Tech Tools To Help Tech Tools To Help Manage Manage Information Information Overload Overload Kathleen Brockel, NTAP Jeff Sherr, Kentucky Dept. of Public Advocacy NLADA Annual Conference November 2008
Tech Tools To Help Manage Info Overload - Kathleen Brockel's presentation
May 16, 2015
Managing Information Overload
Presenter: Kathleen Brockel
We are bombarded by an avalanche of information each day. We have to remember relevant facts about our cases, while running from duty to duty and juggling the needs of the multitudes. We try to stay above water by relying on our ability to remember the "important" stuff. We lay awake at night running through the lists of things we need to remember to do. We use a calendar to let us know where to be and when. We do our best to outrace the pending crisis. There is a better way.
In this session, we will explore a system developed by David Allen called Getting Things Done (GTD). We will: understand the theory; practice applying the system; explore how the system can be modified to fit our realities and personalities; discuss techniques for managing email; be shown a number of quick free tricks to save time and track information; and learn how to plan and implement projects
Presenter: Kathleen Brockel
We are bombarded by an avalanche of information each day. We have to remember relevant facts about our cases, while running from duty to duty and juggling the needs of the multitudes. We try to stay above water by relying on our ability to remember the "important" stuff. We lay awake at night running through the lists of things we need to remember to do. We use a calendar to let us know where to be and when. We do our best to outrace the pending crisis. There is a better way.
In this session, we will explore a system developed by David Allen called Getting Things Done (GTD). We will: understand the theory; practice applying the system; explore how the system can be modified to fit our realities and personalities; discuss techniques for managing email; be shown a number of quick free tricks to save time and track information; and learn how to plan and implement projects
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Tech Tools To Help Tech Tools To Help ManageManage Information Overload Information Overload
Kathleen Brockel, NTAPJeff Sherr, Kentucky Dept. of Public Advocacy
NLADA Annual ConferenceNovember 2008
NTAP NTAP The Legal Services National
Technology Assistance ProjectNTAP provides technology
support to the poverty law community through trainings, direct support, website based resources, and tech guidance
Overview of SessionOverview of Session
Info Overload – What is it?Tools to Reduce Email Reliance
◦Instant Messaging◦Meeting Schedulers◦Web Conferencing◦Project Management◦Wiki◦RSS
3
Email OverloadEmail Overload
Electronic OverloadElectronic Overload
Starbucks OverloadStarbucks Overload
Is this your inbox?Is this your inbox?
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Email = Communication.Period.
DistractionsDistractions•Workers distracted every 3 minutes.
•Once distracted, a worker takes nearly a half-hour to resume the original task
•Interruptions and recovery consume 28% of worker’s day
8
Result?Result?Workers frustrated, pressured
and stressed
Checking email in meetings? Opportunities for collective creative energy and critical thinking are lost
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What to do?What to do?To make inroads on the deep, messy
work of life, we need to stay focused.
Practice may help.
Creating places or times for uninterrupted, focused creative thought.
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Blawger Dennis Kennedy:Blawger Dennis Kennedy:The real difficulty with email is that we
are asking email to do far more than what was intended for.
The trend to watch is the movement away from email into appropriate tools for the task at hand. *
*From 8 Legal Technology Trends for 2008
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Adopt Strong Email Adopt Strong Email PracticesPractices
Use a strong subject line Communicate informationRequest action Facilitate simple problem-
solvingLeave a message
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Don’t Use Email to…Don’t Use Email to…
Track attachments and documents as a filing system
Manage projects, timelines, or histories
Schedule meetings Engage in heavy problem
solving or brainstorming Ask quick questions
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Using New ToolsUsing New ToolsInstant Messaging for quick check
inOnline schedulers Web Conferencing for problem
solvingProject Management tools for
deadlines and filesWikis for institutional knowledgeRSS for substantive updates
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Instant MessagingInstant Messaging
Get rid of the quick question emails.I’m running 5 minutes late on
another call. Call you when off. What’s Molly’s phone number? Here is the login number for the
conference call. What’s the name of the guy on
Alabama with the cool podcasts?
