Visit https://breslindesign.com/pawstride-dog-walking-app-concept/ to view the slightly expanded version of this case study.

Overview

As part of an exploration further into the creative industry, I enrolled in a course offered by Dribbble that focused on UI/UX design (user interface/user experience design), also known as product design. The course was 16 weeks long and was conducted online. The virtual learning format was a combination of independent study through pre-recorded videos and weekly, live sessions with a mentor and classmates. The course covered the beginnings of both user interface and user experience design, mainly in the context of mobile applications and websites.

My Background

I graduated in 2019 with a degree in graphic design from the New England Institute of Technology. I'm currently a graphic design intern at Shamrock Home Loans, and before that, I've held another internship and had a freelance client. My motivation to take this course was to learn more about UI/UX design, as I believe this knowledge will be helpful in the future by making me a better graphic designer and allowing decent communication with various parts of a larger design and marketing team.

Project Details

Our main project was to conceptualize a hypothetical dog walking app that would allow users to schedule a walk for their dog when they are too busy or otherwise unable to do so themselves.

User Research, Goals, and Problems

Making a successful product means satisfying the needs of both users and the business; if you fail to cater to users, it will result in frustration with and even mistrust of your business, thus leading them not to use your product.

User Research: Conducting Interviews

I used Google Forms to create a written interview, generally following the template another student shared with the class. It was sent to friends and family and also posted publicly online. I gained form responses from 11 people between the ages of 24 and 58 (most were in their mid to late 20s). All resided within the United States. All participants either currently have or help take care of a dog.

Below is some of the most important data I collected from the written interviews:

• Have the participants ever considered using a dog walking app? Why or why not?

  • Many of the participants haven’t considered it

  • They would be too worried about a stranger walking their dog and would have a hard time trusting them

  • They do not want strangers in their home

  • Cost

  • Have too much going on in their lives

  • Family already helps with walking the dog

  • Dog acts too wild, hasn’t responded well to training, and is reactive

  • They didn’t know there were dog walking apps

• What would make the participants more comfortable using a dog walking app?

  • Knowing the walker’s past experiences with dogs

  • Knowing the walker’s background

  • If there was a rating/qualification system in place for walkers

• Features participants would like to see in a dog walking app:

  • Ratings/reviews/recommendations

  • Verifications

  • Biography on a dog walker’s experience with handling dogs/pets

  • Report with the dog walker’s information, similar to a resume

  • Background checks

  • Scheduling system

  • Tracking system that shows where dog walker is going with your dog

  • Being able to connect with others that already use the app

  • Way to pay for services

• (Bonus question directed at dog walking service providers): What would be the most important things for walkers in a dog walking app?:

  • Robust scheduling system with a clean UI design, easily-customizable time slots of availability, and general ease-of-use

  • Option for dog owners to add their dog’s info so dog walkers can pick and choose based on how hard a dog would be to walk

  • Safety reflector harnesses provided by app

User Research: Constructing a User Persona

A user persona is a fictional portrayal of a target user for your product. Our online class developed user personas in groups based on the user interviews we conducted. My group came up with the following persona:

• Background of the user

  • Shanon Guinand is a busy Digital Marketing Manager who loves their dog, Bob. The dog has a special diet and he is prone to running after other animals. Shanon used to walk Bob twice a day. Now, she has to go to the office and she needs someone to walk Bob, since she no longer works remotely.

• What Shanon is looking for

  • “I want to find compassionate, trustworthy dog walkers that have great backgrounds in caring for pets and knowing how to handle their behaviors or medical conditions.”

• Goals and ambitions

  • Find a trustworthy dog walker that has experience with dogs with special needs

  • Would like to know where her dog is at all times

•  Frustrations

  • Not enough time to walk her dog now that she no longer works remotely

  • She hesitant to trust strangers

  • Bad past experiences with others taking care of her dog

• Solutions used in the past

  • Friends and family

  • Kennel/dog boarding

  • Taking the dog to work or vacation when possible

User Observations I've Had in the Past​

From the personal experiences of myself and people that I know, I can attest that apps can be frustrating sometimes for users. Many apps struggle with categorizing and displaying information in easy to understand ways, making performing what should be a simple action discouraging.

Business Goals

The ultimate, overarching goal of any business is to make money. In this case, that means gaining and retaining users that book dog walks. Two other goals that tie into the first are saving money and time; this can be done during the app design and development phase through the use of wireframes, components, and standardized design systems.

