Artifact

Full Title or Meme

An Artifact of any digital process can be used as proof that process was successfully completed.

Context

Consider the case of User Consent, when the process is complete some Web Site will contain a record that Consent was given. That record is itself an Artifact of the process.

Problems

It's easy to say that the user completed some process at the site, it's hard to capture the fact in a form that is later useful.

Solutions

• The record of the completion of the process may be recorded at the time that it completes. This record can be stored by any party to the process, including the case were one party completed the process, say the audit of a system. For this record to be used later as proof of any sort, the time of creation should be recorded in some indelible marking, say storage in a ledger.
• Where there is more than one party, a common practice is for one party to create a receipt of the process and send it to all parties. That is the idea behind the Consent Receipt.
• Where it is necessary for the proof to be binding on both parties, the best method is for both parties to sign the same artifact with a Digital Signature.