3. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Business need
We had a number of issues with our traditional static intranet:
content being out-of-date, difficult to find and complex to
maintain;
high resource/time costs due to repetitive, labour intensive
processes with long review cycles and limited editors;
interfaces not consistent or easy to use; and
low user satisfaction and usage rates.
The intranet was not resolving problems; it was creating them.
We needed to move away from the static intranet site to a more
collaborative, participative and dynamic environment.
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6. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Solution
The firm adopted a lightweight flexible approach, implementing a
low-cost enterprise-level Web 2.0 platform: Confluence.
Following the creation of top-level spaces covering practice
groups, sector groups etc space owners are able to create new
areas enabling a quick response to their business issues and
drivers.
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7. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Elements of Confluence
wikis that support collaboration work spaces as well as a
structured intranet
themes and templates to help with the creation of new wiki
spaces and provide users with a common look and feel
easy sharing and linking of content
blogs or news within each wiki space
labeling (or tagging) that allows users to apply their own
keywords to categorise content to improve its findability and aid
navigation
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8. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Elements of Confluence
RSS to deliver
relevant content into the wiki from external sources or other
data stores in the firm
updated content from the wiki to subscribers in their feed
readers
robust search engine that searches across all wiki content,
including document and email attachments
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9. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Example uses
People in the firm have traditionally collated information and
exchanged ideas via email.
People are subscribing to spaces so that they automatically receive
updates of new or amended content.
Creating a document
Groups quickly create wiki spaces, which accommodate all
work and information surrounding the preparation of a
thought leadership piece, pitch or know how.
Globally dispersed teams within the firm are all directed to the
wiki to make their contributions.
The central team is then able to collate the information and
build the document from all the material collated in one space. 8
10. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Example uses
Creating articles across different jurisdictions
The article included country chapters that were written by different
authors in 7 offices worldwide.
Every author wrote his country-piece under the respective
heading on a wiki page.
Once the text had been reviewed and signed off, the wiki page
was converted into a word document and sent to the publishers.
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11. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Example uses
Managing an internal training schedule
page with the schedule of upcoming London training lunch-time
sessions
another page that lists recent training lunches
used to distribute the presentation held at the training lunch and
to link through to best practice guidelines
better than sending out individual emails and answering email
enquiries for copies of the presentation
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12. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Example uses
Planning of international conferences
drafting and amending agendas and invitee lists, organising hotel
rooms and travel, distributing joining instructions to attendees - all
done on a wiki page
US partners discussion forum
wiki space designed to allow the US partners to discuss, debate
and agree the key issues facing the business in the US
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13. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Results
The participative and involving aspects of the wiki have delivered
significant value.
The wiki is intuitive and most people simply know instinctively how
to use it.
The benefits include:
increased intranet usage
cost-effective capture, maintenance and delivery of a wide
variety of firm and client-related information
better informed staff, who are able to work more productively
superior access to timely, relevant legal and business
information
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14. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Results
The platform is also helping to break down traditional barriers
between globally dispersed teams.
Users have now adopted the intranet as their own, and there is a
huge demand for new content areas and functionality.
Overall, implementing the Confluence-based social intranet has
been a very positive experience for the firm.
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