tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783763806568832522.post6260757539747594858..comments2023-05-04T08:14:13.973-04:00Comments on Above and Beyond KM: Getting Your Money's Worth Out of KMMary Abrahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437605925715236752noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783763806568832522.post-2245988019635350942008-05-26T22:54:00.000-04:002008-05-26T22:54:00.000-04:00While charging for use of KM systems may seem a li...While charging for use of KM systems may seem a little drastic, it isn't much different than charging for use of firm resources for personal purposes. And, lawyers certainly are accustomed to the notion of racking up a bill for using online research services, although those bills get sent to the client not the lawyer. <BR/><BR/>In each of these cases, the lawyers use the resources despite the charge because it makes sense at the time. In other words, the benefit outweighs the cost. As long as the KM systems are providing a real benefit, lawyers shouldn't be deterred from using them just because there is a price tag attached.<BR/><BR/>As mentioned earlier, I'd be happy for these KM charges to be notional -- the lawyer is presented with the bill, but is not actually expected to pay. The idea is simply to make concrete for each lawyer the value that lawyer has derived from the KM systems. <BR/><BR/>You're right when you say that rewards are a more attractive option and that we face a big challenge in measuring the efficiencies resulting from the use of KM systems. Until we conquer this particular hurdle, we are asking our firms to take on faith the idea that KM is beneficial.<BR/><BR/>- MaryMary Abrahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07437605925715236752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783763806568832522.post-52439613125233535992008-05-25T08:05:00.000-04:002008-05-25T08:05:00.000-04:00Mary -My concern about charging is that it would d...Mary -<BR/><BR/>My concern about charging is that it would deter people from using the system.<BR/><BR/>I do not plan to fly American not because of the charge for the bag, but because of the impact of other flyers not checking their bags. I would guess that there will be a dramatic increase in people bringing bags on board instead of checking them. I envision longer boarding times as flyers try to cram all of their luggage into the overhead bins. <BR/><BR/>I would prefer to reward people for using KM tools and operating more efficiently. The challenge is how to measure that efficiency.Doug Corneliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13599519275050428569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783763806568832522.post-82706328604856413852008-05-24T22:26:00.000-04:002008-05-24T22:26:00.000-04:00Doug - I understand why the cynical view is hard t...Doug - <BR/><BR/>I understand why the cynical view is hard to resist. However, I do believe that if we could come up with some concrete ways of valuing the work we do, we and our firms would be rather pleasantly surprised. At a minimum, personally billing lawyers each time they take advantage of the KM system would at least remind them that they did find the KM resources helpful. The fact that this billing is notional rather than actual doesn't detract from the usefulness of putting dollar amounts to KM resources.<BR/><BR/>- MaryMary Abrahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07437605925715236752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2783763806568832522.post-55109326717204464902008-05-24T09:54:00.000-04:002008-05-24T09:54:00.000-04:00I think most KM, as well as most legal IT, has a d...I think most KM, as well as most legal IT, has a direct negative ROI for lawyers that bill by the hour.<BR/><BR/>Most systems allow attorneys to produce better work product, more efficiently. If I can find a better precedent so that it only takes 1 hour to produce a document rather than 3 hours, that is 2 less hours of billable work. Add that 2 lost hours to the time it took to save and catalog that precedent and you have a direct negative ROI.<BR/><BR/>Of course this is a cynical view. Nobody thinks that clients are willing to pay three hours worth of time for a task that should have taken one.<BR/><BR/>You try to look at write-offs and realization rates, but many other factors could be attributed the reductions.<BR/><BR/>You can look at client retention, quality of life, better client service, and better attorney retention, but now you are really just guessing.<BR/><BR/>The analysis changes dramatically when you look at fixed price billing and "alternative" billing arrangements. But those are still fairly rare in big law firms.Doug Corneliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13599519275050428569noreply@blogger.com