Software solutions: training - what lawyers need to know about it

Recently this column looked at some of the general issues associated with training lawyers to use technology (see [2002] Gazette, 17 October, 15).

This time we go one step further with a suggestion that instead of trying to cover everything, a better strategy is to be more selective.

Rather than waste resources coaching lawyers to be familiar with systems they will either never use or should not be using (for example, training fee earners to use word processing, thereby turning them into your practice's most costly secretaries), focus on getting them to master applications from which they really will get some value.

For many fee earners, the priority will be e-mail, but for others it may be the Excel spreadsheet - particularly for lawyers calculating claims settlements or handling probate work - the Internet Explorer Web browser so they can surf the Internet for information, and the use of a diary/to-do list application such as Microsoft Outlook.

Other candidates include any case or workflow management systems you run and, for partners with overall responsibility for client relations, a knowledge of the reporting aspects of the accounts and practice management system will be invaluable.

How far should you go in terms of depth of understanding? Basically, you need to be sufficiently proficient that you are self-reliant with your systems on a day-to-day basis.

This is particularly important if you are one of those solicitors who also has a computer at home or uses a laptop.

If you are likely to be working out of the office at any stage - when you will be cut off from the umbilical chord of your in-house IT staff or easy access to your supplier's support services - it is essential to build up your own comfort zone of IT competence so you can cope when something goes wrong.

And, unfortunately, when it comes to computers, one thing you can always rely on is their unreliability.

As with a lot of technology, there are often a few tips and tricks that can be employed to get you out of many scrapes.

For example, most people do not save files or make back-up copies often enough, so when a system crashes it really is a blow because so much work has to be redone.

By focusing on just a few things - the day-to-day rudiments of how to operate your computer, including a familiarity with the hardware and the operating system, as well as your most frequently used software applications - you can achieve a level of self-sufficiency and self-reliance that will make life much easier.

So, forget about trying to learn everything.

Just concentrate on the things you need to know.

Charles Christian is an independent adviser to the Law Society's Software Solutions Guide