PetCompanion: Bridging the Gap When Pets Are Home Alone
As a dedicated dog owner myself, I understand the deep bond we share with our pets and the challenges we face when we have to leave them alone due to work commitments, travel, or daily responsibilities. The separation anxiety and loneliness our beloved companions experience during these times can be heart-wrenching. That's why I've embarked on a mission to create a UX product that empowers pet owners like us to connect with and comfort our pets remotely. My goal is to provide a solution that eases both pet and owner worries, ensuring that our furry friends are never truly alone, even when we can't be by their side.
Link to Figma
Personas
Busy Professional Pet Owner
A busy professional with a hybrid work schedule, this pet owner faces the challenge of leaving their pet, who suffers from separation anxiety, home alone. They want an app that allows them to remotely check on their pet's well-being and interact with them during their workday, easing their pet's separation anxiety and providing peace of mind.
Occasional Out-and-About Pet Owner
This pet owner frequently runs errands, attends appointments, or has long days at work that keep them away from home for up to 10 hours. They want to ensure their pet remains content and secure during these times and are looking for a tool to monitor their pet’s activities and environment without adding extra stress to their routine.
Process
I began by conducting a competitive audit of two key rivals and researching customer needs to guide my design process. Using these insights, I sketched paper wireframes to align the product with customer expectations and stand out in the market. For the iterative design process of my PetCompanion app, I used usability testing to gather valuable user feedback. I started with two users reviewing the paper wireframes to identify initial usability issues.
App architecture
Lo-fi prototypes
I've developed low-fidelity prototypes as the initial steps in our design journey. These simplified models allowed to quickly explore design ideas and concepts. After creating these prototypes, I conducted few rounds of user testing with target personas. This iterative process involved gathering valuable insights from our users and using their feedback to refine and enhance the design. These low-fidelity prototypes have played a crucial role in ensuring that our final design aligns seamlessly with user expectations and needs, ultimately resulting in a more user-friendly and effective product.
Stickersheet
Following the development of low-fidelity prototypes, I created a sticker sheet featuring the project's color schemes, fonts, icons, and various design elements. This resource proved to be an invaluable asset in the subsequent phases of the project, providing consistency and efficiency in design decisions. By centralising these visual components, the sticker sheet not only facilitated rapid design iterations but also ensured a cohesive and harmonious user interface throughout the entire project, ultimately enhancing both the usability and visual appeal of the final product.
Hi-fi prototypes
After completing the low-fidelity prototypes and conducting initial testing, the next phase of the project involved transitioning to high-fidelity prototypes and the final design. This progression allowed to refine the user interface based on the insights gathered during testing. By using the sticker sheet as a visual guide and reference, I seamlessly integrated the project's color schemes, fonts, icons, and design elements into the high-fidelity prototypes, resulting in a polished and cohesive final design. This iterative process ensured that the user experience would be both visually appealing and user-friendly in the end product.
Accessibility
Accessibility was a fundamental consideration in the app's development. I've taken significant measures to ensure that individuals with disabilities are considered, particularly by meticulously assessing and enhancing color contrast. This approach is of utmost importance to me, as I strive to create an app that is both visually welcoming and user-friendly for a diverse user base.
Conclusion & next steps
The next steps in my project involve creating additional screens and features, which will necessitate further usability studies to gather valuable insights and refine the user interface. I'm also planning to implement dark mode screens to enhance the visual experience in various lighting conditions.
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Throughout this process, the top priority will continue to be the user's needs and accessibility. I'm dedicated to developing a product that not only meets but exceeds user expectations and provides a welcoming environment for all users, regardless of their abilities or preferences.