Visualization in Trialogic Public Procurement Contracting

Abstract

Public Procurement is a heavily regulated process, particularly its competitive tendering phase. Besides, public procurers like states and municipalities are large and complex organization environments guided by administrative regulation. Thus, in public procurement contracting, even more challenges in knowledge sharing are faced than in "normal" contracting which is a demanding cross-professional collaboration in itself. We have simulated municipal public procurement processes which have revealed a need to balance the prevailing legal attitude with design attitude. Using design tools, such as visualization of organizational processes and contracting documents, can facilitate efforts towards better collaboration and procurement success by revealing challenges in knowledge sharing and developing the legally oriented documents into knowledge sharing tools.