Project Management Michael Hamilton 2006/07

Objectives Differentiate between business project management and legal project management Discuss key project management skills Develop a process for managing projects to the legal process Draft templates for documenting case management Common causes for project failure Build a Case Management Plan for a fictitious case

Differentiate between business project management and legal project management

Discuss key project management skills

Develop a process for managing projects to the legal process

Draft templates for documenting case management

Common causes for project failure

Build a Case Management Plan for a fictitious case

What is a “project”? A project is a unique effort with a defined beginning, a defined end, specific deliverables, and defined resources. Resources Schedule Scope

A project is a unique effort with a defined beginning, a defined end, specific deliverables, and defined resources.

Business Project Management v. Legal Project Management Business Budget drives all activity Milestones derived from mix of staffing and budget available Personnel can be dedicated to the project Level of flexibility depending on market conditions Legal Docket drives most activity Milestones derived from mix of docket and court deadlines Personnel (attorneys or paralegals) are rarely dedicated to one project Little flexibility in deadlines

Business

Budget drives all activity

Milestones derived from mix of staffing and budget available

Personnel can be dedicated to the project

Level of flexibility depending on market conditions

Legal

Docket drives most activity

Milestones derived from mix of docket and court deadlines

Personnel (attorneys or paralegals) are rarely dedicated to one project

Little flexibility in deadlines

Basics of Project Management Planning, planning, planning Have templates prepared to plug and play Outcome should be a “repeatable process” Ensure that all team members contribute to the planning Document all decisions and circulate for approval Metrics derived will be invaluable Metrics will help in future planning Update plan as changes in process occur The version of the document at the “end” of the case should be representative of what ACTUALLY happened

Planning, planning, planning

Have templates prepared to plug and play

Outcome should be a “repeatable process”

Ensure that all team members contribute to the planning

Document all decisions and circulate for approval

Metrics derived will be invaluable

Metrics will help in future planning

Update plan as changes in process occur

The version of the document at the “end” of the case should be representative of what ACTUALLY happened

Project Management Defined The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project. Meeting or exceeding stakeholder needs and expectation invariably involves balancing competing demands among: scope, time cost, and quality stakeholders with differing needs and expectations identified requirements (needs) and unidentified requirements (expectations)

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project. Meeting or exceeding stakeholder needs and expectation invariably involves balancing competing demands among:

scope, time cost, and quality

stakeholders with differing needs and expectations

identified requirements (needs) and unidentified requirements (expectations)

Key General Project Management Skills Leading Communicating Negotiating Problem Solving Influencing

Leading

Communicating

Negotiating

Problem Solving

Influencing

Leading Leading and managing: one w/o the other is likely to produce poor results Leading Involves: Establishing direction Aligning people Motivating and inspiring The Project manager is generally expected to be the project’s leader as well Leadership develops daily, not in day

Leading and managing: one w/o the other is likely to produce poor results

Leading Involves:

Establishing direction

Aligning people

Motivating and inspiring

The Project manager is generally expected to be the project’s leader as well

Leadership develops daily, not in day

Communicating Involves the exchange of information The sender is responsible for the making the information clear, unambiguous, and complete so that the receiver can receive it correctly. The receiver is responsible for making sure that the information is received in its entirety and understood correctly. Has many dimensions: Written and oral, listening and speaking Internal and external Formal and informal Vertical and horizontal

Involves the exchange of information

The sender is responsible for the making the information clear, unambiguous, and complete so that the receiver can receive it correctly.

The receiver is responsible for making sure that the information is received in its entirety and understood correctly.

