8 with regard to time savings has been its automation of the assignment of profile information. Rather than manually filling out profiles, our users can now just key in the name and author of the item and drop it into the appropriate folder in the matter workspace. The rest of the profile information is added automatically, based on that location. Users can even drag-and-drop multiple items at once, which saves a tremendous amount of time, making it much easier to communicate with a client. When a client has a need for a specific piece of content, users can now just go to that client's matter folder and perform a folder search. The process is fast, reliable, and provides users with the assurance that clients' needs can be supported in a timely manner.

Further, both the main matter folder and the subfolders within the Interwoven matter-centric structure can have e-mail addresses assigned to them. When users send clients e-mail, all they have to do is copy the appropriate folder and a copy of the e-mail is stored automatically in WorkSite. Then, when the client hits reply-all, that reply is copied to the folder the same way. (I can also drag-and-drop e-mails right from Outlook into the matter folder). The e-mails relating to a client matter end up in the same place, without duplicates, and remain easy to find later.

These days, we have attorneys working in many more locations than we used to. In addition to our main offices in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Sacramento and San Francisco, San Leandro, and Los Angeles, we have many attorneys who sit onsite with clients. However, with WorkSite, everyone logs into the same central database and accesses the same set of client and matter folders, working just as if we were all sitting in the same office.

The productivity gains and return on investment we've seen in upgrading to WorkSite 8 will easily equal our initial adoption of WorkSite back in 2002. We haven't completed our metrics for the new version yet, but we know we'll save much more than 6 minutes per day per user. Aside from the ability to manage e-mails and other content more effectively, the system is also much easier to roll out. Previously, it could take 4 hours to train a new employee, including Outlook; now, it's more like 40 minutes.

At this point, we're continuing to deepen our use of WorkSite 8. Our department heads will be rolling out workspaces to make their departments more efficient, and we're also exploring the system's workflow, collaboration and extranet capabilities. Interwoven provides the platform for just about any content-centric initiative we choose to undertake; it's great to have that flexibility, and the potential for additional forms of ROI.

Competitively, WorkSite 8 has helped keep us at the forefront of customer support. The key is to improve in-house productivity and efficiency, then use that time to be more productive with clients. WorkSite allows us to do just that.

Tom Hines is the Chief Information Officer for Meyers Nave. He is based in Oakland, CA, and may be reached at [email protected].

Ideally, most of an attorney's time will be devoted to the needs of clients. In the real world however, attorneys can waste valuable hours every week searching for content and wrestling with hard-to-use software for hours ' hours that come at the expense of client service and responsiveness. At Meyers Nave, our efforts to maximize productivity and efficiency began with the implementation of Interwoven WorkSite. This, in turn, led to further productivity gains with the other tools our attorneys use. Now, by upgrading to Interwoven's matter-centric WorkSite 8, we will achieve yet another level of improvement, helping us stay ahead of the competition and providing our clients with the best possible service.

Time is Money

Back in 2002, although we were already providing great service to our clients, we still saw the potential to do better. We surveyed our attorneys to measure how well they were using tools we had installed, and discovered that they were spending at least 45 minutes per day searching for documents in the Microsoft folder structure that we had in place at the time. By its design, this folder structure allows documents to be moved, renamed or saved over, which meant we had to go to backups to recover documents. As a result, it was often taking much longer than it should have for our attorneys to find the content they needed. I pointed out to our managing partner that if we could shave just 6 minutes from this process ' which was a conservative goal ' that we would save 26 hours per year per person, or almost 3000 hours firm-wide. That was all he needed to hear to understand how WorkSite could positively affect our business.

So, how to do it? Looking over the various content management systems on the market, it was clear to see that iManage (this was before their merger with Interwoven) was the leader in terms of client base, and also got high marks in analyst reports. Narrowing it down to WorkSite was the easy part; next, we had to figure out how to pay for the new system. As with any company, a big chunk of our operating budget goes to communications with clients: land lines, cell phones, e-mail, Blackberries, conference calling, faxing and so forth. By reviewing these contracts one by one and pressing vendors for better deals, we managed to save $166,000 dollars, which was more than enough to pay for our $150,000 WorkSite implementation. During our install we found that we had to upgrade our Windows 98 systems to Windows XP for improved performance.

Once Interwoven WorkSite was up and running, we had to help our users make the transition from a folder system to an open database in which they find content through a search mechanism. Some people caught on sooner than others, but once we trained them with the basic skills they needed, most agreed that the new system was a big improvement over how it worked in the past. Our attorneys and staff no longer had to worry about items being renamed or moved from folder to folder; specific documents were easy to find. For data mining, users can now search the entire database to find relevant previous work and save a copy out of this content to use as the basis for new work ' all without the risk of accidentally writing over someone else's work. As our efficiency and productivity improved, we were saving considerably more than the 26 hours per person per year that we had promised the managing partner.

