Lawlux’s Human-AI interface for quality legal services.
Client
Lawlux
Services
Product Design, Design Research, Usability Testing
Industry
Financial Services
Year
2019 – 2023
Impact
Lawlux partnered with Symplicit to develop a world-first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Large Language Model (LLM), revolutionising legal services for Australia’s 2.5 million small to medium-sized business owners (SMEs).
After seven years of development, Lawlux’s 2024 Beta launch demonstrated remarkable impact. The platform onboards clients within 15 minutes, instantly prepares draft documentation, and delivers legally reviewed documents in just 3 days, halving the standard 7-day turnaround.
Value
Lawlux significantly reduces the cost of legal services, offering employment contracts up to 70% cheaper than traditional law firms. During Beta, their proprietary AI LLM answered legal questions for free, providing legally sound advice and 24/7 support for small-medium business owners. Given SMEs make up 66% of Australia’s workforce, the potential for widespread societal and economic transformation is substantial.
Process
Lawlux first approached Symplicit in 2019. Symplicit became a partner and built human-centred design principles into Lawlux’s foundation. Symplicit’s contributions span the entire product development lifecycle, including four phases of working through value proposition design, prototyping and user-testing, process improvement, and product design.
Phase 1
Lawlux’s initial plan to target trades for legal services was tested and disproved in the first round of research conducted by Symplicit. The findings revealed that tradespeople had a high tolerance for risk, and for most, paying for any type of legal service wasn’t a consideration. Accountants, however, saw potential with other SMEs. Pivoting research to non-trade SMEs enabled Lawlux to find an audience willing to pay within six weeks.
Phase 2
Through multiple iterations and user testing, Symplicit designed Lawlux’s human-AI interface with both chat and form-styled components. The chat interface enables conversational inputs, improving speed and ease of use, whilst understanding questions, syntax, humour and nuance to establish trust. A traditional form-styled side-drawer complements this chat interface, enhancing navigation between responses.
Phase 3
The team developed an automated workflow unrivalled by Australian law firms. Developed in partnership with Symplicit, Lawlux’s unique middle office automation firstly gathers all requisite information to draft bespoke legal work; secondly, onboards the user as a client by performing conflict checks, creating engagement agreements, booking meetings, and taking pre-payment; thirdly, automatically prepares draft legal documents, cover emails, and explainer information. These innovations created efficiency for Lawlux’s lawyers, passing on to SMEs savings of up to 70% compared with traditional law firms.
Phase 4
Lawlux’s branding and product design was created around their key theme – trust. The design intentionally includes cobranding with IBM’s WatsonX to mitigate SME concerns about data security. The visual identity pairs royal blue, suggesting trustworthiness, with gentle pink accents for approachability. The design of the AI chat avatar offers a friendly face whilst acknowledging the high-tech AI LLM.
Mindset
Symplicit’s user-centred design approach ensured Lawlux developed a viable solution to a significant customer problem while achieving strong product-market fit. Our mindset of constant iteration ensured positive impact for Australia’s vast SME business ecosystem and addressed many of the barriers SMEs face in accessing legal services.
The partnership between Symplicit and Lawlux demonstrates how design thinking, when combined with technological innovation, can transform an entire industry. By applying rigorous user research, iterative design, and cutting-edge AI technology, we’ve created a solution that respects both the practical needs and human emotions involved in legal processes.
