Technology has become an inextricable part of modern Discovery. There’s simply no way a human being could successfully search the terabytes of electronically stored information typically in play.
Thankfully, AI, machine learning, and all the rest of today’s eDiscovery technology, have provided an astoundingly effective alternative. One that happens to also make it dramatically easier to supply pertinent information to the court in a format that is compliant with the required standards, approachable and easy-to-understand.
Does that mean that people are no longer an essential component of eDiscovery?
Quite the opposite, if you ask us.
In our experience, even the most powerful eDiscovery tool is only as capable as the hand that wields it. These software solutions are not blunt instruments. Each has nuanced strengths and weaknesses that make it more appropriate – and effective – within specific contexts and applications.
Understanding these nuances (and their potential interplay) is critical in order to achieve the most effective and efficient eDiscovery. But it’s not just an understanding of the tools on offer that makes the right (human) partners such an important part of the eDiscovery process.
Finding and implementing the best fit technology also requires a deep understanding of the problem at hand. That takes extensive knowledge of industry verticals, diverse regulatory environments, and all applicable investigation and litigation processes.
Perhaps more importantly, it also requires the ability – and insight – to look beneath the surface to unpack the deeper priorities and challenges a business may have. This tends to work best in long-term relationships/partnerships with an established level of familiarity and trust.
Let’s not forget the importance of creativity, either. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all eDiscovery solution. A little bit of lateral thinking in the methodology can be just what a project needs to achieve the best results as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
Needless to say: even the most powerful technology is no replacement for these very human skills and knowledge. Likewise, this is not something one can pick up overnight. This kind of expertise is best built over years of practical experience, using every engagement as a springboard to launch improvements for the next.
In our upcoming series of articles, we’ll be sharing some of the lessons we’ve learned doing exactly that, along with the ways in which we leverage “people power” (our data and forensic experts) to get more from eDiscovery technology while reducing eDiscovery costs.
Look out for our upcoming analyses on:
- Cognitive analytics and Continuous Active Learning
- In place EDA and the benefits of leveraging Microsoft Purview
- Data visualisation solutions, including key features and benefits relating to time and cost savings in eDiscovery applicaitons
