Visualization of Contracts

Colette R. Brunschwig

The visualization of contracts is a topic that has been discussed here (see http://community.beck.de/gruppen/forum/visual-law/interested-in-improving-the-userreader-friendliness-of-contracts-anyone).

HELENA HAAPIO (see http://www.lexpert.com/), a member of this community, has also published Articles on the visualization of contracts (for instance, see http://jusletter-it.weblaw.ch/author/HELHAAPELKVX?lang=de and http://www.lexpert.com/en/publications.htm).

In his book "Law in a Digital World" (see http://www.odr.info/dwintro.html#Introduction), M. ETHAN KATSH (see http://www.odr.info/katsh.php) also refers to the visualization of contracts. Already in 1995 (year of publication), he wrote,

"One of the ways our environment is changing significantly is that data can be acquired, processed, and distributed continuously. As discussed earlier, electronic contracts eventually will be more than paper contracts in electronic form. They will monitor performances and alert parties and their lawyers about problems with performance or about a need for modifying an agreement due to changing conditions" (p. 161).

"What is important to recognize in connection with visual communication is that the medium's visual capabilities provide intriguing possibilities for alerting us about change and about the direction of change. Images and numbers can be employed to show change in ways that are not possible with print. Increases and decreases can be demonstrated visually through changes in the sizes, shape, or color of objects on screen. In the contract context, for example, lack of performance might send a red flag to the attorney for one of the parties. This could be an actual image of a red flag, and the red flag, if ignored, could grow larger over time, something that would be both meaningful and attention getting" (p. 161 sq.).

(Katsh, M. E., Law in a Digital World, New York, NY, Oxford, 1995)

(Please note: all websites in this posting were last accessed on April 20, 2011.)

Hinweise zur bestehenden Moderationspraxis
Kommentar schreiben