Petly

UX Case Study
Project Overview
I worked on creating an app for pet owners that allowed them to have a more organized shopping experience when buying products for their pets. Pet product shopping is often difficult and disorganized. It is difficult for owners to know exactly what their animals need. The target audience is people who love their pets. Whether they are new pet owners or seasoned veterans,  they need a solution that tells them the products they need so they can spend more time with their furry friends, and less time at the store. The problems I focused on in the app design were to lay out the information in a more organized way as well as give users the opportunity to receive credible information to help them form their decisions. There is also a delivery componenent to give users the option to have pet food delivered directly to their door.
My Contributions
Designer | TCU Student
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Research, Information Architecture, Visual Design and Testing

Spring 2020

The Problem:

Pet stores are often disorganized and overwhelming to new pet owners. Pet owners need a reliable way to source quality products for their pets and gain insight about different ways to best care for their pet. Current practices are not developed and have a unique opportunity for modernization.

Research

I focused on a variety of aspects when interviewing. I really wanted to learn how users went about looking for new products, what they were drawn to, how they learned about new products. I asked about their experiences when shopping online or in-store. I also wanted to learn about their experience level with their pets. I interviewed three users during my interview process. They were all of different demographics and different pet experience levels.  I was mostly curious as to how age, pet experience, and knowledge affected how they shopped for products. They were all vastly different and had very different preferences, however, they all had similar concerns when shopping for their pets. 

User Interviews

- What is your preferred method of pet food shopping? Why?
- What the most important factors you pay attention to while shopping?
- How do you pick out a new type of pet food?
- How do you pick out a new veternarian?
- What are the biggest struggles associated with a vet visit?
- How do you communicate with yout current pet owner friends?
How Might We Statements
... we develop a shopping experience for pet owner that is simplified so they can purchase products efficiently ?

... create a pet product shopping expereince that is education for pet parents so they know what their pets really need?

... create a platform that allows pet owners to find reliable and credible information that enables them to make future purchases with confidence?

Point of View

Pet parents need a more organized experience that allows them to purchase products with the help of credible information.

User Personas

User personas were developed based on the findings from the User Interviews and Surveys and the development of How Might We's and Point of View Statements. These personas identify the individuals we are focused on reaching in the development of this app.

Competitor Analysis
A focused community of pet people focusing on dog walking, grooming, and dog friendly bars and brunch spots. primarily focused on the social aspect of owning pets.
A magazine extension featuring essays, art, training tips, book reviews, and advice from certified veteranarians.
A social media network for pets including profiles, newsfeeds and forums dedicated to learning more about our pets and pet ownership.

Solution

Lo - Fi Prototypes

I usually start the design process with low fidelity wireframes. This is the way I iterate through many design options quickly and allow myself to map out the different options in a quick manner.

  • The purpose of sketching out my ideas was to brainstorm and map out the process. I needed to decide the start point and end point of my experience and how to best showcase my solution to the problem. I also needed to test out the different elements and ensure I could keep my concept simple and organized, since that was what would be the best solution to the problem.
  • I focused on keeping the process as simple as possible and wanted to find a way to organize the product information. I also focused on creating a filter system so only certain certified reviewers can leave reviews on products. This allowed users to know they are receiving credible information when learning about a new product.
  • I did several different thumbnail sets and ultimately created the six screens seen to your left. These were the first established screens to create a better system to find pet products for your pet. They offered a step by step solution to give the user recommendations, compare prices, and have access to credible reviews that actually help.
  • The biggest difference in my various versions were the different ways of presenting the product information. I ultimately chose to break it down into the three tabs in the final prototypes because that simplified the information and made it easier to digest for the user.
  • The sketches gave me a starting point for which to creamy prototype and allowed me to experiment with different ideas that may or may not work. They allowed me to figure out a process to turn into my solution.

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Final UI Design

Once I tested usability with the, I started designing the final screens in XD.

  • I followed a light, clean style that was inviting to the user. I chose a bright green that popped off the white paired with other bright colors to keep with this fun, inviting feel.
  • I was inspired to use this style because of the nature of the solution to the problem. Keeping the information clean and organized was the focus of my solution and these colors and typography reflect that. They keep tings simple and follow along normal emotional triggers to
  • I designed for iPhone users and android phone users in particular. This app is meant for an on-the-go situation and a phone is the perfect platform for that idea.
  • I really love how the colors liven up the app concept and how organized I was able to make the product page. There is so much information to show about the products consumers are looking at and breaking it down kept with my goal of making things simple for the users.

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Post COVID-19 Updates

Along with the opportunity to give pet owners access to unique communication amongst peers, Petly has taken a step further and turned into a delivery service as well. Not only will owners be able to find the perfect product for their pets, they will be able to have it delivered through the Petly food delivery service. Similar to the Uber Eats function, the delivery service will be an extension of the original app. This will give pet owners a peace of mind that they will be able to access their pets favorite food, while keeping themselves safe during this time.

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The profile page also transitions into a way to show off your pets! Stemming from the original review page that helps owners fulfill their pets need, they can now have a dedicated space to share images and updates. This will connect with the newsfeed and offer a connection touchpoint for users during this time.

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Reflection
When working to bridge the gap between new pet owners and seasoned pet owners, it initially was a challenge to find a system that would work. Incentivitizing seasoned pet owners to help new pet owners with discounts pushed engagement between the two parties and ultimately will help the new owners learn.My biggest struggle with this project was not projecting my own ideas of what I thought should be the solution to the problem. Really honing in on what the consumers needed was a focus of mine and once I organized my research around that, the solution presented itself in a surprising, but obvious way.
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