| Corporate legal Matter Management systems are | | | | 1. Custom universes and objects, built to address |
| implemented through multi-million dollar projects that | | | | customer reporting needs. |
| frequently result in unpopular, underused tools that | | | | 2. Consistent, logical universe layout |
| never provide the expected return on investment. One | | | | 3. Clear and friendly naming conventions. |
| element, common to many such situations, is the limited | | | | 4. Multiple universes, built around clusters of related |
| utility of the data being captured. The data in the | | | | data. |
| matter management system is either irrelevant or | | | | 5. Logical, consistent points of interface between |
| inaccessible to the interested parties. Integrated Matter | | | | universes. |
| Management reporting is the solution to this problem. | | | | 6. Efficient database joins In a Business Objects |
| In the best case, future reporting needs have been | | | | universe design, multiple universes should be created, |
| considered and included as critical inputs in the design | | | | according to the complexity of the data and business |
| phase of the larger matter management project. In the | | | | processes involved. The separation of data into |
| worst case, reporting was left out of the design | | | | multiple universes improves the usability and |
| entirely, and end users and management are already | | | | performance of the reporting environment. Usability is |
| angry and dissatisfied with what they perceive as a | | | | enhanced as the reporting interface presents fewer |
| very expensive failure. Once this type of deficiency is | | | | choices, with more obvious correlations and |
| identified, Matter Management specialists can correct | | | | interactions between fields, so that a report writer can |
| the design and integrate the key reports into the | | | | create more accurate reports more quickly. |
| system that will make it more relevant to day-to-day | | | | Performance is enhanced as database |
| business and the reporting requirements mandated by | | | | communications are simplified and streamlined. A |
| management. | | | | matter management reporting environment will use a |
| The right specialists will be fluent in matter | | | | Matter (Case) universe to anchor the rest of the data. |
| management as well as management reporting and | | | | A Finance universe contains everything about invoices |
| the underlying tools. These subject area experts can | | | | and budgets. The Finance universe can be linked to |
| upgrade and enhance a successful matter | | | | Matters when a more complex report requires details |
| management system, or salvage and improve one | | | | from both universes. A Contacts universe presents all |
| that is foundering. Specialty consultants are crucial to a | | | | of the details in the "rolodex", encompassing all of the |
| successful matter management implementation | | | | people and companies that are involved in any way |
| because of their unique combination of experience, | | | | with a legal matter in the system. Other universes will |
| independence from vendor influence and accountability | | | | link to it whenever additional contact details are |
| to the client organization that engages them. The | | | | required. A Timekeeping universe will present |
| same advantages make them most desirable | | | | timesheet data and have links to the Matters and |
| resources during a project remediation. Skilled | | | | Contacts universes. Other universes may be |
| resources that rely on the good will of their paying | | | | necessary, depending upon the business processes |
| client are highly motivated to comply with customer | | | | that are part a firm's Matter Management system. |
| timelines and expectations. | | | | These may include an Intellectual Property universe, a |
| A good matter management reporting implementation | | | | Discovery universe, a Risk Management universe, and |
| will be flexible, responsive, logical, and user-friendly. The | | | | others. |
| tools most often employed to retrieve and display data | | | | Once the universes are in place, reports are created |
| from a matter management system are Business | | | | through the collaborative efforts of business experts, |
| Objects (or Crystal Reports), Microsoft Access, | | | | analysts and report writers. Specialty consultants are a |
| Cognos, and Microstrategy. Most of these are | | | | superior resource during this step because they can fill |
| Business Intelligence platforms (MS Access is not). | | | | the latter two roles, while conversing fluently with the |
| Using these tools, a skilled designer creates a | | | | business experts to maximize reporting results and |
| metadata layer that interprets complex data for use | | | | minimize delivery time. |
| by end users and report writers (metadata means | | | | Summary |
| 'data about data'). | | | | A strong reporting implementation is vital to the overall |
| In Business Objects, the metadata layer is called a | | | | success of any Matter Management system, in many |
| "Universe". Sound universe design is the heart of a | | | | cases driving the benefits that provide the ROI for the |
| successful reporting effort. Poorly designed universes | | | | entire project. Experienced specialists can contribute |
| will result in several significant problems, including: | | | | dramatically to the success of the effort. The reporting |
| | | | design should be flexible enough to accommodate its |
| 1. Inaccurate reports | | | | ongoing success, as active users will constantly |
| 2. Performance problems (with Reporting, the | | | | develop new questions for their reports to answer. |
| application and/or the database server) | | | | Good reporting will improve the user experience and |
| 3. User dissatisfaction (with usability, results, etc.) | | | | management utility of the system, raising both data |
| Proper universe design will incorporate the following | | | | quality and participation among the user population. |
| practices and features: | | | | |