Case Study: 119 Boxes, 200,000 Documents Digitised to 69GB of Data

Explore how Law Image successfully managed a comprehensive legal document digitisation project for a major law firm client in Australia.

The Project

This project was designed to streamline document management for our client, a global law firm based in Australia, by scanning and coding 119 boxes of legal documents.  

The primary goal was to ensure the accurate digitisation and processing of a substantial volume of documents while maintaining high standards of quality and data integrity. The key deliverables included digital scans of all documents, along with appropriately coded and delimited files, ready for client use.

Project Initiation

The project commenced, marking the beginning of a meticulous process to handle a significant quantity of legal documents. The 119 boxes comprised 205,136 images, which amounted to 69GB of data. This required us to coordinate a well-organised logistical effort to transfer the physical documents to our facilities.

We established a rigorous planning phase, setting a target to scan and QA three boxes per day, and ensuring that we sent scanned documents to the coding team for further processing by the end of each day.

External Stakeholder Management

There were two primary stakeholders, including our client and the storage facility the client was using to store all the documents. Effective communication was maintained throughout the project to manage stakeholder expectations.  

Regular updates and clear communication channels ensured that both parties were informed of progress and any potential issues were addressed promptly. 

Internal Team Dynamics

The production team was responsible for scanning and QA, supported by our legal technology team, responsible for coding. The project required efficient collaboration and a positive team dynamic, and continuous engagement with the coding team ensured that any uncertainties and doubts regarding the documents were promptly resolved.

Project Execution

This project was meticulously structured to ensure efficiency and accuracy. Here is a detailed breakdown of the process.

Receiving the Boxes:

• Client organised the drop-off of 119 boxes to our office. 
• Upon arrival, each box and its contents were labeled for identification to prevent any mix-up.

Labeling and Documentation:

A box control sheet was created for every box. This sheet recorded: 

• The name of the scanner handling the box
• The total number of images scanned 
• The number of JPEG files 
• The number of TIFF files 
• Any specific notes, such as on-glass scans 

Scanning Process:

• The documents were carefully scanned, with the target of scanning and QA three boxes per day. 
• Special attention was given to large plans and drawings, ensuring high-quality plan scanning. 

Quality Assurance (QA):

• Once a box was fully scanned, it moved to the QA stage.
• QA involved a thorough check to ensure that all documents were accurately scanned and that the image quality met the required standards. 

File Renaming and Organisation:

• After passing QA, the files were renamed systematically to ensure easy access and reference.

Document Coding:

• The team meticulously delimited the documents to ensure precise categorisation and organisation.
• Each document was coded to extract relevant metadata.
• Further, OCR technology was used to convert scanned images of text into machine-encoded text. This process ensured that all text within the documents was searchable, enhancing accessibility.
• A hyperlinked index was created for easy navigation and access.
• The index linked directly to the documents, allowing users to quickly find and access specific files.
• All the documents were organised in a logical and user-friendly manner, improving the efficiency of document retrieval.

This structured workflow ensured that each stage of the project was executed efficiently and accurately. 

Achievements and Milestones

One of the major achievements of this project was the successful scanning and QA of over 200,000 documents within the stipulated timeframe. This milestone demonstrated the efficiency and dedication of the project team, as well as the effectiveness of the structured workflow and planning. 

Client Satisfaction

Client satisfaction was a key focus throughout the project. We ensured regular updates on the project’s progress and delivered completed work in tranches. This approach maintained transparency and kept the client informed, fostering a positive relationship and ensuring their satisfaction with the project’s outcomes.

This project stands as a testament to our ability to handle large-scale hard copy processing projects efficiently and accurately, meeting client expectations and delivering high-quality results within tight deadlines.  

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About Law Image: Law Image is a leading legal document management and legal technology company. Founded in 1999, Law Image is headquartered in Melbourne with other offices based in Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. Law Image plays a crucial role in assisting law firms with their workflow solutions, thereby saving the industry’s precious resources. 

To contact the Law Image Team, click here.