Agila avtal - en främmande fågel för dagens avtalsrätt?
(2014) JURM02 20141Department of Law
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Agila avtal är ett förhållandevis nytt fenomen och uppmärksammat begrepp. Fenomenet härstammar ursprungligen från ett agilt arbetssätt, som är särskilt utbrett inom IT-branschen.
Traditionella avtal är upprättade utifrån förutsättningen att parterna redan vid avtalstillfället vet vad som ska levereras, när och hur. Det uppställs en uttömmande kravspecifikation vid projektets början. I ett agilt avtal behöver parterna inte i förväg göra en omfattande projektdefinition då projektets form utvecklas med tiden. En detaljerad specifikation bör undvikas och avtalet karaktäriseras av dess flexibilitet. Ett agilt avtal innebär att arbetet bryts ner i delprojekt där leveranser sker ofta och förändringar äger rum under processens gång. Samarbetet... (More) - Agila avtal är ett förhållandevis nytt fenomen och uppmärksammat begrepp. Fenomenet härstammar ursprungligen från ett agilt arbetssätt, som är särskilt utbrett inom IT-branschen.
Traditionella avtal är upprättade utifrån förutsättningen att parterna redan vid avtalstillfället vet vad som ska levereras, när och hur. Det uppställs en uttömmande kravspecifikation vid projektets början. I ett agilt avtal behöver parterna inte i förväg göra en omfattande projektdefinition då projektets form utvecklas med tiden. En detaljerad specifikation bör undvikas och avtalet karaktäriseras av dess flexibilitet. Ett agilt avtal innebär att arbetet bryts ner i delprojekt där leveranser sker ofta och förändringar äger rum under processens gång. Samarbetet mellan parterna värderas högt. Sammanfattningsvis bör det i ett agilt avtalsförhållande fokuseras på att producera en välfungerande produkt, utifrån ett nära samarbete mellan parterna, där projektet kan anpassas och förändras under processens gång.
I svensk rätt saknas en heltäckande reglering av den allmänna avtalsrätten. De regler som faller utanför AvtL vilar istället på så kallade avtalsrättsliga principer. Avtalsrätten måste vara beskaffad på ett sådant sätt att avtal kan komma till stånd på ett smidigt sätt samtidigt som kraven på rättssäkerhet och förutsebarhet måste skyddas. Frågetecken har därmed uppkommit huruvida den allmänna avtalsrättens regler, begrepp och ”läror” kan appliceras på agila avtal.
Mina slutsatser, i fråga om den allmänna avtalsrätten passar till fenomenet agila avtal, är att det agila avtalet uppfyller kraven på ett avtal i en avtalsrättslig mening. Avtalets syfte är att vara en stabiliserande faktor. Att det saknas en uttömmande kravspecifikation är inte ett hinder för ett giltigt avtal då parterna rent avtalsrättsligt inte behöver vara överens om samtliga detaljer. Det som bör definieras i avtalet, för att utgöra en tillräckligt stabiliserande faktor, är löfteskärnan och de väsentliga delarna för avtalet, till exempel avtalets syfte och projektets omfattning. Den allmänna avtalsrätten innehåller flexibilitet och begrepp som enligt min mening inte uppställer några problem för att tillämpas på agila avtal. Det finns idag ett behov av flexibilitet i avtalsförhållandet, till stor del på grund av den snabba teknikutvecklingen där förutsättningar ändras fort, och ett avtal med förpliktelser som tillgodoser detta. Enligt min mening strider inte behovet av flexibilitet mot principen om ”pacta sunt servanda”. Omvärlden består inte endast av juridik och det huvudsakliga målet med avtalet är i slutändan ett lyckat projekt. Ett välfungerande förhållande mellan parterna är av stor vikt för att åstadkomma detta vilket betonas i det agila avtalet, på så sätt minskar många av de risker som annars kan aktualiseras. Sammanfattningsvis innebär inte ett agilt arbetssätt och agila avtal särskilda avtalsrättsliga komplikationer. Således kan den allmänna avtalsrätten tillämpas även på agila avtal. (Less) - Abstract
- Agile contracts are a relatively new phenomenon that has gained increased recognition. This phenomenon originates from an agile approach, which is particularly widespread in the IT industry.
Traditional contracts are based on a situation where the parties know what they need before the project starts. The requirements are set out comprehensively at the outset of the project. In an agile contract, the parties do not need to define the project in advance, because the project takes form during the process. A detailed specification of the requirements should be avoided. The agile contract is characterized by its flexibility. An agile contract means that the overall project is broken down into a series of sub-projects, where deliveries occur... (More) - Agile contracts are a relatively new phenomenon that has gained increased recognition. This phenomenon originates from an agile approach, which is particularly widespread in the IT industry.
