A useful analogy can be drawn between the negotiation and execution of a contract, where the output is an executed contract, and the manufacture of an object, such as a car, where the output is a finished product. In a contract negotiation, the other party stands in the place of the customer for the finished product. While many customers are willing to accept standardised, mass-produced goods, others require varying degrees of customisation, which is also the case with contracts. Looking at the evolution of manufacturing provides a useful insight into the way that the contract review process has developed, where playbooks fit in, what other changes we can expect, and how to respond.
