Case study
xplndAI
A proof of concept for a new platform on AI and the law. The client used it to win a partnership with Nova School of Business and Economics.
A new name on a heavy subject
xplndAI is a small project that brings law into AI, to help shape how the technology gets regulated. They came to me through a friend’s recommendation. They had the start of a brand and a wish for purples and blues, and little else. The site had to become their hub: a place to host interviews, where people could show their scientific work on the subject, and where the public could read and download it.
They were also trying to partner with Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon, and needed a working proof of concept to show how the platform would run. Nobody knew the name yet, and most people find the subject heavy, so the site had to earn trust from the general public and from the university on a short deadline.
Research without users
We had two weeks, with no time or budget to talk to users, so everything I learned about the audience came from desk research.
It was also my first project built with AI. I set the structure and wrote most of the copy, then worked with Claude to build the site straight into Figma Sites. It took some back and forth to stop the interface from looking generic. When it was done, I handed it to a developer to build the full version.
Three decisions that build trust
01Proof before the pitch
The home page opens with the logos of the companies they already work with or are partnering with. Then it explains why those companies back such a young project, then shows the team, because faces make a name easier to trust. The newsroom comes last, with their newest work.
02Every page starts from a topic
The copy never talks about law and AI in general. It points to the interviews and papers, and frames each one by its own subject, so people come in through a topic they already care about.
03Room for the long reads
Interviews and articles are long, so each gets its own page with space to read and download. Contact is separate, for companies and people who want to get involved.
The partnership
xplndAI showed the site to Nova SBE as their proof of concept, and they got the partnership. A developer is now building the full site from the design.
Trust, speed and a first try with AI
I had to design for trust without asking anyone, only by watching from the outside, and that taught me how to search for information and where to look for it. I also learned something about clients. I knew I could do the work, but being pushed to do it fast made me set clearer boundaries. And since it was my first project with AI, it’s where I started to understand how the technology works.
Got something in mind? Tell me about it.
- 30 minutes. You tell me what you’re building, and I ask a lot of questions.
- You leave with a clearer next step, whether we work together or not.