Conditional Coding Rules

Conditional coding allows you to create rules in Workflow to ensure reviewers follow the review protocol. Coding correctly the first time reduces QC and the need for multiple passes, as well as reduces your need to remind reviewers of document protocol - the system remembers for you.

Conditional coding rules are flexible to fit your use case. You can create rules based on any reviewer behavior (one or more decisions), and require reviewers to carry out a wide array of follow-up actions in review stages based on your needs. 

DISCO's conditional coding is unique as we've included the ability to enforce work product coding rules for documents that may have previously had coding decisions applied in ad-hoc review. In addition, conditional coding unlocks the ability to configure rules for all work product types, including: Tags, Fields, Folders, Notes, Redactions, and so on.

Here are a few review protocol examples of conditional coding rules:

• If the document has a Responsive tag, then it requires a tag from the Issue tag group.

• If a document is tagged as Privilege, then it requires a Privilege Note.

• If a document is tagged Further review, then it requires an Attorney note.

• If a document is Redacted, then it requires a Redaction Reason.

• If a document is tagged Hot, then it must have an entry in a Custom Field.

Glossary

• Conditional Coding: refers to the rules that enforce work product requirements during review stages. Each rule follows the pattern: “if CONDITION, then REQUIREMENT”, and each rule is made up of one or two predicates, plus an operator between them.

• Condition: refers to the primary entry to a conditional rule (“if CONDITION, then REQUIREMENT”). 

• Requirement: refers to the latter entry to a conditional rule (“if CONDITION, then REQUIREMENT”).

Feature details

Review managers

Review managers and Admins can create conditional coding rules for each review stage. When creating a conditional coding rule, a review manager defines the coding condition and the corresponding requirements that reviewers are required to make.

Configuring new conditional rule(s)

• Review Stage configuration:

  • Navigate to Menu > Workflow > Manage Review Stages 

    • Click “Create New”, then Enter a Stage Name + Click “Create”

    • Set up Review Stage Content, then Click “Save and next”

  • On Review Stage Decision Panel, add necessary Review Components (users can do so before or after rule creation)

    • Navigate to Conditional Rule section of Decision Panel setup

• Create a Conditional Rule:

  • Under Conditional Rules, Click “+ Create a conditional rule”

  • Create rule

    • Enter Conditions

      • If a document _set condition _

      • Then it must _set requirement _

    • Enter Rule name (optional)

    • Click “Apply Rule” or “Cancel”

      • Continue to create up to 20 rules

  • NOTE: Ensure the Decision Panel has all necessary components to enforce conditional rules.

    • Conditional Rules that are missing components in the reviewers' Decision Panel will show a yellow warning icon to alert the review manager that a component is missing.

Editing, managing, or deleting rules

• Open edit / manage Review Stage decisions

  • Update Conditional Rules by clicking the “edit” option and changing the inputs for each rule.

  • Users must click Save Changes

• Save changes to Review Decisions for the system to update

Reviewers

When conditional coding rules are implemented, Reviewers are required to make the coding decisions defined in the conditional rule to be able to mark a document as reviewed.

Reviewing documents

• Users will be able to check out batches and review documents as normal. To reviewer users, the use of Conditional Coding Rules will only be visible if/when they fail to properly follow work product protocol.

Managing conflicting permissions

• If a user does not have access to work product (Tags, Fields, Folders, etc.) but there is a corresponding conditional coding rule, the user will not be able to review documents by clicking “Mark as Reviewed.”

  • Instead, the Document Viewer will show a red banner with the conditional coding rule set up by their Review Manager and the “Mark as Reviewed” button is disabled.

  • The user needs to contact their review stage Administrator or Review Manager for assistance.

Access permissions

Users with permission to set up review stages will have access to configure conditional coding rules. Conditional coding is not available within the Early Case Assessment (ECA) environment.