Making Sure the Tool Isn't You: Train Your Brain to Use Technology (So That Neither Uses You)

Making Sure the Tool Isn’t You:

Train Your Brain to Use Technology (SoThat Neither Uses You)

Overview

• Attorneys as Knowledge Workers

• The Importance and Fragility of Attention

• Some Ways to Limit Attention-SappingDistractions

• Ways to Harness Computer Power So YouCan Pay Attention to the Important Stuff

You Are a Knowledge 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

Attention is Your Fuel

Your Attention is Finite

• Decisions

• Distractions

Your Attention is Fallible

Never attribute to malice what can adequatelybe explained by stupidity. - Hanlon's Razor

More on Fallibility

• The Gorilla Experiment

• “Everyone Who Drives Faster Than I do isa Maniac, Everyone who Drives Slowerthan I do is a Moron.” – George Carlin

• Notice when your cognitive shortcuts cutout too much

What Fuels/Preserves Attention?

• Fewer Decisions

• Fewer Distractions

• Sustained Focus/Awareness

Don’t Be the Product“The Real Problem of humanity is the following: wehave Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, andgod-like technology.” – E.O. Wilson

.

Paradox: You Have to Ignore Technologyto Plan How to Use It

• Technology is a Distraction, especially when you haven'tfigured 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

Why Are Computer Tools So Useful?

• External Memory (Storage and Organization)

• More Connections (Marketing, InformationSharing)

• Communication and Publishing (Automation,Collaboration)

Is Computer TechnologyAlways The Best Tool?

Use Your Computer Tools

• What Can You Automate (The RepetitiveStuff) So You Can Do the Important Stuff?

• What Can You Communicate/Share?

• How Can You Organize Your InformationKnowledge?

Lessons From The Checklist Manifesto• Why Use Your Head as a Storage Device?

• "Either I have a pen nearby, or it really wasn't that funny." – MitchHedberg

• Document a Process Well One Time, Never Have to Document itAgain (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

Practical Tips To Get 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 itinto 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 andknowledge that you may use again, and store where you can findthem.

Practical Tips For Popular 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.

Giving Your Time Gives YouMore Time

• Be Generous of Your Time and Your Knowledge- WithoutExpecting Anything in Return

• If You Are Taking Care of Yourself, You Will Take Careof Others

• Build Empathy and Practice Gratitude

• Get Out and Play -http://pringlepracticeblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/in-celebration-of-play.html

Conclusion

Which is smarter at chess – humans or computers?

Neither.

It’s the two together, working side by side.

- Clive Thompson, “Smarter Than You Think”

Questions?Jack PringleAdams and Reese LLP(803) 343-1270

[email protected]@jjpringleschttp://pringlepracticeblog.blogspot.com

1501 Main Street, 5th FloorColumbia, SC 29201www.adamsandreese.com

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. Jobshttps://public.tableau.com/profile/mckinsey.analytics#!/vizhome/AutomationandUSjobs/Technicalpotentialforautomation

More Resources

The Checklist Manifesto: 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

Resources - Tools

Basecamp https://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

Resources- Websites

ABA Law Technology ResourceCenter 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/