PetBinder

Exam Project: Fostering Pet Care Through Digital Solutions 🐕📒

Picture this: a digital sidekick that simplifies pet care, ensuring your furry friends receive the attention they deserve. PetBinder allows you to create personalised profiles, set care routines, track vaccinations, and receive gentle reminders – making the daily responsibilities of a pet owner a breeze.

Recognising a gap in the market, PetBinder is tailored for Scandinavian pet owners. Addressing genuine needs, it innovates to cater to the distinct requirements of a region where pets are cherished as family. With an outdoor lifestyle embedded in nature-loving traditions, it seamlessly integrates daily tasks with health-conscious living. 🌿🐾

ROLE

UX Designer and researcher, designing a mobile  app for PetBinder, from conception to final prototype.

RESPONSIBILITES

• User research
• User personas
• Information Architecture
• Wireframing
• Prototyping
• User testing
• Visual Design
• Accessibility guidelines
• Create user flows
• Usability guidelines
• Feedback integration and iteration
• Document findings and recommendations

PROJECT TYPE

UX Design

PROJECT DURATION

28 August-01 October 2023

DESIGN TOOLS

Figma, Miro, Xtensio

About Project

Pet ownership involves a range of responsibilities, from medication tracking to grooming schedules. That's where PetBinder comes in. It enables you to create customized profiles for each pet, establish care routines, manage vaccinations, and even receive gentle reminders for essential tasks. Our goal is to make pet care seamless, allowing you to focus on what matters most without adding extra to-dos to your busy days

Challenge

Our challenge is to harness technology's potential to simplify and enhance the lives of both pet owners and their beloved animals. We're driven by the belief that technology can transform pet care into a smoother, more efficient journey.

Identify a pain point that needs to be assessed

Identify a pain point that needs to be assessed

First sketches and low fidelity wireframes 

Create prototypes for user testing

Test prototypes and analyse the findings

Design improvements and next steps

Our research shows that many pet owners struggle with disorganized pet health records and having to rely on memory. This creates challenges in:

tracking important tasks and daily activities

accessing information, both during emergencies, as well as in the daily responsibilities 

We want to create an all-inclusive pet care solution. This includes customizable reminders, task tracking, and exploring digital storage options for essential pet health documents, reducing the need for physical records. 

Our main focus is to create a user friendly and all-inclusive pet care solution

The unique Scandinavian view on pet care comes from cultural values and societal norms. In Scandinavia, inclusivity and well-being are important, even in pet ownership. Pets are treated as family, not just companions, so their care is approached holistically.

Scandinavians' love for nature shapes how they care for pets. Pets often join owners on outdoor adventures due to the region's outdoor lifestyle. This lifestyle needs a pet care solution that supports both daily tasks and active, health-conscious living.

While numerous pet care platforms exist, we suspect that there's a notable absence of such an app tailored for Scandinavian users. Considering the distinctive local perspective on pet care, crafting a solution aligned with their needs presents an opportunity to innovate and address a genuine demand, bridging a crucial gap in the market.

Research Problem

Research Aim

Research Objectives

Research Methods

Test Participants

Understand how pet owners can best manage their pet’s care regime.

This research aims to explore how to develop an effective solution for pet owners to optimize their pets’ care routines

1. Identify the target audience and their specific demographics, characteristics, needs, and preferences.
2. Understand the needs and challenges of the target audience by identifying and analyzing the key factors responsible. 
3. Uncover the strategies and investigate how these approaches can be employed to help them overcome their challenges. 
4. Propose recommendations based on the findings from the research that can be implemented to address the challenges they face.

• Surveys (15-20 participants)
• Interviews (3-5 participants)
• Competitive Analysis
• Literature Review

Individuals of all genders who own pets, aged 18 or above and reside in Scandinavia.

As Joakim's alarm gently wakes him up at 6:30 AM, he knows it's time to start his morning routine. He stretches and heads to the kitchen, where his two dogs, Max and Bella, are already wagging their tails in anticipation of breakfast.

One of the first things he does every morning is to feed Max and Bella. He opens the pantry to grab their favorite dog food but notices that the bag feels unusually light. As he pours the last of the kibble into their bowls, he realizes with a sinking feeling that they've run out of their preferred brand.

Max and Bella happily devour what's left in their bowls, unaware of the situation. Joakim, however, can't help but feel a bit stressed. He moves on swiftly, heading toward the bathroom for his morning shower when something catches his eye—a note from his wife, prominently positioned on the kitchen counter. It reads, "Remember to buy dog food" He scratches his head, realizing he must have missed the note for the past couple of days, which is why they are now out of food.

As Joakim contemplates making an extra trip to the store to get more dog food, his phone buzzes with a new message. It's a text from his wife, who has already left for work, reminding him about Bella's veterinary appointment scheduled for later in the day. The added appointment leaves Joakim with a packed schedule, requiring him not only to buy more dog food but also to prepare for the vet visit. It's going to be a busy day for Joakim, and he wishes for a more organized and streamlined way to manage Max and Bella's care to ease his daily responsibilities.

