"Extreme" Legal Problem Solving

Thanks to another interesting post from Jack Vinson I'm distracted again. He sent me to the Extreme Democracy site, an online writing project that is fascinating in its own right, on several levels. I expect I'll have more to say about it later. But in reading the "What is Extreme Democracy?" page, I came across this part of the explanation:

The choice of the word "extreme" reflects the lessons of the extreme programming movement in technology that has allowed small teams to make rapid progress on complex projects through concentrated projects that yield results far greater than previous labor-intensive programming practices. Extreme democracy emphasizes the importance of tools designed to break down barriers to collaboration and access to power, acknowledging that political realities can be altered by building on rapidly advancing generations of technology and that human organizations are transformed by new political expectations and practices made possible by technology.

The reference to "the extreme programming movement in technology" sent me off in another direction, thinking about my Systems Analysis and Design course last semester and whether looking at the techniques of technology systems design as problem solving approaches might have more general applications.

Focusing on the part of knowledge management where you actually apply the knowledge to solve real problems (that is the point, isn't it?), can "extreme" techniques be applied in situations where speed is essential?

The example that pops into my head for lawyers is the situation where the client comes in on Friday afternoon with a business crisis and wants you in court on Monday morning (if they can wait that long) to get a temporary injunction. Can lawyers develop "extreme" research, problem solving, and drafting techniques that make such weekends easier, faster, and cheaper for clients?

Comments

[the dark goddess of replevin]

I don't think that's really the question. I think most lawyers who use a computer for word processing at the very least have a collection of such "extreme" techniques. The question is can lawyers use such techniques while still maintaining a semblance of a normal life?