Dechert | Our Experience

Overview

Dechert identified an opportunity for AI to help subscribers access legal guidance more quickly across multiple countries and regulatory regimes. Their brief was clear: create a modern, scalable platform that would enhance the user experience and lay the foundation for future innovation. Working as a single, embedded team, we partnered with Dechert through discovery, design, and delivery to build a future-ready platform that reimagines how complex legal knowledge is delivered digitally.

Opportunity

To better serve their specialist users, Dechert planned the next evolution of their World Compass platform. The strategic goal was to heighten the user experience and ensure absolute confidence in every search result. This meant evolving the search function from a comprehensive, multi-step process into a seamless and intuitive workflow.

Key objectives included launching new premium features to differentiate the product and attract new subscribers. Dechert also wanted to build a modern cloud infrastructure to support future expansion and gain a deeper understanding of client activity. We supported this by co-developing ‘Subscriber Profiles,’ allowing firms to securely log their licensing and funding data and enabling Dechert to deliver more tailored prompts and services.

Solution

Over 12 months, we worked as a fully integrated team with Dechert, blending agile product delivery with deep user research. In a true partnership, we embedded two of their engineers directly into our team and collaborated with their delivery leads to establish modern, agile working practices.

The new platform delivered major advances. Users now benefit from an AI-enhanced natural language search, allowing them to locate specific guidance in moments and save valuable time. Together, we developed a modern, intuitive user interface that makes complex guidance easier to explore and act upon. The new Subscriber Profiles enable firms to manage their data in one place, providing Dechert with the insight to deliver more targeted services.

We also streamlined critical back-office functions, including revamped subscription tools with options for customisation and feature toggling. This created the foundation for layered pricing and tailored packages. An automated content review process was embedded to streamline collaboration with local counsel, ensuring guidance remains accurate and secure.

Outcome

Our close partnership has evolved how the Dechert team approaches product delivery. By focusing on co-creation rather than fixed specifications, Dechert’s leaders were able to prioritise development based on continuous customer feedback, ensuring the team achieved the most impactful outcomes within the timeline and budget.

The evolved World Compass platform launched on schedule, with full rollout planned for October 2025. Early adopters are already experiencing faster, more direct access to the guidance they need. For Dechert, the collaboration has generated significant value. The new features create a stronger value proposition to support subscription growth and open clear opportunities for new revenue.

The AI-powered navigation now sets World Compass apart from competitors, reinforcing Dechert’s position as a market leader. The collaboration gave Dechert’s teams hands-on experience in modern product development, equipping them to continue innovating with confidence.