For a detailed view of the Affinity Map, click here

Breaking knowledge down like this allows for some extraordinary possibilities.

1. Goals

To generate as many ideas as possible while focusing on the users needs.

2. Techniques

• Storyboard
• Mood board
• Mind mapping
• Brainstorming

3. Guidelines

Apply divergent and-convergent thinking by first working independently on a problem, then converging to share insights.

Storyboarding lets us visually portray how PetBinder improves lives for pet owners like Joakim, our primary persona. As an ideation technique it helps us understand our users' needs and effectively present our solution. Here, we've illustrated a user story depicting a day in Joakim's life, equipped with PetBinder. 

Illustrating the visual style and ambiance of PetBinder.

For a detailed view of the Mind Map, click here

In our ideation session for PetBinder, we generated a bunch of exciting ideas. We have organized these ideas into categories, pinpointed the most promising ones, and trimmed down the list by removing less practical concepts. 

During our analysis phase, we delved into how these selected features could seamlessly fit into PetBinder to elevate the user experience. 

This process has given us a set of well-thought-out ideas that will play a pivotal role in shaping PetBinder's future.

For a detailed view of the Insights, click here

Following our ideation process, we've generated a wealth of ideas for PetBinder. To determine which ones to prioritize, we're using the MoSCoW Technique—a practical method to categorize and prioritize features. It helps us decide what's essential and what's not in the current scope.

By applying the MoSCoW Technique we're ensuring that our core features are addressed first, meeting users' key needs. This technique also leaves space for adding more features later. This way, our app can change and improve over time.

Following our ideation process, we've generated a wealth of ideas for PetBinder. To determine which ones to prioritize, we're using the MoSCoW Technique—a practical method to categorize and prioritize features. It helps us decide what's essential and what's not in the current scope.

By applying the MoSCoW Technique we're ensuring that our core features are addressed first, meeting users' key needs. This technique also leaves space for adding more features later. This way, our app can change and improve over time.

For a detailed view of the Information Arcitechture, click here

Our low-fidelity wireframes are where we begin to translate ideas into tangible design concepts.

These initial sketches are not about pixel-perfect details; they're about exploring the layout, structure, and flow of our app. We're in the phase of experimentation, seeking the most intuitive and efficient user interface. The ultimate goal is a seamless pet care experience, and these wireframes are our stepping stones toward achieving that. 

As UX-Designers, it's our job to ensure every interaction feels natural and every feature serves a purpose.

To facilitate user testing, we transitioned our initial hand-drawn sketches, or low-fi wireframes, into digital formats. This digital conversion allowed us to create wireflows, which are dynamic representations combining wireframes and user flows. 

Wireflows are the dynamic fusion of wireframes and user flows, allowing us to visualize the user's journey in our app. We have employed them to map out the user flows of adding a new task, scanning documents and registering a new pet in PetBinder. 

To facilitate user testing, we transitioned our initial hand-drawn sketches, or low-fi wireframes, into digital formats. This digital conversion allowed us to create wireflows, which are dynamic representations combining wireframes and user flows. 

Wireflows are the dynamic fusion of wireframes and user flows, allowing us to visualize the user's journey in our app. We have employed them to map out the user flows of adding a new task, scanning documents and registering a new pet in PetBinder. 

Prototype Testing link

Our user testing sessions will be conducted remotely, leveraging video conferencing. Participants will be provided with a link to access a wireframe prototype of our mobile application. 

Their objective will be to complete three distinct assignments aimed at evaluating user flows and layout at this early stage of the design process. 

The insights gathered during these sessions are invaluable, as they will help us identify potential issues and guide necessary design enhancements.

To ensure a meaningful and insightful testing process, we've selected participants who align with PetBinder's primary user group:

• Scandinavian pet owners, over the age of 18
• Pet owners who are passionate about their pet's well-being.
• Individuals who are comfortable using smartphones and mobile apps 
• Participants who have a history of managing their pet's health, activities, and documents.

In our quest to find the right participants for the testing sessions, we've relied on criteria derived from our primary persona. Drawing from insights gained in earlier interviews, where we explored their goals and challenges, we were able to pinpoint individuals who perfectly match our criteria and are well-suited to provide valuable feedback on the prototype.

Length

20-30 minutes

Participants

3 participants

Location

Norway. In the user’s residence or workplace

Study type

Remote and moderated

For a detailed view of the insights, click here.

Task 1

Register a new pet

• Participants praised the intuitive placement of the "add a new pet" feature and thinks the dashboard is familiar to other apps they are accustomed to. 
• The ability to switch between pets directly from the dashboard was well-received.
• Participant 2 faced difficulties in locating the “add new pet” feature on the dashboard but eventually succeeded.
• There was requested a more intuitive dropdown that closes automatically and a "Back to Dashboard" link after saving a new pet.

