Flowchart

What is it?

Flowcharts represent, in a step-by-step fashion, a workflow or a process. They are tools to support decision-making and problem-solving. They allow viewers to identify how the combination of different conditions or events can lead to different outcomes.

What problems does it solve?

Contract readers are busy people and need quick, clear answers from the contract to inform their actions. But it’s often difficult to find straightforward answers for at least two reasons:

1. Contracts are full of conjunctions that indicate “conditional information” (e.g., if…/then…; in case of…/NN shall…), exceptions (e.g., notwithstanding; unless), and alternatives (e.g., either…/or…; whichever the earliest or the highest) and they often describe many contingencies
2. The information required to find an answer may be distributed in different clauses, appendices, or defined terms, leading the reader through a cross-reference maze. 

Readers need simple ways to have all relevant information at hand, and see and understand alternatives and exceptions.

When to use it?

Flowcharts are useful for clauses that describe processes where different decisions determine possible alternative outcomes (e.g., price change, change management, complaint escalation, remedies to contract breach).

Why use it?

Flowcharts break down complex decisions, processes, or assessments into a series of simpler steps. Readers do not need to keep in mind all the information they will need at once, but can consider one step at a time. Relevant decision points, alternative paths, and possible outcomes are visible at a glance. This is useful not only when reading a document, but also when creating it: a flowchart is a good way to audit whether a process, a provision, or a rule is logical and covers all necessary contingencies.

Where to use it?

• Contract documents
• Contract guides and playbooks
• Training materials
• Contract planning
• Meetings

© 2019 Stefania Passera, Helena Haapio, and WorldCC