Patterns evident in the second year of “ten best posts of the month”

And the seasons they go round and round, so I combed through the 120 posts that I picked in the last twelve months as the best of a month. That covered the posts of June 2010 through June 2011. My goal was to code the posts and then see what patterns they disclose, to build on my analysis of the first annual batch (See my post of July 5, 2010: analysis of first year of best posts – outside counsel; July 5, 2010: thinking; July 5, 2010: metrics; and July 6, 2010: shortage of posts on clients and technology.).

This time, outside counsel posts again led the pack, with 25, followed again by posts on decision-making and thinking, with 20. The former topic appeals to many of my readers, both inside and outside of law departments. In third place were productivity methods or tools, with 17 posts. In the first year there were not nearly as many on those topics or I coded differently. Surprising me were the 13 posts on what I coded as theory: high level thoughts on management of legal departments.

Following theory in frequency were metrics (10), technology (9) – unlike last year, costs (9) and talent (6). Maybe it is my selection criteria, maybe my off-the-cuff coding, but the two years of “best posts” do show significant differences.