Legal Design
What is legal design?
Legal design is a human-centred design method that reframes legal information, services and processes from the perspective of the people who use them. In this project, all guides and decision trees are produced with this method.
Human-centredness
Design starts not from legislation but from the survivor's question: "What should I do now?"
Plain language
Legal concepts are translated into everyday language; where a technical term is unavoidable, it is explained right beside it.
Visual hierarchy
Step lists, colour-coded warnings and decision trees replace long paragraphs.
Testing and iteration
Content is tested with real users in the field and revised based on feedback.
How do we apply it in this project?
Discover
The real legal needs of disaster survivors are mapped through fieldwork and interviews.Simplify
Legislation and case law are translated into plain language together with lawyers, preserving accuracy.Design
Guides, decision trees and application processes are structured visually.Test
Prototypes are tried with users; anything unclear is rewritten.Designs produced in the project
Information designs produced within the project (posters, brochures, flowcharts) will be downloadable from this section.
Post-Disaster Rights Poster
A one-page information poster summarising the rights a survivor can pursue in the first 72 hours.
Damage Assessment & Appeal Flowchart
A visual decision/flow diagram showing the damage-assessment objection process step by step.
Topic-based guides
Plain-language guides and step-by-step roadmaps.
Criminal Law
Criminal liability, negligence and fault assessment in the aftermath of disasters.
Private Law
Private law matters regarding contracts, compensation, tenancy and debt after disasters.
Administrative Law
Administrative service fault, disaster planning obligations and administrative remedies.
Health Law
This guide explains key rights and legal rules on medical interventions, access to health services, emergency departments, organ transplantation and determination of death.
Tax Law
Natural disasters such as earthquakes are recognised as force majeure under Turkish tax law. This guide covers extension of deadlines, cancellation of tax debts and penalties, valuation of damaged assets, certificates of loss and tax deduction of donations.
Human Rights Law
Fundamental rights during disasters, protection of vulnerable groups and international standards.
Zoning and Property Law
Zoning plans, building permits, property rights and expropriation processes after disasters.