尽管近年来在法庭上提起的商业案件数量有所增加，但进入审判的案件却越来越少。争端各方认识到有必要寻求解决争端的替代办法。工程和建筑行业也不例外，越来越多地使用小型审判、争议审查委员会和调解就证明了这一点。随着各方认识到自己的优势，这种替代性争端解决程序的使用在20世纪90年代将继续增加。

Although the numbers of commercial cases initiated in court have increased in recent years, fewer cases go to trial. Parties to disputes are recognizing the need to seek alternate approaches to resolving their disputes. The engineering and construction industry is no exception, as evidenced by the growing use of mini-trials, dispute review boards and mediation. The use of such alternate dispute resolution procedures will continue to grow in the 1990s as parties recognize their advantages.