Collaborative Drafting Practices

This is part 2 of a 2-part post about my tracking process for opinions I am assigned to write. 👉 Spreadsheet. I track the cases I am assigned to write, and the cases in which I am drafting a concurrence or a dissent, in a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet has 10 columns, as seen below 👇 👇 in the mock spreadsheet, and tracks information like case number and name, hearing and file dates, and case notes. Each of the four attorneys in my chambers - myself, Lindsey, and my two law clerks, presently Lynn Johnson and James Whitaker - has a spreadsheet color. I assign the cases that I am designated to write to myself or one of my three law clerks for initial research and drafting. That attorney’s name is noted in the “RA” column and that cell is filled in with their spreadsheet color. This cell color stays constant. 👉 Version control. Version control is an exceedingly important task in our chambers, as it is in all collaborative legal practice settings. The Case # column, file name, email subject line, and email flags help with this.   When I have the latest version of an opinion in my virtual possession, I note this by filling in the Case # cell with my color - pink. 💗 The opinion file name is generally composed of three parts: case number, case name, and version number. For example: 24-1134 State v. Smith V4. Sometimes we tag a note onto the end of the file name to indicate an important change from the previous version. For example, 24-1134 State v. Smith V5 reverse. This means that this version is written to reverse, which is a change from V4 which was written to affirm. Subsequent versions omit this note. When I finish editing a draft, I save the draft as a new file with the next highest “V-number.” When I email a draft to a clerk, I note the file name in the subject line. Additionally, I change the color of the Case # cell from pink to the clerk’s assigned color to reflect that the opinion is now in that clerk’s virtual possession. My clerks follow this same procedure. So while the color of the RA cell stays the same, the color of the Case # column changes to reflect possession. And when a clerk sends a draft to me, I flag that email. When I start working on that opinion, I unflag the email. 👉 Circulating opinions. We also use colors to keep track of circulating and filed opinions. When we are working on an opinion, the case row is white. When we circulate the opinion to the panel, the case row is green. When we receive the opinion back from the panel and we need to process it to file, the case row is grey. Processing an opinion to file involves removing record citations, noting the panel members’ votes, reading the opinion out loud to each other, and making any final edits. When we file an opinion, the case row is yellow. When the spreadsheet gets too busy, we hide the yellow rows. At a high level, this is our case management process. How do you track your workload? Do you have any tips or tricks that might improve my processes?

Breaking Down Silos: Collaborating with Designers and Developers As Content Designers💡 I was a panelist for the UX Writers Africa debut conference sometime last year, and my focus was demystifying collaboration between product designers, developers, and content designers. Somewhere in the middle of a question and answer session, someone asked, “Hey precious, how can developers, designers, and ux writers collaborate better?” I first blurted out, “UX writers or content designers are not PRODUCT JANITORS!” Please don’t ask me how I coined that; it came out of somewhere fueled by anger and quickly became everyone’s favorite phrase throughout the conference. As a content designer who’s worked on heavily siloed, extremely collaborative, and in-sync teams, I think I am best positioned to give this advice. Reflecting on that moment, I realized how crucial it is to break down silos and nurture a collaborative environment. Here are some tips on how teams can improve collaboration: Talk Often: Regular check-ins keep everyone in sync. To stay updated, use Slack, Jira, or Trello. Get Everyone In Early: Don’t wait to involve content designers or developers early. Early involvement makes for a stronger team. Share Docs: Keep all guidelines and strategies in one place. A living document helps everyone stay on the same page. Respect each Role: Understand and appreciate each team member’s contributions. Share challenges and wins to build empathy. Use Collab Tools: Real-time feedback on Figma or Adobe XD and drafting on Notion or Confluence can make collaboration smoother. Do Workshops: Regular workshops build rapport and improve understanding of each other’s workflows. Align on Goals: Set common goals to keep the team united and focused on the same outcomes. Breaking down these silos isn’t always easy, but the benefits of a genuinely collaborative environment are well worth the effort. Remember, great products are born out of teamwork, not individual silos.  Let’s continue to push for better collaboration in our teams and create fantastic user experiences together! My name is Precious, I enjoy creating contextually kick-ass conversations and user experiences through human-centered Content Design!

Hello there, Once upon a time, in the bustling world of software development, there was a gathering known as the Joint Application Development (JAD) session. It was a place where stakeholders from different divisions – business users, subject matter experts, IT specialists, and project sponsors – came together to embark on a journey of defining, refining, and validating requirements for a software application or system. Guiding this gathering was a trained business analyst, whose expertise in facilitating discussions and managing group dynamics ensured that the session remained focused and productive, the stakeholders were taken through the complexities of requirements, guiding them towards the ultimate goal of project success. A virtual JAD session was conducted, during this session, the business analyst used video conferencing tools, collaborative whiteboards, and virtual collaboration platforms to host interactive gatherings. Stakeholders were able to participate remotely, contributing their wealth of expertise to the requirements elicitation and solution design efforts. Agile JAD Practices were used where the business analyst integrated the JAD session into the agile project lifecycles. Through regular sprint planning, backlog refinement, and review sessions, they prioritized requirements, validated solutions, and adapted to the ever-evolving needs of the business and its users in real-time. The business analyst employed facilitation techniques such as brainstorming, affinity diagramming, and structured discussions. These practices encouraged active participation, elicited diverse perspectives, and fostered consensus among stakeholders, creating a harmonious atmosphere where every voice was heard. Venturing into Prototyping and Visualization, the business analyst used prototyping tools, wireframing software, and mockup templates. They created low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes, soliciting feedback and refining design iterations based on the insights of the stakeholders. After the JAD session ended, there remained one final task for the business analyst – the post-session documentation and follow-up. With meticulous care, they documented the proceedings, requirements specifications, and solution design artifacts in a structured format. These documents were circulated among the stakeholders for review, validation, and sign-off, ensuring alignment and accountability throughout the project lifecycle. Lessons learned: - Master facilitation and communication for inclusive sessions. - Embrace virtual collaboration and agile methodologies. - Use prototyping to enhance stakeholder engagement. - Ensure thorough documentation for transparency. #JADsessions #BusinessAnalysis #AgileJAD #VirtualCollaboration #StakeholderEngagement #Prototyping #EmpowerHer #womeninbusinessanalysis Joy Gerald (MBCS) Dona S.