Contract design (by lawyers for users...)

 Here's an interview from the legal blog Above the Law:

Why The Time For Better Contract Design Is Now. Q&A with Stefania Passera and Paula Doyle. By OLGA V. MACK

"In an age of fast-growing complexity, the winners are those who simplify the lives of others.

As part of its mission to promote ease of doing business for social and economic benefit, World Commerce & Contracting has long been a vocal advocate for simpler, user-centered contracts. But what does good contract design look like, in practice? And how do you make a compelling business case for it in your organization?

I caught up with Stefania Passera, contract designer in residence, and Paula Doyle, chief legal innovation officer — the leading ladies behind WorldCC’s design and simplification initiatives — to discuss their most recent initiatives.

Olga Mack: So, I hear you love contracts. How did this happen to you? 

Stefania Passera: I don’t actually love contracts per se, but I love the challenge of transforming them into something clear, useful, and engaging for all stakeholders. I love seeing business people look at contracts with new eyes and understand them for the first time! I love seeing lawyers realizing that they don’t need contracts to be full of legalese for it to be binding and that sticking in everything, including the kitchen sink just in case, is not actually good risk management. My background is in information design, which is the art and science of making complex information usable and understandable. There is a lot of work to be done in the world of contracts!

Paula Doyle: I completely agree with all that Stefania has said. I have been a lawyer in industry for more than 20 years. Frankly, I am bewildered, given all of the other advances in the world during that time period, that contracts remained largely static up until about 5 years ago! Contracts are in essence instruments to help organizations and individuals get things done. At their core they should be understandable. They should not be the domain of only lawyers! 

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Here's a Contract Design Pattern Library on the WC&C website.