Task 2

Create a new task

• All participants completed this task successfully and provided positive feedback, particularly regarding the today/week/month tabs for viewing tasks.
• They liked the clear "new task" button but wanted newly added tasks at the top and sections for "Recurring" and "Done" tasks.
• Desires a monthly reminder (e.g., for purchasing dog food), a feature planned for our future designs.

Task 3

Upload a Document

• All participants completed this task without major issues.
• Participants requested a more intuitive dropdown that closes automatically
• There was a request to implement a quality check on document scans and to be able to perform multiple scans simultaneously.
• Three buttons, "Import from Local Files", “Record” and "Activity" from the navbar, were initially misunderstood as something else.
• The drop down menu check-mark resembles multiple-choice, not a radio button.

After the testing stage, I went back to the proverbial drawing board to refine my designs. I made specific changes to several screens based on the user feedback from the usability study.

This section shows examples of changes in screen designs based on user findings

Low Fidelity to High Fidelity

Moving forward from the iterated wireframes in low-fidelity, we have turned them into high-fidelity wireframes, representing a pivotal stage in our project's development. 

These wireframes highlight a polished and user-centric interface, incorporating design elements such as color schemes, fonts, font sizes, spacing, and more. Additionally, we are committed to adhering to the WCAG accessibility guidelines to ensure that our app is both enjoyable and user-friendly for all individuals. 

High Fidelity Mobile Prototype

Dashboard

To-Do list

Documents

In developing PetBinder, our primary goal is to conduct user testing to understand how users interact with our core pet management features.

After our initial usability test on the Low-Fidelity Wireframes, we carefully refined them into High-Fidelity versions using the valuable insights we gathered. Now, in this second session, we're testing these High-Fidelity Wireframes to better understand how users experience pet management in the PetBinder app.

During the test, participants will be given 3 different tasks where they will use PetBinder to track their pets' health and activities. 

Our goal: to get insights that help us design a seamless pet management app.

THE GOOD :)

Participants consistently appreciated the visual appeal and design of PetBinder. 

"I enjoyed the app's design; it looks clean and well-structured."

THE BAD :(

Some participants expressed uncertainty about whether a task was marked as completed after creating it. 

"I wasn't sure if the task was marked as done after creating it."

In the final stage of my case study, I explored the takeaways and next  steps of my project, determining what needs to be refined.

• Make it even more clear that the new pet has been saved, so the users don't try to repeatedly click the Save button when creating a new pet (add a “Done” button?).

• Match the color of the swipe carousel with the pet view.

• Add a confirmation message upon task creation.

• Consider moving the newly created tasks to somewhere more prominent, or highlight it another way.

• Rename “tasks” in the nav bar to “To Do” for consistency.

• Add the ability to zoom in on image scans after capture for detailed review.

• Add distinct colors or icons for each document category.

• Add a "View all documents" button/link at the top of the page.

Problem:

Testing participants repeatedly tried to click the Save button when creating a new pet, even after initially saving it.

Solution:

1. We improved the confirmation message by changing it from "Success" to "Saved" to make it more contextually relevant.
2. We also changed the button label from “Saved” to "Back to Dashboard" to clearly signal that a new pet has been saved, preventing users from repeatedly clicking "Save."

Problem:

Testing participants could not tell if/when they had successfully created a new task

Solution:

Added a confirmation message upon task creation.

Problem:

Testing participants could not immediately find the newly created task in the To-Do list

Solution:

We've relocated the newly created task to the top of the To-Do list, alongside other tasks. It's now distinguished by a border and labeled as "New" for clarity.

Problem:

The testing participant did not fully read the document they had just scanned and wished to have the option to view it more closely before confirming the image scan.

Solution:

Add the ability to zoom in on image scans after capture for detailed review.

Problem:

The testing participant was missing an easier way to identify the different types of documents in the list. It was also requested a more prominent button for viewing all documents.

Solution:

1. Add a “View all documents" button/link at the top of the page.

2. We've updated the categories with new colors, making them visible on the document labels, and added icons for enhanced recognition.

As we aim for ongoing improvement, we've collected valuable user feedback that guides us toward future enhancements. While these suggestions may not be a top priority right now, we've recorded them for possible inclusion in future updates,

Add new pet:

• Save veterinarian contact information for user convenience.

Dashboard Customization:

• Add the option to customize and rearrange the dashboard cards.
• Refine the display of activity goals on the dashboard.
• Provide the option to switch to a smaller pet view for efficient dashboard space usage.
• Reduce the size of the pet view on the dashboard when managing a single pet.

Document Management:

• Clarify the functionality of the record button for document scanning.
• Introduce swipe functionality to pet view cards for easier pet management.