Modern data collection for eDiscovery has always been demanding. Today, the challenges are exacerbated by a number of trends, including an increasingly remote workforce. By the end of 2021, the percent of employees that will be working remotely is forecast to grow to 25% to 30%. While remote activities associated with data collection are nothing new, the proliferation of remote personnel (in part due to COVID-19) and devices increases the need for a careful, streamlined approach to every component of data collection.
Here are four key issues affecting the need to modernize data collection methods—along with their interplay with an increasingly remote workforce.
First, the proliferation of mobile devices cannot be ignored. 45% of enterprise data is resident on endpoint devices. The primary challenge in collecting data from mobile devices is that collection tools must be able to adapt to the sporadic network connectivity of these devices and be able to automatically process re-tries until collections are complete. Collection tools should also be able to access the devices with or without VPN connections.
Second, ephemeral data sources have increased in volume, variety and complexity. Working remotely drives a substantial increase in Instant Messaging, chat and other ephemeral data as an alternative to popping over to a colleague’s desk for a quick update on a project. Data collection tools must be able to collect frequently but unobtrusively to capture this short-lived data.
Third, a steady rise in BYOD (bring own your device), CYOD (choose your own device), and COPE (company owned, personally enabled) has complicated collections efforts. While the particular approach should fit the organization and its culture, every approach must balance the inherent right to privacy associated with end users and their personal devices with the organization’s legitimate interest. Collection tools should be able to target only the organization’s data on the employee’s device to not infringe the privacy of the employee’s personal data. Advanced collection tools can accomplish this through granular targeting to specific sources, including individual folders within those sources.
Fourth, the people performing data collections are also likely to be remote. Whether in support of eDiscovery, early case assessment, investigations or other legal and business objectives, collections tools must be accessible anywhere, anytime through modern web-enabled interfaces.
The good news is that addressing these challenges is not a new experience. The focus is not on inventing new ways to address new issues, but rather to become familiar with modern data collection methods and learn how to deploy them at the scale required.
Read the white paper “Modern Data Collection: New Imperatives and Critical Requirements”.
Read the associated blog that describes the seven critical requirements of modern data collections.
