| In my profession, it is common to ask a lot of | | | | tape, it gets saved as an audio file (i.e., .wav, .dss). |
| questions. Truly, it's necessary. A Virtual Assistant | | | | Unlike speech recognition, digital dictation requires |
| is someone who has to know as much as possible | | | | a transcriptionist and software to type the |
| about a particular client's systems or way of | | | | recorded thoughts. |
| doing things in order to best configure and make | | | | By the way, one reason why I firmly believe |
| use of available technology to help them do it | | | | speech recognition software can never replace a |
| better, faster, for less cost -- whatever the client | | | | good legal secretary/transcriptionist - no matter |
| is looking to gain. | | | | how much you train it, it can never catch when |
| I started my VA career almost eight years ago | | | | you say "defendant' and you should be saying |
| and limit my practice to virtual assistance to the | | | | "plaintiff"! ;) |
| legal industry. Over the years, I have asked many | | | | So, while you may have heard or read about the |
| attorneys, law firm administrators, paralegals, HR | | | | pitfalls of speech recognition technology, digital |
| managers, private investigators, IT administrators, | | | | dictation is a different animal altogether. |
| managing partners, office managers, secretaries | | | | Number 2: "If it ain't broke..." |
| and others about the processes used at their | | | | Yes, it is true that tape dictation works and has |
| firms. Some use document management | | | | worked for decades, but so does a typewriter, |
| software, some don't. Some have websites, | | | | an abacus, even a compass for that matter. |
| some don't. Almost without fail, when asked what | | | | Upgrading to digital dictation is not a fix, it is an |
| the attorneys use for dictation, the most | | | | improvement to a known process. It is the |
| common response: a tape recorder. | | | | natural evolution of dictation - from human being |
| That's good, because dictating is a very efficient | | | | (secy), to recorded (tape), to digital (sound file). |
| process, even with a tape. According to | | | | When upgrading to digital, what should be |
| Dictaphone, in 1952 recorded dictation was | | | | highlighted is that those making the recording no |
| established as "a time saver over handwriting and | | | | longer need to be in the same physical location as |
| stenography among attorneys, physicians and | | | | the person doing the transcribing - or in today's |
| other professionals". The first mini-cassette | | | | lingo: can work remotely! Depending on how the |
| recorder was marketed in 1973. Do you believe | | | | capture process is set up, so long as firm's |
| it? That same little recorder still in use at most | | | | dictators have access to a telephone or the |
| firms in the US today is the technological | | | | internet, they can produce billable time. |
| equivalent of listening to music on an 8 track! | | | | Since the dictation file created with digital is |
| In any event, if your firm uses tape based | | | | electronic in nature, it can be manipulated much |
| dictation, then it is already understood that | | | | the same as any other computer file -- stored, |
| recording actual firm work product is a good way | | | | routed through networks and so on. This makes |
| to get things done and if your firm does not use | | | | the dictation file itself much more convenient and |
| dictation, perhaps you should be starting with | | | | user friendly in today's electronic environment |
| digital so keep reading. | | | | (networks, multiple offices, document |
| Why Upgrade To Digital Dictation? | | | | management software, retention requirements). |
| Although not as old as dictation itself, digital | | | | Along with remote work opportunities for firm |
| dictation has been around for quite some time. | | | | dictators, upgrading to digital dictation provides |
| The medical profession has been using digital | | | | reporting and tracking on each file as it travels |
| dictation technology (call in and portable recorders) | | | | through the process or all of the metrics that a |
| for over a decade. Why? Upgrading to a digital | | | | tape based dictation system simply cannot |
| dictation process provided hospitals, clinics, | | | | provide. Hold up a tape and ask an attorney |
| doctor's offices and insurance companies with:o | | | | what's on it and see what s/he says! If it were a |
| the ability for doctors to work remotely with | | | | digital file, however, you always know the date |
| nothing more than a phone or portable recorder | | | | and time a file was created, by whom, how long |
| and internet connectiono centralization of | | | | it is, what client it is for, what matter it pertains, |
| document workflow for multiple user, multiple site | | | | and more. |
| operationso the ability to monitor work in | | | | So, from an administrator's as well as dictator's |
| progress and overall productivityo the ability to | | | | perspective, upgrading to digital dictation provides |
| track and report various metrics and criteriao the | | | | quite an improvement for how the work gets |
| ability to utilize remote transcriptionists and save | | | | done.and... my all time favorite response to... |
| on personnel costs | | | | "Why hasn't your firm upgraded to digital |
| The way I see it, any size firm has as much to | | | | dictation?" |
| gain as a comparably sized medical practice by | | | | Number 1: "We don't like change." |
| upgrading to a digital dictation process - so the | | | | I am not kidding! I have heard this exact phrase |
| question remains, with so much to gain, Why | | | | more times than I care to admit! |
| haven't they!? (Read that list above again - with | | | | Other than, of course, this response helping me |
| your firm in mind.) | | | | to realize that firms can take forever to reach a |
| Why Aren't Firms Using Digital Dictation? | | | | decision, it presents quite a conundrum. Why? |
| The main reason, I believe, is no one has put | | | | When upgrading to digital, not much actually |
| 2%2B2 together yet. Since digital dictation | | | | changes in the process for the dictator. In fact, |
| technology isn't "new", not much attention has | | | | Olympus and other major manufacturers even |
| been paid to it outside the medical industry. Just | | | | have portable digital recorders in their professional |
| recently, however, British and other European law | | | | line that have a slide switch. Truly, a digital |
| firms have been in the news discussing how | | | | recorder which mimics an analog recorder's |
| upgrading to digital dictation has been easier and | | | | functions. |
| better than expected. | | | | Therefore, when properly configured, other than |
| What About Here in the US? | | | | the fact that an attorney does not have to get |
| Listed below (in reverse order) are the top three | | | | up from his chair to hand a tape to his secretary |
| responses I have received over the years to the | | | | (or leave on her chair), when upgrading to digital, |
| question: "Why hasn't your firm upgraded to digital | | | | dictators do not "do" anything different. |
| dictation?" | | | | Wrapping It All Up |
| Number 3: "Digital dictation, isn't that speech | | | | At some point, every firm has to weigh the pros |
| recognition?" | | | | and cons of any technology upgrade. With more |
| No, speech recognition is not digital dictation. | | | | and more equipment and software necessary to |
| Speech recognition is software. It takes the | | | | stay competitive, no wonder no one is looking for |
| human voice and converts it to text. Speech | | | | another "upgrade". Unlike so much of the |
| recognition software requires training to each | | | | technology available today, however, digital |
| specific user - hours of training for most | | | | dictation technology is not "new". It is very stable |
| applications, making the implementation of this | | | | and has been robustly tested, successfully |
| technology not practical in most firm settings. | | | | implemented and utilized in various sized |
| Digital dictation is the recording of your voice with | | | | environments for over a decade. |
| software or equipment that provides dictation | | | | This should, IMHO, make an upgrade to digital |
| functions - stop, rewind, insert and so forth. With | | | | dictation a must for any firm's 2009 technology |
| digital, however, the recording does not go onto a | | | | budget. |