PetLink
Case of Study
The "PetLinkt" app focuses on connecting lost pets with their owners through detailed profiles and facilitating responsible adoption by showcasing animals in search of a loving home. Additionally, it offers a marketplace for pet food and supplies, with purchasing and delivery options. Complementing these features, it provides updated news on animal care, adoption events, and helpful tips for pet enthusiasts. With this array of tools, it aims to be a comprehensive platform for pet owners, potential adopters, and animal enthusiasts
Role
UX designer, from conception to delivery
Time
February 2024
The problem
The problem being addressed is the lack of an efficient solution to locate and recover lost pets, while also providing information and resources regarding animal adoption.
The goal
The application aims to address the lack of an efficient solution to assist lost or abandoned animals on the streets by centralizing scattered information. Its goal is to serve as a comprehensive platform where pet owners can find their lost pets and the community can collaborate to provide assistance to vulnerable animals, thereby enhancing the welfare of lost or abandoned animals.
In addition to aiding in locating lost pets, the app aims to provide additional features such as pet food sales and useful information on animal care and photos delivering added value to encourage users to stay engaged and active within the platform
User research: summary
After conducting interviews and empathy maps to understand the experiences of people seeking to adopt a pet and those who have lost their pets, we realized the crucial need to provide clear and detailed information, including photos, while ensuring robust protection of personal data.
We also discovered that people face challenges in searching for missing pets, finding adopters, and accessing reliable information. The current methods, such as printing posters or relying on social media groups, are often cumbersome and ineffective. The difficulty in following up on social media groups and the prevalence of fake information and scams further emphasized the necessity for a more streamlined and trustworthy solution. Additionally, our research highlighted the importance of conducting thorough follow-ups during the initial weeks after adoption to ensure a smooth transition for the animal
Pain Points
Easy way to search missing pet
It’s complicated to print posters or find a good social media group for missing pets.
Easy way to find adopters
You can't follow up easily the social media groups, and the information
Find reliable information
The information can be fake or sometimes there are scams.
Find good adopter
It’s important to find a perfect home for the rescued animals to avoid more suffering to them.
Personas
Alex
Alex is dedicated to finding loving homes for animals in need. He needs a platform that simplifies the adoption process and ensures responsible ownership
"Every animal deserves a loving home, and it's my mission to make that happen. Together, we can create brighter futures for these precious companions."
Age: 28
Occupation: Social Worker
Family: Single
Hometown: Mexico City
Fernanda
Fernanda wants a tech-forward solution for searching lost pets. She values efficiency, easy navigation, and the ability to follow up seamlessly
"In a world of endless possibilities, our pets deserve cutting-edge solutions. Let's navigate through technology to ensure our furry friends are always a click away from home."
Age: 39
Occupation: Software Developer
Family: Married and has a cat
Hometown: Guadalajara
User Flow
First user flow to create the usability study with wire-frames
Paper & digital wireframes
Usability study: findings
These usability study findings highlight specific challenges faced by users in understanding the distinction between adopting and finding missing pets, as well as difficulties in filtering by pet type. The recommendations aim to address these issues and enhance the overall user experience of the app
1- Users expressed confusion when navigating between the sections for adopting pets and finding missing pets
2- Users found it challenging to distinguish between profiles of pets available for adoption and those that were reported missing
3- Implement clear visual cues (icons, color schemes) to differentiate between the "Adopt" and "Missing Pets" sections.
Mockups
The revamped mockups present a significant enhancement to the user experience, effectively addressing the challenges identified in the usability study. Clear visual cues now distinguish between the "Adopt" and "Missing Pets" sections, eliminating confusion and providing users with a seamless navigation experience. The introduction of prominent filter options for pet type, including dogs and cats, simplifies the search process. The streamlined dashboard seamlessly integrates both adoption and missing pet functionalities, providing a centralized hub for users. Altogether, these improvements result in a more intuitive, visually cohesive, and user-friendly app, catering to the diverse needs of pet enthusiasts, adopters, and those seeking their missing companions
- When you start the app, the first thing you'll see is the home screen, featuring a broad map with markers highlighting the locations of lost pets, animals available for adoption, and veterinary clinics in your vicinity. This design aims to streamline user contribution while offering easily accessible information about what they are looking for
- When interacting with any element by clicking, a brief description accompanied by an image will be displayed, allowing the user to seamlessly continue exploring or delve into details if they find something of interest. This approach aims to provide an intuitive and informative user experience, facilitating navigation and informed decision-making
- Within each element, you will find the most detailed information about the lost pet, the animal available for adoption, or the veterinary clinic. On the same screen, you'll have the option to comment and share, enabling users to keep a history and facilitating the exchange of information among visitors. This design aims to create an interactive and collaborative experience to assist others.
- In the "Help" section, you will find an organized list of pet profiles, featuring their photos and key details. In this section, you can filter by animal type and whether you're looking to adopt or find a pet. This streamlines information retrieval for the user by providing an interface where they can easily navigate and find exactly what they are looking for
- In the "Post" section, you'll have the ability to share information about a pet. This section is designed for swift interaction, with predefined options and encompassing all necessary elements on a single screen. The goal is to provide a seamless and efficient experience, enabling users to quickly share relevant information about the pet they want to post
- In the "Network" section, this part of the app is designed to encourage users to visit it regularly. This is achieved by keeping users engaged and seeking additional benefits, whether they have pets or are looking for one. It also provides the opportunity to post information about your pet, whether you've recently adopted or want to share your companion with the community. The goal is to create an engaging experience that encourages ongoing participation and positive interaction within the user community
Design system
The impact
the creation of the app has positively impacted user engagement, adoption rates, pet retrieval efficiency, and community building. The thoughtful improvements have resulted in a more effective and user-friendly platform that serves the diverse needs of pet enthusiasts, adopters, and individuals searching for their missing companions
What I learned
Working on this project was really exciting. At each stage, we felt like we were getting closer to understanding what the users really want.
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Every project comes with its own set of challenges, and the key to overcoming them is putting ourselves in the users' shoes. By doing that, we unlock the potential for awesome results and make a real impact
Next steps:
1- Conduct another round of usability testing with the same participants to see if their experience has gotten better. I'll carefully note down everything they say and do. This way, I'll be able to tell if we've successfully addressed the issues they were facing or if there are still areas that need improvement.
2- Strategize on implementing new options within the network's menu, enhancing user accessibility and expanding functionality. Additionally, we'll brainstorm creative solutions to emphasize the distinction between the adoption and missing pet sections, ensuring users can easily navigate between the two and find relevant information effortlessly.
3- post-launch research to gather fresh insights. We'll collect data on a weekly basis to capture various perspectives and obtain precise statistics. This ongoing process will provide us with valuable information to assess different aspects and monitor our progress effectively.
