When considering digital dictation in a firm the size of Cobbetts it is imperative to involve the secretaries in the selection and design of the system. The secretaries will experience most change and realise most of the benefits. Because of the way the system works, fee earners and partners do not have to change their working practises at all if they do not want to. However, typically, they do make some changes because they wish to benefit as well.
Secretaries are the ones who have most to gain, day to day, from digital dictation. But, before the system is implemented it is often difficult to persuade them they will not become members of a typing pool. By involving senior secretaries in the product selection phase (and listening to their views) we were able to convince them that working as part of a team-based typing resource actually made it easier for them to share work between themselves when they were busy. It is true to say that the pilot team secretaries were not fully convinced before the pilot began.
