Publications

Here you can find my research: I wrote my PhD (and several other publications) on how visualizations can enhance the usability and user experience of contracts.
Feel free to get in contact if you are exploring the same topics!

Haapio, H. & Passera, S. (2021). Contracts as Interfaces: Visual Representation Patterns in Contract Design. In Katz, D. M., Dolin, R. & Bommarito, M. J. (Eds.) Legal Informatics. Cambridge University Press.

Rossi, A., Ducato, R., Haapio, H., & Passera, S. (2019). When Design Met Law: Design Patterns for Information Transparency. Droit de la consommation – Consumentenrecht (DCCR), Vol.1/2019, pp. 79–122.

Rossi, A., Ducato, R., Haapio, H., Passera, S. & Palmirani, M. (2019). Legal Design Patterns: Towards A New Language for Legal Information Design. In Schweighofer, E., Kummer, F. & Saarenpää, A. (Eds.): Internet of Things. Proceedings of the 22nd International Legal Informatics Symposium IRIS 2019. Editions Weblaw, Bern, pp. 517–526.

Passera, S. & Haapio, H. (2019). Legal Design Thinking. Start with the end user in mind. In Jeyakodi, D. & Ros, M.E. The Innovation Matrix. BIS Publishers, Amsterdam.

Passera, S. (2019). Technieken van legal information design [Legal information design techniques]. In Timmer, I. Databeheer en legal tech. Een inleidning voor het hoger juridisch onderwijs. Boom Juridisch, Amsterdam, pp. 157–162.

Barton, T.D., Haapio, H, Hazard, J. G., & Passera, S. (2019). Successful Contracts: Integrating Design and Technology. In Corrales, M., Fenwick, M. & Haapio, H. (Eds.) Legal Tech, Smart Contracts and Blockchain. Springer.
>>> This chapter cannot be self-archived until 2021, sorry!

Passera, S. (2018). Flowcharts, swimlanes, and timelines – Alternatives to prose in communicating legal-bureaucratic instructions to civil servants. Journal of Technical and Business Communication. Vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 229-272. DOI: 10.1177/1050651917746459
>>> No paid access? Get the accepted version here

Passera, S. (2017). Show, Don’t Tell! Conceptualizing and Sharing Abstract Knowledge. In Björklund, T.A., Laakso, M, Kirjavainen, S. & Ekman, K. (Eds.) Passion-based Co-Creation. Aalto University.
>>> The whole book is available here

Passera, S. (2017). Beyond the wall of contract text – Visualizing contracts to foster understanding and collaboration within and across organizations. [Doctoral Thesis]. Aalto University School of Science.
>>> E-version
>>> Order your hard copy: a real book still looks best on your bookshelf!

Forsström, P-L., Haapio, H., Passera, S. (2017). FAIR Design Jam: A case-study on co-creating communication about FAIR Data Principles. In: Proceedings of the 20th International Legal Informatics Symposium IRIS 2017.
> Shortlisted for Lexis Nexis Best Paper Award.

Passera, S., Kankaanranta, A., Louhiala-Salminen, L. (2017). Diagrams in Contracts: Fostering Understanding in Global Business CommunicationIEEE Transactions of Professional Communication.  Vol.60, n. 2, DOI: 10.1109/TPC.2017.2656678
>>> No paid access? Get the pre-print version here.

Passera, S., Smedlund, A., Liinasuo, M (2016). Exploring contract visualization: clarification and framing strategies to shape collaborative business relationships. Journal of Strategic Contracting and Negotiation. Vol.2, No. 1–2, DOI: 10.1177/2055563616669739
>>> No paid access? Get pre-print version here.

Salo M, Haapio H & Passera S (2016). Putting Financial Regulation to Work: Using Simplification and Visualization for Consumer-Friendly Information. In: Schweighofer E. et al. (eds.), Networks. Proceedings of the 19th International Legal Informatics Symposium IRIS 2016. Österreichische Computer Gesellschaft, pp. 399–406.

