Mindmap of implementing Weagree’s Wizard (1)

Contract management implementation change management. In a series of blog posts early 2009 (click here, here and here), I discussed how the implementation of the Weagree Wizard entailed a change management process and I identified which steps should be taken to realise a successful implementation.

Together with Weagree’s main launching customer, ASML (a Nasdaq- and Euronext-listed multinational supplying the world’s greater electronics giants with their high-tech chip-production machines), we designed a so-called ‘mindmap’ reflecting a detailed and structured brainstorm overview of all the aspects of the introduction and implementation of Weagree’s contract drafting software.

Let me share a generalized version of our mindmap. In this post 1, I give the explanation; in blogpost Mindmap of implementing Weagree’s Wizard (2) only the mindmap.

Contract automation implementation mindmap. With ASML, we identified three dimensions of rolling out their Weagree Wizard: (i) a content-dimension, (ii) the human factor, and (iii) the process-related aspects. These dimensions can be spun out to key-elements and then further elaborated to sub-elements (et cetera). The high level mindmap could be translated into the following bulletpoints:

I.          THE CONTENT-DIMENSION – YOUR MODEL CONTRACTS

a)       Identify User groups & template requirements (in view of timing):

• Legal department (use of: day-to-day contracts; month-to-month contracts; M&A (NDA, bid letters, frame MOU, SPA); intellectual property rights (licenses, JDA’s, forms); real estate and construction; …)
• Procurement / purchasing
• HRM (consultancy and employment agreements)
• Tax (intra-company SLAs)
• Finance (intra-company loans)

(b)       Contract drafting conventions

(c)       Upgrade model contracts

• Owner per contract
• Best practice group / BU / staff

(d)       Select and upgrade model contract clauses (to be collected in knowledge management functionality of the Weagree Wizard)

• Identify owner per contract clause
• Best practice groups
• Insert explanatory notes
• Admin responsibility for Wizard-drafting consistency

Note: there is no need to upgrade model contracts before implementation of a contract assembly solution (because the Weagree Wizard appears to be a catalyzer)!

II.         THE HUMAN FACTOR – PERSONS INVOLVED

(a)       Legal department

• General counsel / Head of Legal
• In-house legal counsel
• Best practice groups for model contracts
• Administrator (template insertion) and coordinator

(b)       Non-legal (BU’s, IT, staff)

• BU’s and business line managers (scheduled according to the scope and phase of roll-out)
• Internal customers / sounding board for Q&A’s
• Involve/inform IT helpdesk

(c)       Weagree

• Advice on use and functionalities Wizard
• Support on Roll-out and Use
• Model contract upgrading services
• Template insertion services

III.        ROLL-OUT AND USE – THE PROCESS-RELATED CHALLENGE

(a)       Training

• Three to four day-parts for inducing and training a template administrator
• Intro presentations to internal customers
• Optimise Q&A-questions and template setup

(b)       Preparations for use

• Deliver ‘demonstratable’ content (initial input for teasing your peers and illustrating capabilities)
• Insert model contracts and build Q&A’s (this involves: preparing model contracts; building Q&A’s (questions, answers, options); allocating the templates to user groups)
• Establish contracting house style

(c)       Start using!

• Presentations to stakeholders: legal department members; Head of Legal, and senior management (non-users!); and, group-by-group, key business managers (if desired: subject to approval)
• Update notices to all stakeholders (i.e., about improved model contracts and new contract clauses)
• Use template Q&A’s for intake of new cases

(d)       Incorporate in daily work (anchoring new approach in the culture)

• Continue optimising template Q&A’s
• Legal department meeting – permanent agenda item
• BU / business line meetings

Roll-out – technical matters