Decoding the DOA – a case study in simplifying governance

From dense rules to intelligent guidance: how bespoke AI reimagined governance for a leading energy company.

25 March 2026

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The Challenge

A Delegation of Authority (DOA) is the formal framework that defines who can make which decisions and up to what limit within an organisation. It enables work to proceed efficiently while maintaining proper oversight and control.

DOA frameworks are often essential for governance and compliance but can become unwieldy in practice. Many organisations document their DOA across multiple governance documents that require frequent updates to keep pace with business growth and regulatory evolution.

This complexity makes it difficult for business users to understand their approval rights and navigate the process without relying on the company’s legal team.

Our client’s situation

A client’s legal and business teams faced exactly this challenge.

Its business Project Leads were struggling to comply effectively with an increasingly complex DoA process, generating bottlenecks and uncertainty that slowed project delivery.

The company approached us to develop a solution that would empower their business users to navigate the DoA framework more easily and effectively.

They sought a technology-driven solution that would empower Project Leads to access accurate, up-to-date guidance, reducing the dependency on the legal team and expediting the approvals process.

Our approach

Proof of concept (POC)

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Our team were engaged to identify the most effective technology solution through a POC. We initially explored Large Language Models (LLMs) to test whether Generative AI, grounded in the governance documentation, could deliver reliable results. However, the complexity and formatting of the source documents created significant interpretation challenges for LLMs without extensive reworking or prompt engineering.

The breakthrough: business rules methodology

To deliver the accuracy and consistency the organisation needed, we developed a structured methodology that translated governance documentation into nearly 1,900 discrete "Business Rules.”

Using "IF/THEN" logic, we converted policy requirements into clear, actionable statements captured in Excel—ready for codification in a Business Rules Engine (BRE).

We designed a modular output structure with reusable components, enabling rapid drafting, high flexibility, and straightforward maintenance. This was critical: governance documents change frequently, and legal team members responsible for updates aren't always technical. Our approach allows targeted updates without rewriting entire rule sets.

Proving the concept

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We built a prototype chatbot assistant powered by a BRE, with 252 codified Business Rules covering one approval process. The POC successfully demonstrated that our methodology could provide business users with accurate, tailored guidance and direct access to relevant documentation.

Full implementation

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Following the successful POC, we were engaged for a three-month technology enablement project. Our team reviewed and analysed detailed governance materials, transforming them into user journey maps, comprehensive Business Rule sets, and modular output components.

The outcome

The three-month project delivered 1,810 individual rules covering four separate approval processes, ready for implementation. The chatbot gave business users accurate, tailored guidance and direct access to relevant documentation - without needing to contact the legal team.

  • £900K annual savings
  • 60% work automation
  • LexisNexis AI Award

We’re not consultants guessing at your pain points.

We're lawyers, solutions engineers and data scientists who have lived them. Tell us where you are on your journey and we'll help you chart the path forward.

This document (and any information accessed through links in this document) is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from any action as a result of the contents of this document.