Woof Adventures is an easy way for busy dog owners to find trustworthy dog walkers while having a smooth booking experience.

Problem Statement

Busy dog owners do not always have the time to walk their dog regularly. They worry about trusting others with their dogs and the price of hiring someone.

User Research

Three interviews were conducted with dog owners through various platforms such as Discord, Microsoft Teams, and text message. Four questions were asked to gain insight on services they have used in the past  and important things they look for when searching for a dog walker. Research showed that they have used dog applications for services because their dog does not like to be left alone for long periods of time dog, or when they are going away on trips. They love the sense of security knowing that their dog is in safe hands and how easy it is to search for dog walkers based on criteria. When searching they want someone trustworthy with great reviews, reliable, talks about dogs in a good way, affordable, and interacts great with dogs. 

Market Research

Market Research was collected from three other applications; Rover, Wag!, and Barkly Pets. These applications addressed trust through their app by showing reviews, having messaging around safety, setting up a meet and greet before providing services, and shows pricing upfront.

User Persona

Solution

Create an application where busy dog owners are able to find someone they trust with their dog. To evoke trust for the dog walker they have to be verified by the application, there are verified reviews from previous walks provided in their profile, and the number of successful walks completed is also visible on their profile. The dog owner is able to create a profile for their pet with important information and select other services besides a walk they would like provided. The other options are dog sitting and grooming services. Price is also displayed upfront so the dog owner can know without having to click on a profile.

User Flow

It helps the dog owner by providing verified reviews by other owners who previously booked the walker. It solves the problem for the persona because the steps are simple which will not take too much time out of their day to book a walk. They have the option to add a walker as a favorite and book the same person multiple times.

Other Services

They can also book grooming and pet sitting services. I added these as options based on the interview answers. The interviewees mentioned pet sitting services would be great for when they go on vacation. They rather not pay the pet fee on the flight as well as not knowing what kind of environment their dog is in while in flight. Grooming services would be great when the pet is a puppy because they are so young.

Wireframes

For both iterations, I used an image in the background and wanted the main screen to be very simple.The wireframe did not change much between the first and second iteration. There were small edits such as removing the "View Profile" button when viewing dog walker profiles. By removing the button the owner can click on the profile they want to view.

Visual Design

During the visual design process, I picked a color that would give an outdoor feel, I had to adjust font size based on readability, pay attention to spacing, sizing of elements, white space and reconsider my input elements.

The dog owner is able to create a profile for their dog and filter for dog walkers or dog sitters.

The dog owner is able to read verified reviews about the dog walker and message them before booking.

The dog owner has a simple booking experience of selecting a date, pickup time, and the length of time for the walk.

Prototype and Test

Two individuals tested the app through the prototype. When observing them I noticed that they wanted to search by the type of dogs the walker has walked before, they wanted to click on the different options when in filter mode, type in their email and password, and when they click view more they preferred it scrolled instead of going to another page.

Book A Service

I would add a page for completing the purchase (adding a card and confirmation invoice) and another feature where the dog walker can provide updates on the walk. 

Reflection

As my first project, I’ve learned the importance of each step in this process and to keep the user and their needs in mind every step of the way. I was able to address trust issues by implementing verified reviews, displaying how many successful walks were completed, and ensuring safety by verifying the dog walker. 

Thank You!