Dog Freaks
Website and Mobile Redesign
SUMMARY
Dog Freaks is a dog walking service company that allows dog owners to find pet services quickly and easily with just a click of a button. The offer services from walking dogs to providing pet-friendly transportation for your dogs' appointments. You can also become part of the Dog Freaks' team by signing up and providing information about yourself and they'll get to back with results to let you know if you are qualified to become part of the team.
In the U.S., four out of 10 dog owners don’t walk their pets regularly. In January 2022, the demand for dog walking services has been on the rise in many areas of the United States. Factors contributing to this trend include busy lifestyles, longer working hours for pet owners, and an increasing awareness of the important of regular exercise and socialization for dogs' well-being.
It's essential to note that the availability of dog walker can vary depending on local market condition, the number of competing services, and the overall per ownership culture in a particular area. Ultimately, while there may be area where the demand for dog walkers outstrips the supply, the overall trend suggests a growing market for pet care serviced, including dog walking, across the United States.
ROLE
UX/UI Design, Branding, Visual Design, Web Design
DATE/DURATION
2 weeks
TOOLS
Figma
TEAM
Solo
WHY
School/Portfolio Project
DESIGN PROCESS
I first began my design process by doing research and seeing how in demand dog walking services are in the United States and what problems do dog owners face when they are busy and don't have time to walk their dogs. As someone who has relatives that are dog owners, they often complain how tired they get and usually don't have enough time to give their dogs daily walks due to their busy schedule. Also trying to find trust worthy people that know how to handle dogs is quite difficult.
Also conducting a PACT analysis to help me better understand why having a trustworthy and reliable dog walking service is important for pet owners. Wanting to know what there pet owners want from these companies and what kind of features they expect.
USER FLOW MAP
I started with creating an user flow map to figure what elements would be adding to the website and mobile app.
LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
Since i only had two weeks to complete this project, I skipped the sketching phase of my design process and went straight to creating the low fidelity wireframes for both the website and mobile app.
FEEDBACK FROM FIRST PROTOTYPE
I've sent my first prototype to my group mates that were assigned to me and received feedback from them. Most of the feedback I've received were positive saying that the navigation was simple and reminded them of using a social media app. Some said that they were confused with the app since they weren't sure if I was creating a social media app or a service app. The rest said it was too plain which caught my attention because I thought that being minimalistic with app and website designs was better. Maybe it was a bit too empty.
HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
After revising and taking account what my group mates told me, I revised some of the frames. I think the main problem I faced was making this dog walking service app more of a social media app which was not my intention. So keeping in mind that some people thought that they were using a social media app, I decided to change some of the designs. Like removing a posts section, and the like and comment section since it was pretty to what we would do on Twitter or Instagram.
BRANDING
I complied all the material I used for this project, which includes the color scheme, fonts, icons, and illustrations. I decided to make yellow the main primary color is because dogs can only see yellow, blue and mostly gray colors.
REFLECTION
Completing the website and mobile app design this project has been an exhilarating journey, filled with challenges, creativity, and ultimately, a sense of accomplishment. Designing a user-friendly interface that balances functionality with simplicity was a constant challenge. I aimed to create a seamless experience that caters to users' needs while avoiding clutter and complexity. Iterative testing and refinement helped me strike the right balance, ensuring that the website and app are intuitive and easy to navigate. Completing this project is not the end but rather the beginning of a journey of continuous improvement. I learned how to be committed to gathering user feedback, monitoring performance metrics, and iterating on designs to enhance usability, functionality, and overall satisfaction.
If I had more time for this project, I would've given more details to the wireframes rather than showing one example of what the layout would work for when booking a service, I would've shown how all of them look even though they might end up looking the same.
In conclusion, designing the website and mobile app has been a rewarding experience that has taught me valuable lessons in empathy, creativity, and resilience. I am proud of the final product I have created.
