MANAGING IT AND SOFTWARE

JOINT APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

One methodology to consider is what’s called joint application development (JAD). This methodology takes end users, executives, tech lawyers, and developers off-site, and away from distractions, for meetings where they work out the details of what the developers will create.

Define Your Project• Scope creep can occur with

fixed-price deals as well as contracts calling for payment on an hourly fee basis.

Change Orders• A good change order

procedure typically involves a written request for a change, a period for the other side to consider the request, and a requirement that if the change is approved it will be documented and become of the contract.

PROJECT SCOPE CREEP

DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICIES

ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE

Electronic evidence is

any inform

ation of a

ny type th

at’s stored in

electronic fo

rm and is

relevant to

a particular li

tigatio

n.

ELECTRONIC DISCOVERY

C R E A T I N G A D A T A R E T E N T I O N P O L I C Y

• The starting point is that you need a structured data retention plan so you know what kinds of data you have, where you store your data, what data you should destroy, and when.

W H A T T O A D D R E S S

• By combining the skills and expertise of your people the plan should be able address and support your company’s business operational requirements, comply with relevant legal requirements, and limit the strain on IT resources.

ENRON AND DATA DESTRUCTION

Enron. Document shredding. File deletion. Arthur Andersen. Not even J. R. Ewing could concoct what these boys did.

• Legally Destroying Data- The law does permit you to destroy data, whether digital or paper. If you apply the commonsense and smell tests, you realize that the law has to allow this.

PREVENTING DISASTER LIABILITY

Before a disaster, it’s

an exercise in planning. W

hat insurance. W

hat does it

cover? After a

disaster, it’s

a salvage operation. T

he issue is

, how m

uch can

you collect to

help you recover fr

om the disaster? If

you did the before part

right, y

ou will

be help.

DISASTER PLANNING

Be sure to obtain the assistance of a lawyer who has real-world experience

with disaster planning.