Traditional contracts are based on a situation where the parties know what they need before the project starts. The requirements are set out comprehensively at the outset of the project. In an agile contract, the parties do not need to define the project in advance, because the project takes form during the process. A detailed specification of the requirements should be avoided. The agile contract is characterized by its flexibility. An agile contract means that the overall project is broken down into a series of sub-projects, where deliveries occur often and changes can be made during the project. Cooperation between the parties is highly valued. In conclusion, an agile contract should be focused on producing a functional product, based on collaboration between the parties, and the project has to be flexible to adapt to changes during the process.
In Sweden, there is a lack of a comprehensive regulation of contracts. The rules that are outside the Contract Act, AvtL, rest on so-called “principles of contract law”. The contract law must be constructed in a way where agreements can be created in a smooth manner and at the same time protect the requirements of legal certainty and predictability. An issue that has been discussed is whether the contract law can be applied on agile contracts.
My conclusions, regarding whether the contract law is suitable for the phenomenon agile contract, is that the agile contract meets the requirements of an agreement in accordance with contract law. The purpose of a contract is to be a stabilizing factor. The lack of a detailed requirement specification is not an obstacle for a valid contract, because the parties do not need to agree on every single detail. Instead, the core and the essential of the agreement should be defined in the contract to constitute a sufficient stabilizing factor. The contract law contains flexibility and concepts and therefore my opinion is that there is not a problem to apply the contract law on agile agreements. Today there is a need for flexibility in the contractual relationship, due to the rapid technological development where conditions change quickly. In my opinion, the need for flexibility does not contravene with contract law and the principle of “pacta sunt servanda”. The outside world does not exist only by law. The main goal of a contract is a successful project. A well functioning relationship between the parties is of great importance. If this is achieved and emphasized in the agile contract it will result in reducing many of the risks that might otherwise arise. To summarize, an agile contract do not lead to specific contractual complications. Therefore, the contract law can be applied on agile contracts. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/4448463
- author
- Gustafsson, Tone LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Agile contracts - a stranger to the contract law of today?
- course
- JURM02 20141
- year
- 2014
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- avtalsrätt förmögenhetsrätt agila avtal
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 4448463
- date added to LUP
- 2014-06-12 08:40:37
- date last changed
- 2014-06-12 08:40:37
@misc{4448463,
abstract = {{Agile contracts are a relatively new phenomenon that has gained increased recognition. This phenomenon originates from an agile approach, which is particularly widespread in the IT industry.
Traditional contracts are based on a situation where the parties know what they need before the project starts. The requirements are set out comprehensively at the outset of the project. In an agile contract, the parties do not need to define the project in advance, because the project takes form during the process. A detailed specification of the requirements should be avoided. The agile contract is characterized by its flexibility. An agile contract means that the overall project is broken down into a series of sub-projects, where deliveries occur often and changes can be made during the project. Cooperation between the parties is highly valued. In conclusion, an agile contract should be focused on producing a functional product, based on collaboration between the parties, and the project has to be flexible to adapt to changes during the process.
In Sweden, there is a lack of a comprehensive regulation of contracts. The rules that are outside the Contract Act, AvtL, rest on so-called “principles of contract law”. The contract law must be constructed in a way where agreements can be created in a smooth manner and at the same time protect the requirements of legal certainty and predictability. An issue that has been discussed is whether the contract law can be applied on agile contracts.
My conclusions, regarding whether the contract law is suitable for the phenomenon agile contract, is that the agile contract meets the requirements of an agreement in accordance with contract law. The purpose of a contract is to be a stabilizing factor. The lack of a detailed requirement specification is not an obstacle for a valid contract, because the parties do not need to agree on every single detail. Instead, the core and the essential of the agreement should be defined in the contract to constitute a sufficient stabilizing factor. The contract law contains flexibility and concepts and therefore my opinion is that there is not a problem to apply the contract law on agile agreements. Today there is a need for flexibility in the contractual relationship, due to the rapid technological development where conditions change quickly. In my opinion, the need for flexibility does not contravene with contract law and the principle of “pacta sunt servanda”. The outside world does not exist only by law. The main goal of a contract is a successful project. A well functioning relationship between the parties is of great importance. If this is achieved and emphasized in the agile contract it will result in reducing many of the risks that might otherwise arise. To summarize, an agile contract do not lead to specific contractual complications. Therefore, the contract law can be applied on agile contracts.}},
author = {{Gustafsson, Tone}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Agila avtal - en främmande fågel för dagens avtalsrätt?}},
year = {{2014}},
}