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Instant Messaging for Quick Communication or Check In
IM Info ResourcesIM Info ResourcesIM options http://lsntap.org/node/1603
Confidentiality issues and IM http://lsntap.org/node/1604
Getting started with IM http://lsntap.org/manage_info_IM
Open versus closed systems http://lsntap.org/spiffytech_enterpise_IM
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Meeting SchedulersMeeting Schedulers
Get rid of the 20 emails it takes to schedule a meeting!
Meet-o-Matic www.meet-o-matic.com
MeetingWizardwww.meetingwizard.com
Doodle www.doodle.ch/main.html
Doodle SampleDoodle Sample
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Web ConferencingWeb Conferencing Use for coordination and heavy
problem solving or one-on-one in-depth meetings
Meet instantly online for discussions, training, technical support or document review.
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Law Office Use of Web Law Office Use of Web ConferencingConferencing
One-On-One document collaboration
Brainstorming SessionsRemote Tech Support Staff Meetings & TrainingBoard, Task Force and
Management Meetings
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LegalMeetings:LegalMeetings:To sign up for services To sign up for services www.legalmeetings.org
Other Web Conferencing Other Web Conferencing OptionsOptions Team Viewer (
www.teamviewer.com) Cross Loop (www.crossloop.com) WebEx™ Meeting & Training
Center Brevient Raindance powered by InterCall Microsoft Live Meetings.
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Online Project Online Project ManagementManagementReduces email because organizes
all aspects of your project using an online system, including deadlines, drafts, communications and more
Many project management tools integrate with other programs, including email
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Law Office Use of Project Law Office Use of Project ManagementManagementPoverty law staffers are involved withmore than casework: ALL of which generate email
communications
◦ Outreach projects◦ Managing grants◦ Substantive task forces◦ Working on staff or website committees◦ Statewide or regional conferences
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Project Management Tools Project Management Tools ◦Basecamp◦Microsoft SharePoint◦Central Desktop ◦Google Sites
Sample BasecampSample Basecamp
Law Office Use of Wikis Law Office Use of Wikis
Helps your program create institutional memory – can significantly reduce emails related to these issues.
HR Guides and ProtocolsNew Hire Guide Case Management GuideDay to Day Tech How-To
Introduction: What is a Introduction: What is a Wiki? Wiki? A website easily edited by multiple
usersProvides a logical, navigable platform
for storing and retrieving informationA cost-effective, paper-free tool Visit http://www.wikimatrix.org/
Wiki SampleWiki Sample
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ResourcesResourcesTraining Material on Wikis & Proj
Mgmt www.lsntap.org/coll105Wikis:
http://www.lsntap.org/bookshelf?tid=10
Project Management:
http://www.lsntap.org/bookshelf?tid=179
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What is RSS?What is RSS?RSS stands for
Really Simple Syndication
RSS brings select information to the user
Helps you stay updated on your field
How does it work? How does it work? Choose a reader
◦Google Reader (web-based)◦iGoogle (web-based)◦Feed Demon (desktop application)◦Net News Wire (desktop application)◦Internet Explorer 7 (browser based)◦Firefox (browser based)
Subscribe to your feeds
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Google Reader
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iGoogle Page
Is there really a lot of Is there really a lot of content out there that is content out there that is relevant to my work? relevant to my work? Legal news sitesNational legal aid organizationsStatewide websitesLaw BlawgsCourtsNational and state media outlets Find a Blawg in your practice
area
RSS Feed IdeasRSS Feed IdeasABA Journal Blawg
Directory: http://www.abajournal.com/blawgs
CLASP Feeds: http://www.clasp.org/clasp_rss.php
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law: http://www.bazelon.org/rss/news.xml
National Health Law Program: http://www.healthlaw.org/news.cfm?rss
Legal Services NTAP: http://www.lsntap.org/&q=blog
US Government Feed Library: http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Reference_Shelf/Libraries/RSS_Library.shtml
Recent US Supreme Court Opinions: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/rss/0.91/supct_recent.rss
LSC Updates: http://www.lsc.gov/lscfeed.xml
Step Forward – Shriver Center: http://blog.povertylaw.org/feed/
Technola: http://techno.la/
Questions or Comments? Questions or Comments? Contact information: Kathleen Brockel, [email protected] Sherr, [email protected]
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