Productivity savings are all well and good, of course, but it's a soft gain that you have to re-use or else it's lost. So we decided to invest the hours we saved into extra training – not just on WorkSite, but on calendaring, e-mail and the other tools we had in place to make sure our team was maximally efficient. We created a Technology Panel made up of staff at all levels to drive high priority training efforts, including creating videos and other learning systems designed for the different ways in which people learn, using surveys to measure their effectiveness and ensure success.

Once our users were up to speed on WorkSite, we also had to get our hard copy content into the system. Lexmark multi-function devices offered direct scanning of hard copy documents into WorkSite; you fill out a profile form on the screen of the Multi Function Device (MFP), and it is scanned directly into Worksite. Even better, you can create a barcode label sheet based on profile information, and then use that barcode to scan entire boxes of files into the system without having to re-key the profile. The Lexmark devices also made it possible to scan PDFs directly to e-mail, OCR (converts to Word, editable PDF, or text files) to e-mail, fax directly from the desktop and track fax and copy costs more efficiently. As a result, we were able to save a substantial amount of money, which we re-invested in WorkSite. Additionally, we realized even more savings when we discovered that WorkSite works particularly well with our NeverFail clustering software, which we rely on to fulfill our contractual obligations for secure backup, storage and disaster recovery.

Taking the Next Step

A couple of years ago, iManage (now Interwoven) had the insight to bring together their legal industry clients and ask them how they used the system to determine how it could be made better. Our recommendations included adopting a folder structure format and providing customers with a way to better manage e-mails. We also asked for support for ethical walls, so we could prevent inappropriate access to information. Interwoven responded to our needs, and those of other customers, with WorkSite 8, a new version that included an e-mail management module, the ethical walls we'd asked for and a unique new 'matter-centric collaboration' approach.

Basically, the matter-centric idea is an online version of the traditional physical case file. For each client matter, you create a type of workspace called a matter folder. Every type of content pertaining to the matter documents, scanned content, e-mails, notes, images are stored into the matter folder, organized by document types and subtype. People always know where to look for matter content, and they can access it from any location. The matter-centric system has all the advantages of the old Microsoft folder system in terms of intuitive navigation, but without the risk of losing track of content or having it moved around. And you can still search the full database by keyword or full-text, if that's your preference, or search within specific folders. Either way, you only see content items you're authorized to access, so the ethical walls are completely enforced.

Our migration to the WorkSite 8 server only took 3 weeks from planning to implementation. The transition was so seamless that none of our users even noticed when we upgraded our server.

One of the biggest benefits of WorkSite 8 with regard to time savings has been its automation of the assignment of profile information. Rather than manually filling out profiles, our users can now just key in the name and author of the item and drop it into the appropriate folder in the matter workspace. The rest of the profile information is added automatically, based on that location. Users can even drag-and-drop multiple items at once, which saves a tremendous amount of time, making it much easier to communicate with a client. When a client has a need for a specific piece of content, users can now just go to that client's matter folder and perform a folder search. The process is fast, reliable, and provides users with the assurance that clients' needs can be supported in a timely manner.

Further, both the main matter folder and the subfolders within the Interwoven matter-centric structure can have e-mail addresses assigned to them. When users send clients e-mail, all they have to do is copy the appropriate folder and a copy of the e-mail is stored automatically in WorkSite. Then, when the client hits reply-all, that reply is copied to the folder the same way. (I can also drag-and-drop e-mails right from Outlook into the matter folder). The e-mails relating to a client matter end up in the same place, without duplicates, and remain easy to find later.

These days, we have attorneys working in many more locations than we used to. In addition to our main offices in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Sacramento and San Francisco, San Leandro, and Los Angeles, we have many attorneys who sit onsite with clients. However, with WorkSite, everyone logs into the same central database and accesses the same set of client and matter folders, working just as if we were all sitting in the same office.

The productivity gains and return on investment we've seen in upgrading to WorkSite 8 will easily equal our initial adoption of WorkSite back in 2002. We haven't completed our metrics for the new version yet, but we know we'll save much more than 6 minutes per day per user. Aside from the ability to manage e-mails and other content more effectively, the system is also much easier to roll out. Previously, it could take 4 hours to train a new employee, including Outlook; now, it's more like 40 minutes.

At this point, we're continuing to deepen our use of WorkSite 8. Our department heads will be rolling out workspaces to make their departments more efficient, and we're also exploring the system's workflow, collaboration and extranet capabilities. Interwoven provides the platform for just about any content-centric initiative we choose to undertake; it's great to have that flexibility, and the potential for additional forms of ROI.

Competitively, WorkSite 8 has helped keep us at the forefront of customer support. The key is to improve in-house productivity and efficiency, then use that time to be more productive with clients. WorkSite allows us to do just that.

Tom Hines is the Chief Information Officer for Meyers Nave. He is based in Oakland, CA, and may be reached at [email protected].