Has many dimensions:

Written and oral, listening and speaking

Internal and external

Formal and informal

Vertical and horizontal

Negotiating Involves conferring with others in order to come to terms or reach an agreement Agreements may be negotiated directly or with assistance During the course of a typical project, project staff are likely to negotiate for any or all of the following Scope, cost and schedule objectives Changes to scope cost or schedule Contract terms and conditions Resources

Involves conferring with others in order to come to terms or reach an agreement

Agreements may be negotiated directly or with assistance

During the course of a typical project, project staff are likely to negotiate for any or all of the following

Scope, cost and schedule objectives

Changes to scope cost or schedule

Contract terms and conditions

Resources

Problem Solving Involves a combination of problem definition and decision making It is concerned with problems that have already occurred Problem definition requires distinguishing between causes and symptoms Problems may be internal Problems may be external Decision making includes analyzing the problem to identify viable solutions, and then making a choice from among them "The true measure of leadership is influence”

Involves a combination of problem definition and decision making

It is concerned with problems that have already occurred

Problem definition requires distinguishing between causes and symptoms

Problems may be internal

Problems may be external

Decision making includes analyzing the problem to identify viable solutions, and then making a choice from among them

"The true measure of leadership is influence”

Influencing Involves the ability to “get things done” Requires an understanding from both the formal and informal structures of all the organizations involved – the performing organization, the customer, and others as appropriate. Requires an understanding of the mechanics of power and politics Power – the potential ability to influence behavior, to change the course of events, to overcome resistance and to get people to do things that they would not otherwise do Politics – getting collective action from a group of people who may have quite different interests; it is about being willing to use conflict and disorder creatively

Involves the ability to “get things done”

Requires an understanding from both the formal and informal structures of all the organizations involved – the performing organization, the customer, and others as appropriate.

Requires an understanding of the mechanics of power and politics

Power – the potential ability to influence behavior, to change the course of events, to overcome resistance and to get people to do things that they would not otherwise do

Politics – getting collective action from a group of people who may have quite different interests; it is about being willing to use conflict and disorder creatively

Applying P.M. Skills to Litigation Support Diagnose the present Foretell the future Define your limitations & your purpose Rule the Plan – Don’t let the Plan rule you Implement a Plan-Based – Not a task based approach Manage your meeting like a carefully crafted dinner party

Diagnose the present

Foretell the future

Define your limitations & your purpose

Rule the Plan – Don’t let the Plan rule you

Implement a Plan-Based – Not a task based approach

Manage your meeting like a carefully crafted dinner party

Applying P.M. Skills to Litigation Support Embrace the art of expediting tasks Know thyself – and they project sponsor Projecting forward: Play the part of clairvoyant It’s about THEM – not YOU The R&R Factor (React & Regroup)

Embrace the art of expediting tasks

Know thyself – and they project sponsor

Projecting forward: Play the part of clairvoyant

It’s about THEM – not YOU

The R&R Factor (React & Regroup)

Planning Phase Review and Draft Document Requests Determine time line for document processing Set deadlines for initial plans Determine Response Timeline Understand what documents go into the response Start pleadings database Develop Response Strategy Draft the Case Project Plan Template to be completed by multiple team members Once completed, use it as on-going reference and training tool Determine if there is an Existing Document Collection Generally applicable only to ongoing client work

Review and Draft Document Requests

Determine time line for document processing

Set deadlines for initial plans

Determine Response Timeline

Understand what documents go into the response

Start pleadings database

Develop Response Strategy

Draft the Case Project Plan

Template to be completed by multiple team members

Once completed, use it as on-going reference and training tool

Determine if there is an Existing Document Collection

Generally applicable only to ongoing client work

Preparation Phase List Potential Sources and Custodians Evaluate Process Plan Based on Document Size and Type Set Document Processing Treatment and Database Design Plan Logistics and Staffing Draft Technology and Training Plan Select Vendor Develop Collection Schedule Document Collection Procedures Conduct Collection Team Training

List Potential Sources and Custodians

Evaluate Process Plan Based on Document Size and Type

Set Document Processing Treatment and Database Design

Plan Logistics and Staffing

Draft Technology and Training Plan

Select Vendor

Develop Collection Schedule

Document Collection Procedures

Conduct Collection Team Training

Collection Phase Hold Project Status Meeting Always have an agenda Always take and distribute action items Evaluate budget based on volume of information to be processed Go To Document Custodians/Explain Review Go To Technology Custodians/Explain Review Conduct Review Electronic Docs Non-Electronic Docs Review workflow established in the Preparation Phase

