Meet Ariel Jatib, Rocket Matter’s Designer, at SXSW Interactive

Design · March 12, 2010

South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive, the most important and influential conference in high-tech design, is taking place this week in Austin, TX. Our User Experience (UX) Architect, Ariel Jatib, will be there along with other top designers in the country.

Rocket Matter has long been differentiated from competitors, new and old alike, because of its user interface (UI), designed to be intuitive to the point of “mind reading”.  While most legal practice management software uses a “tabs and tables” approach to design, we’ve chosen to plot a new course relying on search and context to surface information, allowing legal professionals to accomplish their work at “rocket” speed.

As part of our continued dedication to having the best UI and UX in the legal technology space, we’re constantly learning, exploring, and expanding our knowledge with the best in the business.  So Ariel is off to SXSW, and will be tweeting and reporting his experiences.

Our goal at SXSW: to continue to discover and bring the coolest and freshest ideas to life for the legal software vertical, which has been devoid of any real UI innovation for way too long.

About SXSW Interactive:

SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.

The Pomodoro Technique – Supercharge Your Efficiency + Legal Productivity (Part 1)

Cool Tools, Free Stuff, How-To, Productivity, Work-Life Balance · March 11, 2010

Let’s face it: lawyers have to wear a lot of hats. Before you know it, your day can be over and you feel like you’ve gotten nothing accomplished.

Like the Getting Things Done personal organizational system, The Pomodoro Technique is popular in technology circles but I haven’t seen a wide discussion of it in Legal. And even though I’m a dedicated David Allen fanboy and wrote a weeklong series on Legal GTD, I have to admit that GTD is hard to master whereas Pomodoro is simple, simple, simple. It doesn’t really require reading a whole darn book or going to a seminar.

You can visit the project’s homepage here, or take the shortcut and download a cheat sheet here.

Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. The guy who invented it lives in Italy and had a wind-up tomato timer in his kitchen. The idea is simple: you wind up the timer for 25 minutes and work on only one thing. The timer rings, and you reward yourself with a little break and get ready for the next Pomodoro.

Here are the basics:

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set the timer to 25 minutes
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper
4. Take a short break (3-5 minutes is OK)
5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break (15-30 minutes).

I’m currently testing out the system and will be writing a series of posts about my experiences.  So, please, follow along and take part in the discussion!

Note:  for you gung-ho tinkerers like me who are going to start this immediately, watch out, some of the Pomodoro timers for the iPhone will suck down your battery faster than you can say “Droid”.

How to Create a Legal Document Scanning System Using a ScanSnap: Part 2 of 2

Paperless, Productivity · March 9, 2010

If you’re like most law firms these days, you’re probably either a) contemplating running a paperless office b) transitioning to a paperless office or c) enjoying the awesomeness of the paperless office.

In Part Two of this series, we examine your document scanning “workflow”.

A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. (Wikipedia)

And when you’re going paperless, you need to embrace a systemized approach to storing your documents. A scanner can’t do it alone.

In Part One of this series, we examined scanning in a document using ScanSnap Manager’s Profiles. Let’s say we set up our profile, and scanned all of our documents, which are now tucked away with automatically generated names into our “staging area” folder called “Awaiting Filing” in an easy to work with location, such as the Desktop.

Quick Look on Mac OS X Snow Leopard is the key ingredient here, because it quickly allows you to see your file without opening it in an application. Using Quick Look, your arrow keys, and your Enter key, you’ll be able to fly through your scanned files, rename them, and file them to your liking.

(Windows users, I’m not sure what to recommend, but a quick search turned up something called maComfort which emulates the Quick Look functionality).

Steps:

1) Open your “staging area” folder – in our example “Awaiting Filing” on the Desktop.

2) Enable Quick Look by clicking on the eye icon.

3) Use the arrow keys to move between documents, and hit Enter when you’re on a document to trigger the rename function.

NOTE:  Consistent naming convention are a must. My files are named “year-month-day description”, i.e. “2010-03-08 Bank Statement.” For words I type over and over again, like “receipt”, “statement”, or “invoice”, I use TypeIt4Me to speed up the process and eliminate errors.

4) Once you’ve named all your files, open up two Finder windows. Keep the “Awaiting Filing” window on the left and a working window on the right. Drag your renamed scanned files one by one into their target destination.

You’re done!

Have other paperless workflow techniques? Post ‘em as comments. We’d love to hear them.

Time Blocking Email: Increase Efficiency, Save Lives

Productivity, Work-Life Balance · March 4, 2010

I’ve never been more psyched to get an autoresponder. Notice that not only is this attorney blocking off his or her schedule for emails, but is doing so at strategic times: right before lunch and the final bell.

This allows a head of steam to be built up in the morning, a la the “don’t check your email in the morning” philosophy.

