Mindset: IT’S COMPLICATED (But it doesn’t have to be)

This episode of the Checklist Legal Podcast covers:• How to create a mind map and my favourite application for creating mind maps• How to create Swimlane process maps for more complicated contracts with lots of moving partsHead to the website https://www.checklistlegal.com/podcast and click on episode 10 for:• an example mind map for a basic contract process, from application form to approval, contract execution and welcome pack.• a basic swim lane diagram template you can use.Key Takeaways• Find out who owns the contract process steps that are slowing everyone down• Check in process step owners and ask how can you make life easier or speed things up for them.• Reduce the number of people in the process.• Gather clear and accurate information as early as possible• Try to link in with an existing customer database to reduce data entry (which people find boring and often put off).• Make it a firm requirement to get all information from clients or customer before the contract process kicks off (i.e. in an application form or other collection method).• Add hard stops that don’t allow people to proceed without entering required information.• Use drop down menus or check boxes instead of free text fields to eliminate errors and speed up data entry.

Start simple, avoid those process pigs! Start out your contract mapping career with some easy… low hanging fruit process. Stick with documents that have linear work flows (i.e. I send to Justin, Justin fills in information signs and sends to Brittany, Brittany signs and we are done!).

**Actionable Challenge**Pick a basic contract you work on regularly - it doesn’t have to be a hard one or one you dislike - go to Coggle (or use any mind map tool or pens and paper) and map that contract out step by step.

**LINKS**Get the Swim Lane Diagram template and other free resources via https://www.checklistlegal.com/resources

Checklist Legal – Article about Legal Process Mappinghttps://www.checklistlegal.com/2017/11/legal-process-mapping-guide/

Swim Lane Diagram template download: https://www.checklistlegal.com/example-legal-process-mapping-swim-lane-diagram-2/

**Decision Trees and mapping**Zingtree: Zingtree is an incredibly powerful way to give guided advice or troubleshoot issues (https://zingtree.com/?aid=17173)Coggle: Coggle is an amazing mind mapping tool (https://coggle.it/recommend/560e2a38066647fa5777db5e)Stationary: Or just use Post its or Pen and paper (from your drawer!) Post its Whiteboard and markers

For the 5 Why technique straight from Toyota, see toyota-global.com/company/toyota_traditions/quality/mar_apr_2006.html, accessed 27 May 2017.

TD Barton, H Haapio and T Borisova, ‘Flexibility and Stability in Contracts’© (2014) Retrieved via ulapland.fi/loader.aspx?id=5a80d6cd-83dd-4126-bb16-a069b85533d2, accessed 10 June 2017.

Think Buzan, ‘Mind Mapping Evidence Report’ Retrieved via b701d59276e9340c5b4d-ba88e5c92710a8d62fc2e3a3b5f53bbb.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/docs/Mind%20Mapping%20Evidence%20Report.pdf, accessed 10 June 2017.

Mind Mapping, ‘What is a Mind Map?’(2017) Retrieved via mindmapping.com/mind-map.php, accessed 10 June 2017.

Head to https://www.checklistlegal.com/podcast for show notes, resources links, and templates.Music: 'Sway this way' by @SilentPartner