E-discovery analytics
IBM has introduced new features in IBM InfoSphere eDiscovery Manager and IBM InfoSphere eDiscovery Analyzer. They include enhanced early case assessment functionality, extended support for additional types of electronically stored information (ESI) content, and open application programming interfaces (APIs) for partner solution integration.
IBM says that together, these capabilities accelerate organizational agility in responding to litigation, regulatory and freedom of information requests, while streamlining the integration of eDiscovery capabilities into comprehensive offerings.
InfoSphere eDiscovery Analyzer utilizes IBM content analytics technology to deliver richer early case assessment capabilities, making it possible for organizations to more effectively build strategies before entering into costly legal discovery review and production cycles. For example, users can now visualize e-mail communications patterns across their entire organization to discover unexpected communications, identify new individuals whose information is subject to review and trace the flow of topics over time. Combined with other early case assessment enhancements, these new capabilities provide users with the tools to help drive efficiency and cost savings with earlier, deeper insight into collected information and case strategy.
Further, the company reports, the new IBM offerings expand support for processing, analyzing, searching and holding multiple forms of ESI support, including the ability to export processed and analyzed ESI in the industry-standard EDRM XML format. These enhanced capabilities are said to enable organizations to use IBM’s eDiscovery offerings to bring the benefits of an in-house, agile approach to the management of all content types. Through the IBM Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform and compliance-related offerings, including IBM Content Collector, IBM Classification Module and IBM FileNet Records Manager, the new offerings further help build and extend a foundation for managing digital information.
IBM’s eDiscovery software now includes extended API support, providing customers and partners the opportunity to deliver customized solutions that utilize IBM eDiscovery software capabilities as part of broader in-house and hosted solutions based on customers’ needs. This new support will allow users to unlock the potential value in individual software components and expand and deliver comprehensive eDiscovery implementations.
Utilizing the new API capabilities in IBM’s eDiscovery software, IBM and business partner PSS Systems are working together to deliver joint compliance offerings that address corporate eDiscovery and legal needs of in-house counsel, reduce the discovery burden on IT organizations, and link in records retention programs for defensible disposal. The combined IBM-PSS offering will provide clients with a comprehensive set of tools to more effectively manage information based on its value, comply with global legal obligations for data, discover data efficiently and routinely dispose of information at the end of its life cycle.