Dribbble project - Pawstep, more than a Dog Walking App
How it begins
About 70% of U.S household own a pet. More and more people become pet owners every year, and the demand for pet service is growing simultaneously. I was given the topic in the Dribbble course to design a dog walking app of my own.
To learn and understand
To start with this project, first I would want to study the current market to have a better understanding of the users, the competitors, and the problems that need to be solved.
I conducted a few interviews with dog owners and did market researches on the pet service apps out in the market.
The problems I am trying to solve
After conducting the interviews with pet owners and analyzing the competitors on the market. I discovered the some pain points and frustrations of the users(pet owners) as below:
Pet owners need caregivers to help when themselves aren't available. Pet owners who have used apps for pet services before tend to have problem with availability and flexibility. Owners who haven't tried services like hiring a walker usually have trust issue and safety concerns. Cost and expense are something shared by both group.
With the current apps in the market, some users found it frustrating when the availability and calendar of the caregiver is not up-to-date which wasted the users times on searching and communicating; some found the process to book a service is too complicated and not intuitive enough.
To help focusing the target group, I have developed a persona for my dog walking app(for pet owners).
The goal
-Build trust between pet owners and caregivers
-Owners can find the most suitable caregivers for their pets
-Make the app intuitive and easy to use
-Be more than just a booking tool (Community and promote products)
User Flow
Wireframe
Color and Mood board
I want to embrace the vibe of excitement and happiness a dog can feel when he/she is out for a walk. I have tried a more muted color palette but it lacks the energy. It just didn't feel like a dog that is happily walking/playing outside and enjoying the sun .
Components
During the prototype and testing stage, I have people tested the prototypes and tried completing tasks such as sign up for an account, book a walk. After the testing I will gather their feedback and check if there is room for adjustment/improvement.
With testing and feedback from actual users, I was able to generate insights and pinpoints existing issues, which helps me coming up with better ideas and solutions.
I would want to do more testing with testers. I want to see if the designs of my app are serving the goals and solving the problems.
There are still many areas that can to be explored.
Currently, I am working on the following:
-Onboarding experience for new users(To introduce the app to new users and help them set up)
-Communication between pet owners and caregivers(Before booking and during a service)