The day has finally arrived – the first version of the SmartResolution projectĀ is live and the 20,000 word accompanying report is printed and bound. My dissertation is complete. I’ve delivered a three-tier system: the core Online Dispute Resolution platform, the maritime collision module, and the SmartResolution vendor website.
The first of these rivals other ODR platforms, not because it is open-source and not because it is comprehensively tested throughout, but because it is extensible. Custom dispute types can be defined by way of ‘modules’ that can be plugged into the system, a little like WordPress plugins extend the core WordPress blogging software. SmartResolution’s extensibility allows for AI-driven resolutions, saving time and money and making online dispute resolution a simpler and more transparent process.
Alongside the extensible platform is a maritime collision module defining a ‘maritime collision’ dispute type. It asks the agents domain-specific questions and interprets their answers according to theĀ Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law with respect to Collisions between Vessels. The module itself is a little simplistic, butĀ over-examination of the maritime collision module would be missing the point, which is that the core platform supports any arbitrary module. Modules can be as big and complex as time allows.
Modules are supported via a SmartResolution Marketplace, hosted on the SmartResolution website. ThisĀ marketplace is viewable from within the SmartResolution installationĀ itself, allowing administrators to install and activate modules with ease, muchĀ like WordPress’ plugin directory. Any modules that don’t exist (let’s be honest, there aren’t many modules there yet!) can be developed in-house by following the detailed developer documentation.
The 10,000 lines of codeĀ developed in this project, alongside the report, has been a substantial effort of work totalling around 400 hours. I’m proud of what has been achieved and am glad to finally consider it a ‘finished’ product.
I invite you now to read the accompanying report, which I’ve spent the last month writing and refining.Ā Thank you for following my dissertation diary.
