Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 41 The best way to target and eliminate waste is to start by gaining a deep understanding of the current process by mapping it out with a team of subject matter experts. This can be done by either using sticky notes on a whiteboard or process mapping software like ProcedureFlow. Once the team can visualize the process, it is much easier to identify opportunities for improvement and begin to develop solutions that reduce the waste. In solving these problems it's important to not lose sight of how the customer defines value. Your customer is anyone that receives value from the process, and in legal work that often means your client. There would be little sense spending weeks solving a problem that your client doesn't care about. Start by having a conversation with your client, to learn what they really care about, and then develop metrics that establish a baseline that can be tracked over time. For example, some clients may seek a reduction in legal fees, others may be more concerned about managing quality or reducing the amount of time to close a file. Once those baseline metrics are established, experiment with potential solutions to see if they have the desired effect. In developing solutions, there is great value in applying the approach used by most start-up companies. Start-ups have vision but with untested ideas they can't afford wasting months planning and then building something that their customers may not want. Successful start-ups often begin by developing a minimum viable product aimed at resolving an underlying customer problem. They then provide that solution to their customer as soon as possible. Customer feedback then drives iterations of that initial solution leading to a better product. The key is to start small, with bite- sized pieces, and to value learning above all else. The traditional approach to both managing projects and developing new solutions can often become bogged down in sticking to a rigid and inflexible plan that was created before work commenced when little information was available. While planning is an essential component of legal work it cannot be at the expense of flexibility and agility when inevitable change occurs. This is the point where project management and process improvement intersect. Where Agile involves the planning and execution of a particular matter, Lean involves the analysis and improvement of the steps taken within the execution of each matter. The goal should be to create a feedback loop, where metrics that define client value are continually tracked on active matters, and potential solutions are tested to determine whether they enhance that value over time. Successful solutions should then be integrated into the planning and execution stages on all future matters. The key is incremental improvement on your approach and never accepting that your work is complete – you can always do better. "The key is to start small, with bite-sized pieces, and to value learning above all else."

• Cover