And I would bet money that this attorney is not going to get into a car wreck responding to his or her mobile device while driving.

Thank you for your email. In an effort increase efficiency and effectiveness, I am now checking my email two times per day, at 11 am and 4 pm. If your situation is urgent, and cannot wait until 11 or 4, please call my office at xxx-xxx-xxxx and we will attempt to assist you. Thank you for your cooperation and I look forward to assisting you.

A Small Law Firm’s Best Friend – The Practice Management Advisor

Free Stuff, Training · March 3, 2010

If a small law firm had to pick only one of the many resources for building a thriving and ethics-aware practice, I would recommend the Practice Management Advisor, or PMA.

We’ve worked with a number of PMA’s for feedback on our software so we can best serve the needs of law firms. They are bar-none (no pun intended) the most knowledgeable people when it comes to suggestions and ethics of running a small law firm. Their services are a phone call away, and are usually free of charge.

What is a Practice Management Advisor? From the ABA’s Law Practice Management Section:

These bar programs, generically known as “practice management assistance programs” (PMAPs), are now at over 20 state bars and law societies in the U.S. and Canada. The programs are staffed by individuals known as Practice Management Advisors (PMAs) who are engaged or employed by state and local bar associations or law societies to help lawyers to manage their practices more effectively. Although the exact role of practice management advisors differs from state to state and province to province, all the advisors are committed to the process of increasing the quality of legal services by helping lawyers and law firms better manage their offices.

Most PMAPs share these common objectives:

* Assisting lawyers in improving efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of legal services;
* Assisting lawyers in implementing systems and controls to reduce risk and improve quality in the delivery of legal services;
* Assisting lawyers in client relations; and
* Assisting lawyers and their office personnel in using emerging technologies to improve the delivery of legal services.

For more information and a list of PMA’s, click here.

How to Create a Legal Document Scanning System Using a ScanSnap: Part 1 of 2

Paperless · March 2, 2010

If you’re like most law firms these days, you’re probably either a) contemplating running a paperless office b) transitioning to a paperless office or c) enjoying the awesomeness of the paperless office.

If you’re not a user and devotee already, invest in one of the Fujitsu ScanSnap series of document scanners. I can vouch for ‘em myself.

A Fujitsu ScanSnap is like Paris: when people talk about it, you can’t imagine it living up to the hype. But when it’s your turn to take a look, all expectations are completely surpassed.

Here’s a tip for those using a ScanSnap: stop using the Quick Menu. That’s for noobs (techie for newbies). Use Profiles instead.

In ScanSnap land, a Profile is just a named group of settings. Nothing to be frightened of. Profiles allow you to scan a document and have it saved and named automatically in a location of your choosing.

This facilitates an efficient workflow which will allow you to scan and file a big stack of documents in no time at all. We’ll look at Profiles in Part 1 and the workflow in Part 2.

The following instructions are for the Mac: (any Windows user who would like to add their own instructions in comments or as a guest post lemme know).

1) Turn off Quick Menu by right-clicking the ScanSnap icon in the Dock, and unchecking “Use Quick Menu”.

2) Launch the ScanSnap Settings window by right-clicking the ScanSnap icon in the Dock, and selecting “Settings…”.

3) Add a new profile by clicking on the “Select a Profile” drop down, and choose “Add Profile…” Choose a good name, like “Legal Docs”. You can create different profiles for different needs.

4) You’ll see a bunch of tabs, from Application on the left to Compression on the right. For the purposes of scanning typical office documents, here’s my suggestions.

5) Under the Application tab, select Preview. The reason for this choice is that Preview loads quickly and is a lightweight app, unlike Adobe Reader.

6) Under the Save tab, choose a folder to dump the new file to. I like to put them into a folder called “Awaiting Filing” on the desktop. Think of this folder as a “staging area”. Once you scan your docs in, you will process them (in Part 2 of this series).

7) Next, click on the Scanning tab. For “Image quality”, select “Best (Slow)”. For “Color mode”, select “Auto Color Detection”. For Scanning side, select “Duplex Scan(Double Sided)”.

Once you get comfortable creating and working with Profiles, you can create different ones for different purposes, i.e. scanning in color photographs or your kid’s artwork.

Video: Rocket Matter’s Silver Award for Best Time and Billing Arrives

Awards, Videos · March 1, 2010

Rocket Matter is very proud to have one it’s first award, LTN’s Silver Prize in the Time and Billing for Small and Mid-Sized Law Firms (up to 99 Attorneys).

We’re very excited that our legal cloud offering is catching on, that the industry and consumers embrace our elegant design philosophy, and happy to see Software as a Service making headway into the legal software field.

