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Making Sure the Tool Isn't You: Train Your Brain to Use Technology (So That Neither Uses You)
This document provides insights on how attorneys, as knowledge workers, can effectively use technology without being overwhelmed by distractions. It emphasizes the importance of attention management, decision-making, and leveraging computer tools for efficiency in legal practices. Practical tips are offered for various software and resources to enhance one’s organizational and operational capabilities.
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Making Sure the Tool Isn't You: Train Your Brain to Use Technology (So That Neither Uses You)
- 1. Making Sure theTool Isn’t You: Train Your Brain to Use Technology (So That Neither Uses You)
- 2. Overview • Attorneys asKnowledge Workers • The Importance and Fragility of Attention • Some Ways to Limit Attention-Sapping Distractions • Ways to Harness Computer Power So You Can Pay Attention to the Important Stuff
- 3. You Are aKnowledge Worker • You Manage information – Collect, organize, store – Protect • keep it confidential (Rule 1.6, RPC) • keep it safe (Rule 1.15, RPC) – Review – Share/Communicate – Retain/Destroy • Apply knowledge to information to provide solutions
- 4.
- 5. Your Attention isFinite • Decisions • Distractions
- 6. Your Attention isFallible Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by stupidity. - Hanlon's Razor
- 7. More on Fallibility •The Gorilla Experiment • “Everyone Who Drives Faster Than I do is a Maniac, Everyone who Drives Slower than I do is a Moron.” – George Carlin • Notice when your cognitive shortcuts cut out too much
- 8. What Fuels/Preserves Attention? •Fewer Decisions • Fewer Distractions • Sustained Focus/Awareness
- 9. Don’t Be theProduct “The Real Problem of humanity is the following: we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology.” – E.O. Wilson .
- 11. Paradox: You Haveto Ignore Technology to Plan How to Use It • Technology is a Distraction, especially when you haven't figured out how to use it • Lawyers Require Sustained Attention- – Minimize Your Beeps and Notifications (and your Interruptions and Meetings) – Guard Your Attention Jealously • It’s Not What You Read, It’s What You Ignore
- 12. Why Are ComputerTools So Useful? • External Memory (Storage and Organization) • More Connections (Marketing, Information Sharing) • Communication and Publishing (Automation, Collaboration)
- 13. Is Computer Technology AlwaysThe Best Tool?
- 14. Use Your ComputerTools • What Can You Automate (The Repetitive Stuff) So You Can Do the Important Stuff? • What Can You Communicate/Share? • How Can You Organize Your Information Knowledge?
- 15. Lessons From TheChecklist Manifesto • Why Use Your Head as a Storage Device? • "Either I have a pen nearby, or it really wasn't that funny." – Mitch Hedberg • Document a Process Well One Time, Never Have to Document it Again (Repurpose) • Benefits: – Delegates (Efficiency) – Reduces Mistakes (Effectiveness, Efficiency) – Promotes and standardizes best practices (Process Improvement) – Stays with the organization (Knowledge Management) – Encourages revision and improvement (Productivity) – Capable of application in other areas (Innovation) – Rewards input (Collaboration) • Accepting coaching and criticism
- 18. Practical Tips ToGet You Started • Any office task you do repeatedly will improve with computer technology (Automation, Repetition) • Take Ownership of Your Tools – Any “How do I do this?” question can be answered by you. Not by IT, not by anyone else. • Before seeking (human) assistance, put your question/issue/problem in quotations and paste it into The Google. • If you asked it, someone else wants to know the answer, too. • When in doubt, right click and undo. • Study and Practice the Art of Finding (Be Your Own Librarian) – Use the search and find functions in all programs. – Name and organize documents according to a plan (so you can find them) • Tag and Label • Sort and filter • Before closing a matter, “harvest” all information and knowledge that you may use again, and store where you can find them.
- 19. Practical Tips ForPopular Programs • Microsoft Word – Use Styles for numbering any multilevel list. – Use Templates, and Automatic Tables of Contents and Authorities in Briefs – Hyperlink and cross-reference in contracts. – Use QuickParts and AutoText • Microsoft Outlook – Use Folders – Create Rules – Sort, Search, and Flag • PDFs – Create using a print driver and make them searchable. – Bookmark – Extract Pages – Reduce File Size – Batch Operations/Actions to Multiple Files – Bate stamp electronically.
- 20. Giving Your TimeGives You More Time • Be Generous of Your Time and Your Knowledge- Without Expecting Anything in Return • If You Are Taking Care of Yourself, You Will Take Care of Others • Build Empathy and Practice Gratitude • Get Out and Play - http://pringlepracticeblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/in- celebration-of-play.html
- 21. Conclusion Which is smarterat chess – humans or computers? Neither. It’s the two together, working side by side. - Clive Thompson, “Smarter Than You Think”
- 22. Questions? Jack Pringle Adams andReese LLP (803) 343-1270 [email protected] @jjpringlesc http://pringlepracticeblog.blogspot.com 1501 Main Street, 5th Floor Columbia, SC 29201 www.adamsandreese.com
- 23. Resources • Baba Shiv,How Do You Find Breakthrough Ideas?, Stanford Graduate School of Business, http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/baba-shiv- how-do-you-find-breakthrough-ideas • The Resilient Lawyer http://theanxiouslawyer.com/rl-23-jack-pringle/ • Learning the Lessons of John Henry https://medium.com/the- counselor-chronicles/learning-the-lessons-of-john-henry- 7de7f4c2b130#.iwu05e3fr • How Many of Your Daily Tasks Could be Automated? https://hbr.org/2015/12/how-many-of-your-daily-tasks-could-be- automated • Automation Potential and Wages for U.S. Jobs https://public.tableau.com/profile/mckinsey.analytics#!/vizhome/Auto mationandUSjobs/Technicalpotentialforautomation
- 24. More Resources The ChecklistManifesto: How to Get Things Right, by Atul Gawande http://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/dp/0312430000 Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better, by Clive Thompson http://www.amazon.com/Smarter-Than-You-Think-Technology/dp/1594204454 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D http://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Success-Carol- Dweck/dp/0345472322 Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant http://www.amazon.com/Give-Take-Helping-Others-Success/dp/0143124986
- 25. Resources - Tools Basecamphttps://basecamp.com/ Camtasia http://www.camtasiastudiosoftware.com/ Evernote www.evernote.com Freedom www.macfreedom.com LeechBlock http://www.proginosko.com/leechblock.html Mindmeister www.mindmeister.com Ommwriter www.ommwriter.com TheForm Tool www.theformtool.com WikiSpaces www.wikispaces.com
- 26. Resources- Websites ABA LawTechnology Resource Center http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources.html Attorney at Work http://www.attorneyatwork.com/ Clio http://www.goclio.com/ Law Office Guru http://legalofficeguru.com/ Law Practice Matters http://www.lawpracticematters.com/ Lawyerist http://lawyerist.com/ Legal Ease http://legalease.blogs.com/ Legal Productivity http://www.legalproductivity.com/ MyCase http://www.mycase.com/blog/ MyShingle http://myshingle.com/ Paperless Chase http://www.paperlesschase.com/ SC Bar PMAP http://www.scbar.org/MemberResources/PracticeManagementPMAP.aspx Technolawyer http://www.technolawyer.com/