Hold Project Status Meeting

Always have an agenda

Always take and distribute action items

Evaluate budget based on volume of information to be processed

Go To Document Custodians/Explain Review

Go To Technology Custodians/Explain Review

Conduct Review

Electronic Docs

Non-Electronic Docs

Review workflow established in the Preparation Phase

Processing Phase Non-Electronic Documents Receive and log documents Prepare materials Image OCR Return materials Electronic Documents Receive and log media Send to vendor Load to server De-Duplicate Render to image and database

Non-Electronic Documents

Receive and log documents

Prepare materials

Image

OCR

Return materials

Electronic Documents

Receive and log media

Send to vendor

Load to server

De-Duplicate

Render to image and database

Storage Phase Create Shell Databases for Case From scratch or from an existing database Maintain “structure integrity” when creating databases Manage for Protective Orders and Privilege Will you run your privilege log from the database? Will you export privilege materials to separate database? Load Data and Take Database Metrics True legal project management lies in the metrics Metrics will help determine future time lines and costs

Create Shell Databases for Case

From scratch or from an existing database

Maintain “structure integrity” when creating databases

Manage for Protective Orders and Privilege

Will you run your privilege log from the database?

Will you export privilege materials to separate database?

Load Data and Take Database Metrics

True legal project management lies in the metrics

Metrics will help determine future time lines and costs

Sample Database Metrics

Production Phase Determine Which Documents to be Produced Identify Selected Materials to be Produced Determine How to Produce Prepare Materials for Production Conduct Production Prepare Identified Documents to be Provided to Opposing Party(ies) Update Field in Database Send Documents to Opposing Party(ies) Generate Invoice Process Other Party(ies) Documents

Determine Which Documents to be Produced

Identify Selected Materials to be Produced

Determine How to Produce

Prepare Materials for Production

Conduct Production

Prepare Identified Documents to be Provided to Opposing Party(ies)

Update Field in Database

Send Documents to Opposing Party(ies)

Generate Invoice

Process Other Party(ies) Documents

Use Phase Search and Review Database Single data loads? Multiple data loads? Separate databases for electronic versus paper? Maintain and Update Database With New Data Database should always help tell the story of your case and how each document was used Maintain standard configuration and processes Archive Data Upon Case Completion Very important for storage planning Ensure that archival is agreed upon in advance with the team Choose storage medium to facilitate ease of restoration later

Search and Review Database

Single data loads?

Multiple data loads?

Separate databases for electronic versus paper?

Maintain and Update Database With New Data

Database should always help tell the story of your case and how each document was used

Maintain standard configuration and processes

Archive Data Upon Case Completion

Very important for storage planning

Ensure that archival is agreed upon in advance with the team

Choose storage medium to facilitate ease of restoration later

Conclusion No matter if you are managing a business process or a legal process, planning is key to success Build planning into your workflow Create sample plan and send to attorney for review rather than awaiting their participation Remember to take metrics – it is the secret to knowing how long tasks will take (should take) on future cases with similar structures

No matter if you are managing a business process or a legal process, planning is key to success

Build planning into your workflow

Create sample plan and send to attorney for review rather than awaiting their participation

Remember to take metrics – it is the secret to knowing how long tasks will take (should take) on future cases with similar structures

Avoid the common causes for project failure Poor up-front planning Incomplete or vague project work plan Weak ongoing project management discipline Inadequate resources People problems Lifecycle problems A failure to clearly and completely define the requirements, resulting in building the wrong features or leaving gaps in the features needed. New or state of the art technology may cause unanticipated problems. A poor technical design is not allowing the solution to be easily modified or is not scalable. Requirements are not frozen late in the project and continued change requests start to cause the project to drift. Technology components do not fit together as designed. Poor initial testing techniques cause repeated errors and rework in later tests.

Poor up-front planning

Incomplete or vague project work plan

Weak ongoing project management discipline

Inadequate resources

People problems

Lifecycle problems

A failure to clearly and completely define the requirements, resulting in building the wrong features or leaving gaps in the features needed.

New or state of the art technology may cause unanticipated problems.

A poor technical design is not allowing the solution to be easily modified or is not scalable.

Requirements are not frozen late in the project and continued change requests start to cause the project to drift.

Technology components do not fit together as designed.

Poor initial testing techniques cause repeated errors and rework in later tests.