Petinder
#Case Study #Visual Design #UI #UX #Product Design
#Branding #AppDesign
One-week design sprint addressing the challenges faced by NGOs in adopting out rescued animals and the impact this has on the lives of millions of pets each year, the proposal was the creation of a digital solution to facilitate the adoption of animals rescued by NGOs.
Approaching the UX design process main stages: Problem Definition and Understanding; UX Research; Analysis and Definition; Information Architecture and Wireframing; Visual Design; Prototyping; Validation.
Discovery
30mi
animals abandoned in Brazil
185k
rescued under the tutelage of NGOs and groups of protectors
60%
of which are rescued after abuse
40%
result of abandonment
The Problem
The process of connecting abandoned pets with potential adopters presents a significant challenge for rescue institutions. These organizations face numerous hurdles, including financial constraints and the need for adequate equipment and qualified personnel. The maintenance of rescue operations heavily relies on effective fundraising, which is crucial for ensuring the continued care and support of rescued animals.
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"How might we create a digital solution that effectively connects abandoned pets with potential adopters while also supporting fundraising efforts for the maintenance of rescue institutions?"
This problem statement addresses three core aspects:
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Connecting Abandoned Pets and Adopters: Ensuring a seamless and engaging process that allows potential adopters to discover and connect with rescued pets.
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Fundraising for Rescue Institutions: Developing features that support and enhance fundraising efforts to maintain and improve rescue operations.
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Context of Animal Rescue: Considering the unique context and challenges faced by rescue institutions, including financial difficulties and the need for proper equipment and training for those involved in rescue efforts.
Desktop research
Innovative projects in favor of the animal cause
 Mama in a BoxAnimal shelters face significant challenges when baby kittens lose their mothers, requiring them to be bottle-fed at the right temperature and on a complex, extensive schedule. Due to a lack of available staff, around 40% of these kittens don't survive. To address this issue, the Brandywine Valley SPCA in Washington, USA, developed "Mama in a Box," a product that simulates the mother's breastfeeding environment, making it easier to care for and feed orphaned kittens. |  Digital ShelterThe ACC association in New York received a $100,000 prize from Petco for its innovative Digital Shelter project. This initiative transforms the animal adoption process by installing screens throughout the city to display available animals and volunteer opportunities. This allows all citizens to access the application and potentially adopt a new friend, regardless of their location. |  Associate TrainingGreenville County Animal Care (USA) operates with a volunteer-based team, facing challenges in training over 60 employees and 100 active volunteers. In 2017, they rescued over 10,000 animals. To enhance training, they're launching a state and national platform with instructional videos, showcasing rescue techniques and team members in action, aiming for rapid and effective knowledge transfer to new volunteers. |
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 Rees-Jones-Foundation-PostDallas Pets Alive (USA) is transforming shelters into sustainable spaces using cargo containers, a trending architectural choice that offers scalability and reuses stationary containers. The project includes spaces for socializing, offices for checkups, and visitor amenities. The goal is to create an engaging building that can accommodate hundreds of animals, set to open in 2020. |  MicrochipSpay & Neuter Kansas City (USA) has an innovative project to fund microchip production for animals. This includes developing a universal scanner to easily reunite lost pets with their owners, reducing the risk of accidental separation. |
Organizations that help homeless animals to make donations
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A latent problem of several non-governmental organizations is the collection of resources and financial sustainability of the institutions' activities and structures.
Definition
Exploring our abandoned animal adoption program, designed in collaboration with experts and animal care professionals at the animal shelter. We offer a seamless process for individuals passionate about welcoming a new pet into their lives. Discover the joy of finding your perfect furry companion.
Helping people connect their new true love
Key features
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User Onboarding: Simple and engaging onboarding process with clear instructions on how to use the app.
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Profile Browsing: Users can swipe through pet profiles.
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Detailed Profiles: Comprehensive pet profiles with photos, videos, and important information such as age, breed, personality traits, and health status.
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Match and Connect: Users can express interest in pets by swiping right, and NGOs receive notifications to facilitate the next steps in the adoption process.
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In-App Messaging: Secure messaging system for users to communicate directly with NGO representatives.
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Adoption Resources: Access to resources and articles about pet care and the adoption process.
Wireframe
Color Palette: calming greens, and earth tones sparingly alongside brighter colors for important elements.
Typography: clear, easy-to-read fonts with slightly larger sizes for headings.
Visual Elements: imagery of happy animals and intuitive icons for features.
Layout and Navigation: a clean, uncluttered layout with straightforward navigation.
Branding: consistent branding elements throughout the app.
Accessibility: text contrast and provide alternative text for images.
Interaction Design: user-friendly forms and engaging animations.
The one-week design sprint resulted in a functional prototype that was well-received by both the NGO and potential users. The app successfully addressed the pain points identified during the initial research phase and provided a delightful user experience. Feedback from usability testing highlighted the app’s intuitive design and the emotional connection users felt when browsing pet profiles.
Usability test
Analyzing a usability test of a Tinder-style stray pet adoption app from a design point of view can include several aspects.
The one-week design sprint resulted in a functional prototype that was well-received by both the NGO and potential users. The app successfully addressed the pain points identified during the initial research phase and provided a delightful user experience. Feedback from usability testing highlighted the app’s intuitive design and the emotional connection users felt when browsing pet profiles.
Found the app very cool, liked the clean look and found the general layout of the “elements” well organized, but she also had problems with the transition of the animal cards, in addition to the lack of clarity of what to do after the registration screens, found that the app lacks tips on what to do. The first login screen with the information “Laura, today is your first login based on your location, we have these sheltered animals ready to meet you!” suffers from the lack of any hint of what to do to meet the animals, it lacks a button that takes the user to the next step. He found the Fund Donation stage to be very interesting and clear, feeling it as an important step in helping and maintaining the institutions.
The first access screen does not make it clear where to click to start viewing the available animals according to the user's location. I had to indicate this step at the same time that we saw that the text on the money button generated some confusion: between Adoption and Donation, this step is not clear. Then we also had problems with the slide of the cards and it was necessary to explain what to do to know the available animals. When finally reaching the adoption stage when the user contacts the NGO, Daniel did not feel very comfortable with the writing that says “Contact us” suggesting the text “Continue Adoption” which can lead to another contact platform such as email or social networks such as WhatsApp.
Learnings
Although this was a fictitious project suggested by EBAC (a design school) and created to build a case for my portfolio, it truly resonated with me and touched my heart.
Developing this project motivated me in a unique way because we have an adopted dog at home. I often say I was initially opposed to getting her, but now we are very close. Through this app, I want people to find a pet to love, just as I found my furry companion. It's an app where the chances of finding your soulmate are even higher than on Tinder.
Love a Pet Like I Do!