How to Prepare a Needs Analysis for TechnologyIntroduction The world of office automation is constantly expanding. It would be senseless to think that anyone could make an effective decision regarding technology, without a carefully thought out analysis of need. Following is a list of questions to ask yourself in the process of determining what fits your practice needs best. Checklist Download PDF Which functions are automated now – which additional functions do we wish to automate? Are existing pieces of equipment mutually compatible? Does everyone in the office use the same software? Are our word processing procedures standardized? Is our billing system interfaced with accounting? Are the accounts payable checks computer generated – or prepared manually? Are we keeping track of client expenses, i.e.copies, fax, long distance, postage, etc.? Are we getting telephone messages delivered timely and accurately? Does the office get flooded with interoffice memoranda? Is the payroll prepared in house? Manually? Do the attorneys carry boxes to the court house? Do the paralegals spend hours preparing manual document index systems? How do we check for conflicts of interest? What type of calendering system do we use for docket control purposes? Conclusion The answers to these questions need to …