We received our award in the mail and put it on display – with a little inspirational music:

The most comprehensive assessments of Legal Technology in 2010

Legal Practice Management, Legal Software, Software-as-a-Service · February 26, 2010

Amazing work by Reid Trautz for his piece Is the Apple iPad the Tipping Point? Practicing Law in the Cloud Goes Mainstream in 2010. It’s one of the most, if not THE most, comprehensive assessments of the state of legal and how it’s changing before our eyes. A snippet:

Right before our eyes a major transformation is occurring within the legal profession. I believe 2010 will emerge as a year that we will look back upon as a tipping point. A year where lawyers left behind the traditional confines of their office walls—no longer tethered by phone cords, computer cords, or real estate leases–to practice where and when it suits their needs and the needs of their clients. 2010 will be the year that being small, mobile, and almost expense-free went mainstream.

Several trends are intersecting to drive this major transformation. They include the rapid innovation of mobile technology, the changing perceptions of consumers, economic trends that are squeezing the bottom line for many law firms, and the rise of solo and small law firms started by big firm refugees. Let me identify and discuss how these trends are coming together to change the practice of law in fundamentals ways, and whether the Apple iPad is the tipping point in this change.

Amazing work Reid, thanks for your insights! Click here to read the full copy.

Recap: Time Blocking Webinar with Barbara Nelson

Product, Webinars · February 25, 2010

Thanks to all who attended and to Barbara Nelson, who did a fantastic job!  Make sure you take advantage of her free coaching call:

* Monday, March 1st
* 3pm-4pm, ET
* 218-895-0646
* code 2227#

Barbara pioneered a number of “firsts” in this webinar:  first time we put one of the attendees on the line to join the discussion, first time one of the hosts is doing a follow-up call, and first time we’ve gotten homework!

Click Here to download your homework and the Barbara Nelson Rocket Matter Webinar Materials

Click here to download a blank Rocket Matter Week Calendar for scribbling.

Some of the many Time Management Tips from Attendees:

* I use technology to change my work environment. If I feel like I’m stuck in a rut, I’ll leave the ofice to work. Forward phones & grab my laptop. Working in the park is very productive.

* Twitter + Facebook ought to be rewards (not habit) for many.

* Tip for perfectionists: time block things & deem them done at end of block.

* Hemingway always had a starting point for the next day’s writing.

* Plan time to think.

* I leave Monday mornings open for calls, emails, reviewing weekend’s mail.

* Google calendar up on the desktop whenever I am at my desk=crucial.

* The frog tastes better in the morning than late in the day (i.e. do the thing you don’t want to do EARLY & get it out of the way).

* Wear a kamikaze headband to signal “don’t bother me now.” Extreme time blocking (may not work at the courthouse).

* You can print out your computer calendar, and it’s more easily revised & accessed on the road.

* Scheduling call-backs for status may be a good way of training clients/family (if family cooperates).

* Train clients to ask quick questions by email, which makes answering easier/less urgent/less intrusive.

* “Don’t Open Email in the Morning” book worth checking out.

* Make something you don’t want to do but have to do fun: Put on some good music, have a glass of wine, etc. Change the association from negative to positive.

* End-of-day and Friday time management effectiveness review after blocking time on my calendar has been the best way to get started. This will help in limiting time-wasting activities – as Barbara said, without the judgment.

* As a solo with a home office, I try to work outside my office at a coffee shop or other “third place” at least once a week for a couple of hours. Changing up the location from time to time = more productivity.

Computer Spa Day: Reclaim Hard Drive Space on Mac OS X with GrandPerspective

Cool Tools, Productivity · February 24, 2010

Computer Spa Day, which we talked about before (for both mobile and regular computers), will save you time and money.

I couldn’t believe it.  I wasn’t able to install Apple’s mammoth iPad SDK on my two-year old MacBook Pro because I was out of hard drive space.  Luckily, some genius named “eriban” wrote a donation-only program called GrandPerspective.

GrandPerspective employs a heat map, an amazing visual tool I first experienced in the financial industry to show volume, market cap, industry, and movement of stocks in a market.  Eriban applies it to the files and folders on your hard drive to identify what’s taking up the most space.

For example, here’s a scan of my hard disk:

The larger the rectangle, the larger the file.  As you can see, I have some mammoth stuff going on.  The entire left side of the heat map, representing over 50% of my drive space, is taken up by VMWare Fusion Virtual Machines.

Using this heatmap, I was quickly able to identify the files and folders that were hogging my disk space and eliminate them.  For one of the virtual machines, I disposed of old snapshots I didn’t need any more.  Some of the other large boxes were large downloads or applications I haven’t touched in months.  ¡Adios!

In one hour, I freed up over 60 GB of space on my hard drive.  Thanks so much, Grand Perspective.