You don’t always have to spend a ton of money on the latest and greatest technology — sometimes, all you need is a little optimization.
If you have been following my series on #schlegaltech, then you now know that courts can use simple, off-the-shelf technologies to design a more efficient, effective & accessible justice system. But it is important not to become overwhelmed by all of the options out there. Instead, I recommend that you focus on utilizing what you already have first, assuming you have implemented the baseline technology we’ve been discussing; a court website, online calendar and form builder.
We all have an inherent desire to buy the latest and greatest technology (I know I do). We think it will solve all of our problems and make us more efficient with the click of a button. Oftentimes though, we fail to fully utilize the technology or software we already own before making the next purchase. Take Office 365 or G-Suite, for example. Many courts may subscribe to the full license without utilizing all of the features.
So before rushing out to buy another license, step back and analyze what you already have. Chances are, you may be able to solve some of the issues facing the justice system with your current tech stack if you just had a little training. And if your existing tech stack can’t solve your problems, a simple upgrade to your current license may be all it takes to optimize your court’s capabilities.
Optimizing what you already own can be just as effective as buying more software. It may take a little bit more creativity and effort, but the end result may save you time and money in the long run. And remember, modernizing the justice system takes time so be patient … and persevere.
In my next post, we will take at look at how we have optimized our baseline softwares to address the Charlie Brown effect. I’ll also show you how we’ve used additional, more sophisticated software to solve the problem in a different way. Never stop iterating and improving upon the process. It’s a journey not a race.
