---
title: Scenes from the Shakedown Cruise
description: Changes made to the service agreement template in the week after release
image: https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/hubfs/Cruise%20Ship.jpg
---

# Scenes from the Shakedown Cruise

20 December 2024

![Cruise Ship](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cruise%20Ship.jpg?width=3920&height=2316&name=Cruise%20Ship.jpg)In [this post](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakedown_cruise) on the Adams on Contract Drafting blog, I wrote about how Kevin Toll, an Adams Contracts client, had pointed out to me some stuff that needed fixing in Adams Contracts' new service agreement template.

Well, Kevin subsequently pointed out other glitches and suggested other changes. And others had comments of their own. So I hereby declare that last week was the new template's shakedown cruise. (A shakedown cruise is when a ship's performance is tested; see the Wikipedia page [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakedown_cruise).)

Some of the changes involved applying a straightforward fix. Others involved a simple request that required broad changes. For example, "Instead of making this provision mutual or for the benefit of just the client, make it an additional option that it's for the benefit of just the provider." By some miracle, I was able to do much of the work myself; our consultant did the rest.

Of course, ideally you do a shakedown cruise before a ship goes into service. But I say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I now I understand better what quality control is required, so I'll time things better for the next template.

Meanwhile, I've uploaded to our document-assembly site the improved version of the template. I still find mind-boggling  all the options offered in the interview, but now that fresher sets of eyes have looked at the template, I have greater peace of mind.

[The image at the top of this post is from [Wikimedia Common](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Cruise_Ship_off_the_coast_of_Belize.jpg), it's by Mikefairbanks, and I'm using it under a Creative Commons license.]

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### [We’re starting small](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/blog/were-starting-small)

We’ve just opened for business, and we’re offering a grand total of … two templates. Our [...](https://19964950-hs-sites-com.sandbox.hs-sites.com/templates/confidentiality)

[![](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202023-12-14%20095621.png?width=352&name=Screenshot%202023-12-14%20095621.png) ](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/blog/what-makes-for-a-good-and-not-so-good-public-contract-template)

### [What Makes for a Good (and Not-So-Good) Public Contract Template](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/blog/what-makes-for-a-good-and-not-so-good-public-contract-template)

Earlier this week I did a blog post ([here](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/blog/if-you-let-small-traditional-dysfunction-into-contracts)) about contract templates that a company is offering its...

[![](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202024-12-08%20212221.png?width=352&name=Screenshot%202024-12-08%20212221.png) ](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/blog/whats-next-for-adams-contracts)

### [What's Next for Adams Contracts?](https://adamscontracts.legalsifter.com/blog/whats-next-for-adams-contracts)

We’ve just launched what I think is our first compelling template—the service agreement template....

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