How I Planned to Meet User and Business Goals​

In order to meet business goals, user goals have to be met. The way I determined I’d need to do this is:

• Make the app as accessible as possible by paying attention to contrast on main elements, as well as making things easy to navigate

• Provide a straightforward experience with minimal distractions

• Provide plenty of info for users who are hesitant, unsure, or new to dog walking apps, as trust is key

• Clearly outline how much services cost and what each walker offers

• Determine what would be present in the app and how the user would journey through it before spending time on design

• Get feedback from users and others in class

• Make use of reusable components and standardized styles when designing

Market Research

We got a small taste of some market research during this project. We each tested out some popular dog walking apps currently in the market. The two I tested were Rover and Wag! I tested each and wrote down what I thought was great and what needed improvement.

My Analysis of Rover

Rover offers several services: dog walking, boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, and doggy day care. I tested out the first parts of booking dog walking appointments. You can make a profile for your pet, as well as select the frequency, day, and time for walks. Caregivers near your area are what appear in the search. Caregivers have biography information, background checks, reviews, and what types of services they offer in addition to dog walking. GPS is used to keep track of walks. You can also chat with the caregivers. The Rover Guarantee includes 24/7 support, as well as vet care reimbursement.

I like the simplicity of the app and how quick it was to begin the process. I didn’t have any problems doing the first set of basic tasks. I do wish the opening page (the services page) and overall feel was a bit more friendly and had more imagery relating to pets, but I will say that it is very quick to mentally process and to-the-point.

My Analysis of Wag!

Wag! also provides several services, which include dog walking, drop-ins, overnights, and training. I tested out the beginning of booking a dog walking appointment. You can fill out your pet’s bio and choose from different tiers of walks, as well as choose to be quick matched with a caregiver or choose from ones who have requested your booking. You are asked for your walk schedule, as well as home access information. Caregivers have background checks and you can chat with them. GPS is used to keep track of walks. Wag! provides 24/7 support.

I like that this app has a more friendly feel than Rover and has more pet imagery. I do wish the pet bio section wasn’t nested within the corner menu, however (I preferred Rover’s layout because it had it right at the bottom).

Ideation

After conducting research and defining goals, it was time to move onto creating rough concepts of the app.

The Original User Flow Diagram

Creating user flow diagrams (or maps) are essential for planning what pages will be present in a digital product, knowing how they connect, and for outlining what paths the user will take through them. This is done before any wireframing or visual design takes place.

While my final user flow did change once the app was designed, this was the original one I had come up with for both the onboarding and booking a walk flows:

I used this user flow diagram as an aide during the wireframing process; it helped me to determine how the app would function and the journey the user would be taking.

The Original Wireframes

Before spending valuable time on visual design, it’s important to make sure your core idea is solid enough to be a truly effective solution. Wireframes are essentially bare-bones representations of your app or website design. They are general rather than specific, focusing mainly on layout and function; the text, images, and visual design are usually not inserted at this stage.

For these initial concepts, I focused on making the app straightforward in terms of usage and information being readily available. I would later take many of these concepts and refine them.

Visual Design, Prototype, and User Testing

After my wireframes helped me establish concepts I'd like to move forward with, I started on the visual design of the user interface and making a prototype of the app in Figma.

Visual Design of the User Interface

This app was designed with accessibility, simplicity, and functionality in mind. I wanted the most important info and actions to be easy to read and readily available at all times from any interior screen, because it can be frustrating not being able to find or access what you need in a timely manner. Making sure there was enough contrast in main elements was one of the most important things when designing this app layout; I used a contrast checker plugin when designing for accessibility purposes.

I wanted to incorporate a paw print within the logo and in the background of the app to give it a playful feel and directly tie into what the app is for. The complementary, bright color scheme of orange and blue was meant to imbue the app with a sunny, energetic feel.

Photos were sourced from Pexels and Unsplash. Most icons (besides the paw I created) were sourced from the Bootstrap Icons plugin.

Prototype and User Testing

View the video below to view the working prototype of the app, complete with all of the screens that I designed. This flow shows someone signing up with email, adding their dog, and booking a dog walking appointment.

In the online class, each student had a group of other students complete a small number of tasks in their dog walking app prototypes and also received instructor feedback. Both students and the instructor told me my design was clear, straightforward, and easy to use, but the bottom buttons on the homescreen needed to be lower in visual hierarchy so as not to overwhelm or confuse the user, putting focus on the dog walking buttons. To do this, I decided to use buttons that were more similar in shape and size to the confirmation buttons.

What I Gained From This Course

This course expanded upon my existing design knowledge by extending it to the digital space, as well as giving me more insight into the goals and mindsets of both consumers and businesses. I learned the beginnings of how to provide a positive experience and minimize frustrations or hesitation for users, which in turn helps to satisfy business goals. I’m glad that I decided to take this course, and I believe that it will provide value to me and any design or marketing team I work with.