Why is human-centered design important in contract lifecycle management?

Human-centered design in CLM ensures that contracting processes are intuitive and address real user needs, leading to higher engagement and adoption. By focusing on the user experience, organizations can overcome the frustrations of traditional manual processes.

How can AI improve contract lifecycle management?

AI can enhance CLM by automating labor-intensive tasks such as drafting and redlining. These tools streamline the contracting process by reducing friction and allowing legal teams to focus on strategic tasks. This leads to more efficient and agile contract management.

What role do empathy and real-world examples play in transforming CLM?

Empathy is crucial in ensuring AI-driven tools genuinely meet user needs, making them more accessible and effective. Learning from real-world AI successes allows organizations to adopt best practices and tailor their CLM processes to be both technologically advanced and user-friendly.

Reimagining CLM: Alistair Maiden on Human-C...

Reimagining CLM: Alistair Maiden on Human-Centered Contracting in the Age of AI

The article explores the evolution of contract lifecycle management (CLM) through human-centered design, emphasizing the role of AI in improving user engagement. It highlights the conversation between Alistair Maiden and Bernadette Bulacan on making contracting processes more intuitive to enhance user experience. The need for empathy in combining AI with contracting is stressed to address traditional challenges.

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By MarketScale · April 30, 2025, 2:04 AM UTCAi-enabled ContractingAlistair MaidenBernadette BulacanClm

Key takeaways

CLM needs a human-centered approach to enhance user experience.

AI tools can reduce friction in processes like drafting and redlining.

Learning from AI success stories in legal operations is crucial.

As enterprises continue their digital transformation journeys, contract lifecycle management (CLM) is at a pivotal intersection of technology and user experience. Despite rapid advances in AI-enabled contracting platforms, many organizations still struggle with disengaging, manual processes that frustrate stakeholders. According to World Commerce & Contracting, poor contract management can cost businesses up to 9% of their annual revenue—highlighting the urgent need for change not just in tools, but in mindset.

How can legal and procurement leaders move beyond digital efficiency to design contracting processes that truly serve the people behind them?

In this episode of Fast Track by Icertis, host Bernadette Bulacan welcomes Alistair Maiden, Global Advisory Lead at Consilio and founder of SYKE, to explore the evolution of CLM through the lens of human-centered design. Their conversation delves into the emotional and operational pain points of traditional enterprise contracting and how generative AI, when paired with empathy, can transform the user experience.

Key Discussion Points:

Why contracting processes must be intuitive and human-friendly to drive real adoption
How AI tools are removing friction from drafting, redlining, and contract intelligence
The importance of identifying and learning from real-world AI superstars in legal operations

About the Guest

Alistair Maiden is a former contracts lawyer turned legal tech innovator. He founded SYKE to bridge the gap between legal expertise and digital transformation and now serves as Global Advisory Lead at Consilio. Recognized for his thought leadership in CLM and legal operations, Alistair brings both practical and strategic insight to the intersection of law, technology, and human experience.