Structure and design: When information is hard to navigate

Even when individual clauses are understandable, they may remain difficult to use if they are embedded in dense text or presented without clear structure. Users may struggle to identify what is required, what applies to them, and what actions are expected.

Typical challenges include:

• key obligations are hidden in dense text
• lists, conditions, or steps are presented in ways that are difficult to scan
• poor visual hierarchy

As a result, users may struggle to find relevant requirements, understand how different clauses in the same document relate to each other, or follow processes or sequences of action. Commitments may therefore be technically present, but practically difficult to identify, navigate, or operationalise.

Information design can improve the internal structure of individual documents and clauses by clarifying how information is grouped, ordered, labelled, and visually presented.

Even when content is understandable, it may still fail if it is not feasible or realistic. The next problem focuses on whether requirements can actually be implemented in practice.