Electronic signatures make it possible to associate intent with an electronic document as writing a signature on paper does, no more.

Digital signatures add validation and authentication possibilities that electronic signature don’t offer.

Electronic signatures are to digital signatures as a PDF financial statement is to an Inline XBRL financial statement. One puts it on the computer, no more; the other changes from people reading things with no real understanding whether it is authentic to adding some real processing power with the possibility of automated checks.

Twenty years ago or so, J. Frank Brown (1), then PricewaterhouseCooper’s Global Leader, Assurance and Business Advisory Services, said this about the state of reporting and assurance in the Preface to the book The ValueReporting Revolution:

A few months back, I began a series on “financial professionals going graphical”. The goal was to focus not on presentation graphics (although that is very helpful, especially when numbers make our audience’s eyes gloss over), but on graphics as part of the planning, simulation, creative and analytical process. Over my last few entries, I’ve covered mind mapping, topic mapping, virtual worlds, and UML (unified modelling language). I will once again generalize by hitting on some alternatives to data entry in these tools.

As this is my first blog entry written since borders have closed and many regions have gone into lockdown due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), I wish to acknowledge the situation, send my best wishes to all and especially those directly impacted by it, and recognize continuing a series on graphics for financial professionals may seem callous when non-essential businesses may even be ordered closed in your region, as they are in mine.

A bit of a diversion from the current series on financial professionals and graphic-oriented tools for creation and collaboration (rather than presentation), but triggered from the discussion of Decentraland, I wanted to write on the topic of cryptoasset wallets. Wallets are key to self-custodied use of blockchain, and so understanding what they are, what they are not, and the risks associated with them are important to the financial professional.

On a bit of a tangent, although still in the broad category of graphics and financial professionals, I want to write about something new, taking from the old, with some tremendous potential. It is a resurgence of virtual worlds and business, sort of a second “Second Life”, called Decentraland. Decentraland takes many of the components of Second Life and brings them into the blockchain era. (Please note, however, this is NOT a recommendation that the reader should get involved, and especially is not a recommendation that anyone should invest in this project. DYOR.)