In short, this blog was created to help readers make work less like work.
More specifically, the blog is a place to share ideas for ways that we can use technology to get more done in less time with optimal outcomes. Generate more, more quickly, of higher quality, and with lower expenditure of effort. That way, we can spend more of our limited time and energy doing more of what we want to do, both inside and outside of the office (however you may define that term).
Because I am a practicing attorney, many of the ideas shared here are directed to improving the practice of law from a practical perspective. But, that being said, most of the topics covered apply equally for lawyers and non-lawyers alike and are directed towards anyone who uses a computer to generate work.
Technology
In his book, Paperless, J.P. Terry says this about me:
Molly DiBianca is not a geek.
I’d like to think that this is true but recognize that reasonable minds may differ. I am certain, though, that I am not a technology whiz. Just the opposite, actually.
What I am is a busy lawyer. I realized early in my practice that there were far too many things to do and to learn for me to spend my time on tasks that don’t directly benefit my objectives. So, I embarked on a mission to find ways that I could do the less valuable tasks more quickly, thereby freeing my time for the more valuable endeavors.
I’ve used a tremendous number of resources to help achieve this objective, including countless books and magazines, various classes, workshops, and lectures, and a myriad of websites and online tools. Each of these resources has helped me develop a surface-level understanding of the specific technology that I use daily. But none of them has transformed me into a “geek” and I still know less about technology as a general topic than just about any average 12 year-old kid.
This translates into good news for you. The posts I write are not intended to help those with tremendous technology skills. (Although anyone can find a good idea here, somewhere, I’m sure). Instead, this blog is intended to be read and used by others like me–those who have to use technology at work and who have some basic skills that they’d like to improve.
My Paperless Journey
In 2005, the U.S. District Court in the District of Delaware became the first in the country to move to a mandatory e-filing system for court filings. Attorneys practicing in the federal court were required to file their documents as PDFs through the court’s web-based system. The days of rushing to the clerk’s office at 4:45 p.m. were over. Dockets, which previously had to be copied at the courthouse, suddenly were available online at any time from the comfort of your home or office or anywhere else where there is a computer with an Internet connection.
The conversion to an electronic-filing system was a major event for all attorneys who practice in the federal court in my state. But, for me, it was only the beginning. And a wonderful one at that. The e-filing experience forced me to learn the basics about the PDF format, which triggered the conversion of my law practice to a “paperless” one.
Although there seems to be a whole lot of chatter about what exactly a “paperless office” is, exactly, I’d suggest it’s not so complicated. Certainly, I still use paper. And plenty of it, truth be told. The “paperless” part is not that paper is not used–it’s that paper is irrelevant. In a paperless office (at least as I’ve defined it), there is no reliance on a paper file. Everything (and I mean everything) is filed electronically using a document-management system.
This system didn’t come together overnight. It took practice and tweaking. It also took dedication to build the trust in the system that is necessary before abandoning paper files altogether. But it does work and, honestly, it’s really easy to use.
The Beloved PDF
As I became increasingly enthusiastic about my computer-based system, I developed a similar level of affection for Adobe Acrobat and its PDF format. And the more I learned, the more I loved it. I soon became an evangelist of sorts–and as anyone in my office will tell you, I’m now an official Acrobat addict. I can’t imagine living without it and am committed to “spreading the word” to anyone who will listen about the amazing ways that the product can help to save time and reduce mistakes in any number of ways.
Better Presentations
But Adobe’s Acrobat isn’t the only thing that has become essential to my practice. I talk a lot and, as luck would have it, people even pay me to do so. I speak frequently to groups of all sizes on a variety of topics. Teaching seminars and conducting training is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.
All of this talking has led to a long-standing relationship with Microsoft’s PowerPoint. The potential horrors that can be imposed with PowerPoint have motivated me to continuously work to improve my presentation skills. I have such a terribly short attention span and most presentations fail to keep me engaged beyond the initial 3 minutes. For just this reason, I am resolved to be the speaker that can keep every member of my audience interested for the duration of my presentation.
In addition to working constantly on my presentation skills, I also strive to improve my use of the many available presentation tools. As a result, I have come to love PowerPoint, despite the pain that the program continues to inflict in the hands of the uneducated speaker.
Sharing What I’ve Learned
So, as I look for ways to improve my efficiency, streamline practices, communicate more effectively and present more persuasively, I’ve found that I need a place to share these finds with colleagues and friends. Although I’ve been doing so, in small part, at the Delaware Employment Law Blog for the past two years, it seems appropriate that these topics get a blog all their own. So that’s what Going Paperless is all about–working better with technology, written by someone who is “not a geek.”
Comments and tips are welcome and appreciated. Please share freely.
Thanks for visiting,
Molly DiBianca
Disclaimer
The thoughts shared here are my own. I do not guarantee that they contain value or that you will find them interesting. I guarantee only that I found them to be interesting at the time that I wrote them. Nothing written on this blog is intended to serve as legal advice, nor will it create an attorney-client relationship. My views are my own and are not necessarily the views of the other attorneys associated with Young Conaway Stargatt and Taylor, LLP, or with the firm itself.
