The Problem:
Adoptions and sales of dogs soared during COVID19. New dog owners (NDOs) are faced with many decisions concerning their pet's health, socialization, and training. It's tough to know where to start.
The Solution:
A mobile app for NDOs. Everything they need in one place: health records, local dog parks, training tips, and more!
Interviews
I interviewed 3 NDOs and and asked them:
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What types of resources do you wish you had as a new dog owner?
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What part of getting a new dog was the most challenging?
Nala
What foods can I give to her that will help with an upset stomach?
- Nala's mom
Leo
My dog is ready to be fixed but I didn't know my vet would be booked 6 months out. Where can I go now?
-Leo's mom
Daisy
There are lots of training philosophies. Which one is right for me and my dog?
-Daisy's mom
Most of their concerns could be categorized into three main issues: training, socialization, and healthcare. Although each dog has unique needs and challenges, I was surprised to find that so many NDOs struggle with the same things.
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Training​ - finding a training style you are comfortable with. Daisy's mom mentioned that getting a puppy felt a lot like becoming a parent. There are lots of training styles much like there are different parenting styles and everyone has an opinion on what is best. It is hard for NDOs to find styles they are comfortable with. "Training" also covers a broad spectrum of issues:
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Potty training​​
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Obedience training
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Crate training​
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Socialization - Leo's mom understood the importance of puppy socialization. She also knew that puppies who have not been vaccinated have extremely fragile immune systems. She struggled to find reliable resources to learn when it was safe for Leo to meet other dogs. During Covid, she also struggled to find people with dogs.
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Knowing when and how to socialize
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Finding other dogs to socialize with​
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Healthcare - Nala had a particularly upset stomach as a puppy. Nala's mom, a college student, needed to find an affordable and compassionate vet. She wasn't sure who to ask since not many of her friends had dogs. She also needed a resource to answer quick questions about Nala's health.
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​Finding affordable vets
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Staying current on puppy immunizations
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Finding a vet who had openings
Competitor Research
Does this already exist? I took a deep dive into whats on the app store. Although there are hundreds of apps designed for dog owners, many fall within these three main categories:
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Travel
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BringFido - dog friendly places
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DogVacay - airbnb for dogs
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Dog Park Finder
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Health/Exercise
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Pet First Aid by the American Red Cross
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Map my Dog Walk
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iKibble - dog-safe foods
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Pawprint - pet health
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Rover - dog walking
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PupTox - dog-safe foods
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Training
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Puppr - step by step training instructions
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iTrainer Dog Whistle and Clicker
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GoodPup - virtual sessions with dog trainer
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PuptoDate - training schedule ie. potty breaks
The quantity of pet-based apps is intimidating. As an Industrial Designer by trade, I sought apps that served more than a single purpose and was pressed to find any. My competitive analysis proves the need for a multi-function app so NDOs can keep all of their information in one place.
The user is a new dog owner who wants guidance on raising a happy, healthy dog .
Low Fidelity Wireframes
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After creating low fidelity prototypes, I tested the app with several people. There were privacy concerns about the "find a play date" feature. I realized that having this feature would require more information from the user at login, and would essentially create a dog + owner dating app.
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One participant said although she would love to schedule a play date for her dog, as a young single woman, she would be afraid to meet up with strangers at a park. I thought she made a great point, so that feature was removed. To compensate for this loss, in the final prototype, users look at dog parks and are able to see what other dogs are also interested in the same park, but cannot view any identifying information.
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This round of testing also made it clear that I needed more pages and depth to the app.
Site Architecture
After the user tests, my site map expanded significantly. In Steve Krug's book, Don't Make Me Think, he warns designers to be careful to not add too many new concepts after user testing. It seemed like an easy thing to do while reading the book. However, I thought my users all had great ideas - I wanted to add them all! Knowing what to add and what to dismiss was challenging but having a solid user persona helped me decide what is best for the user.
High Fidelity App Prototype
Expand the screen to play with the working prototype!