When organisations invest in a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system, it’s often for all the right reasons: reducing risk, driving efficiency, centralising access, and managing obligations. However, projects often stall or fall short of expectations, not because of the technology, but because the implementation strategy overlooks one critical factor: people.

Organisations can have the most advanced AI redlining, seamless integrations with CRM and ERP systems, and extensive clause libraries. However, if your users don’t adopt them — if they see them as a burden, not a benefit, the value of those investments plummet.

At the heart of every successful CLM program is a balanced approach that pairs governance and automation and has a deep respect for how people work.

Don’t Just Design for Policy, Design for People

One of the most common missteps is designing systems around the ideal process, not the actual workflow. Legal sets up the CLM to enforce controls and approvals, but in doing so, inadvertently creates friction for business users.

For example, consider a global manufacturing client we encountered last year. Their legal team had built a controlled workflow that required four levels of approval for even low-risk procurement contracts. The system technically worked, but users avoided it altogether. They emailed Word documents to suppliers and routed them outside the system, defeating the purpose of CLM entirely.

What turned things around wasn’t a technical fix, but rethinking the experience from the user’s perspective. We worked with Procurement to create a fast lane for low-dollar, low-risk agreements using pre-approved templates and auto-approvals. Governance was still in place, but it was tiered and intelligent, balancing control and functionality to ensure compliance without stifling efficiency. Adoption increased because users finally felt the system worked with them, not against them.

Automate Without Losing the Point

We’ve heard from several organisations that after launching AI redlining tools to empower sales, first-level negotiations and engagement from commercial teams were minimal. This is not because the technology didn’t work — users still had to interpret legal language, navigate multiple systems, and wait for Legal to approve edits they weren’t confident in making. 

Some companies have addressed similar situations by shifting the narrative. Instead of positioning AI as a legal safeguard, they frame it as a time-saver, employing AI automation to help deals get out the door faster with less back-and-forth. Improvements like streamlining recommendations to a single-click experience and clearly defining and communicating what’s “safe to send” without additional review can make a huge difference. Refining these tools with automation not only saves users’ time, but positions teams to move forward with confidence and clarity.

Don’t Treat Change Management as a Side Task

Change management isn’t just a communications plan at go-live. It’s a continuous process that starts with design and lives throughout adoption.

For a financial services client with strict regulatory oversight, we embedded business users in the design phase — not just as reviewers, but as co-creators. Their input shaped everything from naming conventions to dashboard design. By the time we launched, those users became internal champions, helping drive training, answering peer questions, and sharing “quick wins” across teams.

The organisation didn’t have to “enforce” adoption. Their business units owned it.

A Better CLM Strategy Starts With Listening

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: CLM isn’t a tech project, it’s a behavioral one. The system is only as effective as its users’ willingness to engage with it. Instead of chasing the perfect process, focus on building a usable one. Instead of enforcing rules, invite collaboration. And instead of viewing people as points of risk, treat them as your biggest opportunity for success.

At the end of the day, contracts aren’t just documents; they shape how organisations sell, buy, partner, and deliver. CLM, when done right, should make that work easier, faster, and more connected for everyone involved.


Devon McGuire, Sales Director, Contracts Solutions, Epiq

Devon is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in contracts analytics and Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), specialising in CLM implementations, contracts migration, and AI-driven contracts solutions. With a background spanning project delivery, solutions consulting, and sales, Devon has helped numerous organisations streamline their contract management processes and maximise the value of their CLM investments