Title: Online support for arbitration: designing software for a flexible business process

Authors: Tony Elliman, Julie Eatock

Addresses: School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK. ' School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

Abstract: This paper looks at the challenge of developing a single online system to correctly handle the workflow of any legal arbitration case. In arbitration, the parties are always free to decide the process they will follow but existing online systems lack the flexibility to deal with general arbitration cases. A better system that can guide parties through the chosen process without compromising its legal status is needed. This single system needs to be flexible enough to support a wide range of different arbitration service providers. Conventional requirements engineering attacks uncertainty by getting the client to make choices. Flexible system design requires a different mindset that keeps these choices open until the system is in use. The key is in deciding which design decisions to offer and how they are presented to the user. This problem, and some strategies to deal with it, are illustrated by the analysis developed in the E-Arbitration-T project. The application of human activity simulation to validate the final design is also discussed.

Keywords: systems analysis; adaptable system design; human activity simulation; arbitration procedures; online systems; legal arbitration; arbitration service providers; flexible system design; arbitration support; online arbitration; dispute resolution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2005.007073

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2005 Vol.4 No.4, pp.443 - 460

Published online: 20 May 2005 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article