Law firms are increasingly embracing technological solutions like Legatics to enhance efficiency, and improve the client and lawyer experience on deals. However, as we know from our experience at Legatics, implementing new technology is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in ensuring widespread adoption and integration into daily workflows. This blog post explores three proven change management methodologies that innovation teams can leverage to facilitate smooth technology implementation and maximize user adoption. See our blog post on why change management is so important for legal tech implementation.
1. Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model
John Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model is a comprehensive framework that can guide legal innovation teams through the entire change process:
- Create a sense of urgency: Clearly communicate the need for technological change within the firm.
- Build a guiding coalition: Form a team of influential leaders and stakeholders to champion the change.
- Form a strategic vision: Develop a clear picture of how the new technology will benefit the firm and its clients.
- Enlist a volunteer army: Engage a broad base of employees to drive and support the change.
- Enable action by removing barriers: Identify and address obstacles to adoption, such as outdated processes or resistance to change.
- Generate short-term wins: Celebrate early successes to build momentum and motivation.
- Sustain acceleration: Use the momentum from early wins to tackle bigger changes.
- Institute change: Anchor the new approaches in the firm’s culture to ensure long-term success.
This methodology is particularly effective for large-scale technology implementations that require firm-wide buy-in and cultural shifts.
ADKAR Model
The ADKAR model, developed by Prosci, focuses on the individual’s journey through change. It’s an excellent approach for innovation teams looking to address the human side of technology adoption:
- Awareness: Ensure that everyone understands why the technological change is necessary.
- Desire: Foster a willingness to support and participate in the change.
- Knowledge: Provide information and training on how to change.
- Ability: Offer support to implement new skills and behaviors.
- Reinforcement: Create mechanisms to sustain the change over time.
This model is particularly useful when dealing with resistance to new technology, as it addresses the personal and emotional aspects of change.
Lean Change Management
Lean Change Management, inspired by Agile and Lean startup principles, is an iterative, flexible approach well-suited for the dynamic nature of legal tech implementation:
- Co-create change: Involve end-users in the planning and implementation process.
- Validate assumptions: Test ideas and gather feedback before full-scale implementation.
- Experiment and adapt: Use small-scale pilots to learn and refine the approach.
- Continuous improvement: Regularly review and adjust the change strategy based on real-time feedback and results.
This methodology is particularly effective for innovation teams working in fast-paced environments where flexibility and rapid iteration are crucial.
Conclusion
Successful technology implementation in law firms requires more than just selecting the right tools; it demands a strategic approach to change management. By leveraging these methodologies, innovation teams can significantly improve adoption rates, minimize resistance, and maximize the return on technology investments.
The key to success lies in choosing the methodology (or combination of methodologies) that best fits your firm’s culture, the specific technology being implemented, and the scale of the change. With the right approach, your innovation team can drive meaningful technological transformation and position your firm at the forefront of legal innovation.
Interested to hear more about how you can boost adoption at your law firm? Find out more about onboarding and adoption at Legatics here. We have also created a unique set of Onboarding Resources for our customers available in the Admin System, which include pre-made content and ideas to kick-start your adoption journey and raise awareness of Legatics with lawyers, Partners and clients. Existing customers can contact their Engagement Manager or the Customer Success team to find out more.