Passera, S. (2015). Beyond the Wall of Text: How Information Design Can Make Contracts User-Friendly. In: Marcus, A. (Ed.), Lecture Notes on Computer Science 9187, Design, User Experience, and Usability: Users and Interactions (Part II), pp 341-352, Springer.

Curtotti, M., Haapio, H,Passera, S. (2015) Interdisciplinary Cooperation in Legal Design and Communication. In: Schweighofer E. et al. (Eds.) Co-operation. Proceedings of the 18th International Legal Informatics Symposium IRIS 2015. Österreichische Computer Gesellschaft, pp. 455–462.

Passera, S., Haapio, H, Curtotti, M. (2014) Making The Meaning of Contracts Visible – Automating Contract Visualization.In: Schweighofer E. et al. (Eds.) Transparency. Proceedings of the 18th International Legal Informatics Symposium IRIS 2014. Österreichische Computer Gesellschaft, pp. 443–450.
> Shortlisted in Top-10 for Lexis Nexis Best Paper Award.

Passera, S., Haapio, H (2013) The Quest for Clarity – How Visualization improves the Usability and User Experience of Contracts. In Huang W & Huang M (eds.) DVVA 2013 : Innovative Approaches of Data Visualization and Visual Analytics, IGI Global

Passera, S., Haapio H. (2013). Transforming Contracts from Legal Rules to User-centered Communication Tools: a Human-Information Interaction Challenge, Communication Design Quarterly, Vol. 1, Issue 3, April 2013, 38–45. doi: 10.1145/2466489.2466498

Passera, P., Pohjonen, S., Koskelainen, K., Anttila, S. (2013). User-friendly Contracting Tools – A Visual Guide to Facilitate Public Procurement Contracting. Proceedings of the IACCM Academic Forum on Contract and Commercial Management 2013, 8th October ’13, Phoenix, USA

Passera, S., Haapio, H., Barton, T.D (2013). Innovating Contract Practices: Merging Contract Design with Information Design. Proceedings of the IACCM Academic Forum on Contract and Commercial Management 2013, 8th October ’11, Phoenix, USA

Passera, S (2012). Enhancing Contract Usability and User Experience Through Visualization – An Experimental Evaluation. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Visualisation, IV2012, 11-13 July, Montpellier, France

Haapio, H, Passera, S. (2012). Reducing Contract Complexity through Visualization: A Multi-level Challenge. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Visualisation, IV2012, 11-13 July, Montpellier, France

Passera, S., Haapio, H (2012). Innovating Procurement Contracting: Merging Contract Design with Information Design. Submitted to the Annual Finnish Doctoral Program in Industrial Engineering and Management’s Arctic Workshop 2012, November 15-16, 2012, Helsinki.

Passera, S, Kärkkäinen H, Maila, R (2012). When, how, why prototyping? A practical framework for service development. In: Proceedings of XXIII ISPIM Conference, 18-20 June 2012, Barcelona, Spain

Passera, S., Haapio H (2011). Facilitating Collaboration Through Contract Visualization and Modularization. ECCE ’11: Proceedings of the 29th annual conference of the European Association of Cognitive Ergonomics, 26-28 August ‘11, Rostock, Germany

Passera, S., Haapio H (2011). User-Centered Contract Design: New Directions in the Quest for Simpler Contracting, Proceedings of the 2011 IACCM Academic Symposium on Contract and Commercial Management, 26th October ’11, Tempe, USA
> Best Paper Award IACCM Academic Symposium 2011.

Passera, S. (2011) Prototype-driven projects: lowering the threshold to innovation and enabling critical design. In: Proceedings of the European Academy of Design Conference 2011, The Endless End, Porto, Portugal, May 4-6, 2011.

Passera, S. (2011). The Little Book of the Cultural Hijacker – Towards Critical Action Graphic Design. [MA Thesis]. Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.