Project overview
About the project
PetPals – A website for pet lovers to access valuable pet care information, share experiences, and explore pet adoption opportunities.
Goal
Develop a website that provides reliable pet care information and support. Additionally, it will connect local animal shelters with potential pet owners, helping furry friends find their forever homes.
Problem statement
Many pet owners face challenges in finding reliable and trustworthy pet services, such as grooming, boarding, and daycare. Additionally, the responsibilities of pet ownership can feel overwhelming, leading to feelings of isolation and a lack of support.
User Needs
Pet owners require a platform that:
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Simplifies the process of finding and booking high-quality pet services. This includes features like easy search filters, reviews from other pet owners, and transparent pricing information.
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Provides a supportive and engaging community. This could involve forums, chat groups, or social media integration where pet owners can connect, share experiences, and offer advice.
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Empowers pet owners with valuable information. This includes access to articles, resources, and expert advice on pet care, training, and overall well-being.
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Finding a new furry friend for themselves with detailed information from the shelter
Solution
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Our website aims to address these challenges by providing a comprehensive platform that:
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Connects pet owners with reliable and trustworthy service providers.
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Fosters a vibrant community where pet owners can connect and support each other.
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Empowers pet owners with valuable information and resources.
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A place to connect new pet owner and animal shelters with detailed and trusted information.
Design process
User research
For this website, I did user research by speaking with people about looking for online information and what might make them more or less likely to prefer a all-in-one pet platform that make them convenient whenever they do their research for their pets. My primary objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges users encounter while looking for trusted sources of information
Pain points
1. Pet owners are lack of trusted sources of information : The information provided is widespread and unofficial, leading to misinformation, making it easy for pet owners to be confused and take their pets to unreliable service facilities.
2. Scarcity of pet-owning communities : Pet owners often face challenges like pet care advice, veterinary recommendations, and behavioral training tips. Without a strong community, they may struggle to find reliable information and support.
2. Challenges in finding reliable pet service: Pet parents struggle to find trustworthy and dependable pet services, especially when it comes to pet boarding and overnight stay.
User persona
I made user personas to represent typical pet owners, focus on their needs like managing pet care, finding services and looking for pet adoption opportunities. These personas help me design features that solve users' problem and improve their experiences.
Empathy map
Site map
Paper wireframe
In the early stage of my design process, I sketched out paper wireframe in other to have an early vision about how my website will look like. This help me focus on the core value of my design. The main goal is to build the visual structure and layout of the app. I began with low-fidelity wireframes to quickly generate ideas of how the user interface could look.
Wireframe
I focused on mapping the content layout and overall structure of the website. This stage help me to have a general view of how the website will look like and make place holder for each content I chose to put in.
Low fidelity
Design system
Key Takeaways
As a fellow pet owner, I understand the challenges of finding reliable information about my cat's health. This personal experience directly motivated my choice of this project. While I would like to refine certain aspects of my website, time constraints have necessitated a focus on core functionality for this initial draft. This project serves as a valuable learning experience, and I plan to incorporate these refinements in future iterations.
What I learned:
1. Time management: This project reinforced the importance of effective time management, as completing the app revamp within the deadline required careful planning and prioritization.
2. Design a website: Design an interactive website is quite different from building an app. Websites must function seamlessly across a wider range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones of varying screen sizes and operating systems. This necessitates responsive design principles, ensuring optimal viewing and interaction on all platforms
3. Keep user in mind: At the end of the day, I am designing for user. Prioritize user needs throughout the design process. While the app may seem intuitive to you as the designer, it's crucial to remember that it's intended for a diverse audience with varying levels of technical expertise
What I want to improve:
1. Booking service appointment feature
2. Link map to service search
3. Focus more in my usability testing and research.
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