Reimagining Research Services with Just Ask.
December 11, 2024
Dean Mason | Director of Research Services | Sidley Austin
A Case Study from Sidley Austin.
In November 2022, our Library & Research Services team launched an initiative called Just Ask. This initiative was designed to enhance research services and support for all personnel within the firm, aiming to increase productivity and the awareness of our services. Here’s a closer look at how Just Ask has transitioned research services at Sidley.
The Context
Sidley is an international law firm with over 4,500 personnel spread across offices in the United States, Asia Pacific, and Europe. The Library & Research Services team, consisting of 34 members, is based in these locations. In 2021, we created a unified global workstream with a single email address, research@sidley.com, for all library and research requests. This consolidation allowed us to transition and merge our three regional research teams into one unit, supported by our request intake system Quest, which served as a workflow management tool and knowledge base.
The Birth of Just Ask
Early in 2022, we sought to transition our research services in response to the post-pandemic landscape and feedback from lawyers and staff. Key questions emerged during this period:
• How do we best provide our services to a remote workforce?
• How do we promote our services in an environment of high personnel turnover?
• How do we ensure relevant library and research requests are reaching us where other teams are providing similar services?
• Do users know what we can provide?
Team discussions on these questions focused on how to increase user awareness of our services, especially in the context of remote work and high personnel turnover. The answer to our key question: ‘Do users know what we can provide?’ revealed a consistent response of 'no'.
For instance, a conversation with a busy Senior Associate showed they were unaware we could assist with business information research.
Initially, we considered creating a comprehensive list of our research capabilities for users. However, it quickly became apparent that this approach was ineffective. Instead, we needed a more straightforward method to communicate our value. We concluded that users didn't need to know the specifics of our services; they simply needed to send us their requests, and we would handle the rest. This concept evolved into what we now call 'flipping the research desk,' leading to the creation of the 'Just Ask' initiative.
Implementation and Promotion
The Just Ask project comprised two main strands: team training and guidance, and a firmwide promotional campaign. The team was provided with FAQs and mock questions to improve their handling of requests. A workspace on OneNote was set up to centralise information and leverage team insights.
The promotional campaign, arranged by our Creative Design team in Chicago, included email mailouts, an animated video, digital signage, and branded coasters for secretarial teams. The campaign, which started in October 2022, used a countdown marketing technique with three emails to the firm: (1) Announcing Just Ask!; (2) Two weeks to Just Ask!; and (3) Today’s the day to Just Ask. The final email included a professional one-minute video highlighting the service's benefits.
Results and Impact
Just Ask received positive testimonials from various teams and locations at Sidley. These highlighted how we have helped with questions, from research to billing, and from finding local amenities to tracking website changes. Just Ask has also provided a concierge service to connect users with the right resources and people. We have established strong links with Knowledge Management, Events, IT, Learning & Development, and Litigation Support, to name a few. The service has been praised for being easy to use, efficient, accurate, and personable.
Just Ask has also enabled us to offer research services to other teams, such as Learning & Development, and Recruiting. For example, we provided a menu of interesting facts for the firm’s communications about National Arab American Heritage Month, Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Pride Month. We have also provided information packs on candidates for our Recruiting teams.
Measuring Success
To measure the success of Just Ask, our Library Technology team created a Tableau dashboard showing the number of requests received and the research time spent. From November 2022 to October 2024, the team received over 700 Just Ask requests and spent over 300 hours collectively on these. There has also been an 8% increase in the total number of research requests received during this period.
The dashboard's granularity allowed the team to identify where they were making an impact and where further outreach was needed. Secretaries, who often handle firm-related questions, were identified as key beneficiaries of the service, consistently topping the list of Just Ask requests.
Overall
The Just Ask initiative has successfully promoted research services at Sidley, offering a reimagined vision of research that applies to all personnel. In June 2023, we proudly received the LexisNexis Award for Excellence for Just Ask, recognizing our team's outstanding efforts to boost the productivity of lawyers and staff at Sidley. We look forward to building on this success in the years ahead.
About the Author
Dean Mason serves as the Director of Research Services at Sidley Austin, where he leads an award-winning global research team. Prior to this role, Dean specialised in the acquisition and management of information resources.
Article references available on request.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Prenax.
