Spot App
User Research // Wireframes // Product Design // Prototyping
project overview
My Role
Lead UI/UX Designer
Goals
To create an intuitive app that helps aspiring pet owners find pets that match their lifestyle, reducing the number of pets that are returned or rehomed. We wanted to streamline the pet adoption process by integrating multiple shelters into one platform and making it easier to filter through the available pets based on specific needs.
As the lead UI/UX designer, I was responsible for conducting research, defining user personas, wireframing, prototyping, and conducting usability testing to create a solution that catered to both pet owners and adoption agencies. I collaborated closely with developers, shelter volunteers, and stakeholders to ensure the app was functional and user-centered.
The Problem
Many aspiring pet owners don’t know how to choose a pet that fits their lifestyle or living situation. This often results in mismatches, leading to returned or rehomed pets. Additionally, the current adoption process involves jumping between various shelters and websites, making it inefficient for users.
the method
Understanding the User
Before diving into design, I conducted extensive research to understand how different people with varying levels of familiarity with pets approached adoption. This included interviews with first-time pet owners, experienced pet parents, hesitant adopters, and shelter volunteers. I explored the challenges they faced when finding pets that fit their lifestyle, from concerns about space and care requirements to compatibility with their daily routines. These insights shaped the user personas and helped identify key pain points, such as difficulty filtering for specific pet traits and information overload from multiple adoption platforms.
This research led to the creation of two specific types of users who would use this kind of app.
Pain Points
- No prior experience
Without having previous experience, would-be first-time pet owners don’t know how to search for a pet. - Too many sources
Each shelter or website provides only its own pets for adoption, which means a lot of website hopping. - Filters
It’s often hard to find information at a glance - such as if a pet is house trained, is large or small, requires any special needs, etc.
Wireframes
Iterations of each main page and components within were created to whittle down options of basic functionality. Initial wireframes took into consideration what pet searchers were most concerned with while pairing it with user interactions that are reminiscent of dating apps.
Usability Findings
1. Pet profile is made into a card, a separate element that can swipe left or right.
2. Main navigation is added to the profile page, making the back icon at the top right unnecessary.
3. Map pin icon is switched to “i” for information.
4. Contact icon is switched to the middle, with saving/hearting to be consistently on the right to match the swiping gesture.
The Solution
Many aspiring pet owners don’t know how to choose a pet that fits their lifestyle or living situation. This often results in mismatches, leading to returned or rehomed pets. Additionally, the current adoption process involves jumping between various shelters and websites, making it inefficient for users.
the impact
This app has the potential to significantly reduce the number of pets returned to shelters, as it better educates users on what pet is suited to their living environment. The prototype focused on dogs but can easily be scaled to include other types of pets. Further iterations will explore more advanced filtering options and educational resources, helping pet owners feel more confident in their decision-making.
