Woofie Match

The pet app connects dog owners in the area, making it easy for them and their furry friends to enjoy activities together. It's about bringing joy and community to pet lovers, one paw at a time.

How might we design a dog dating app that allows owners to find compatible playmates for their pets based on breed, size, and temperament?

Within this case study, I'll provide a detailed walkthrough of my approach to designing Woofie match by using design sprint.

Design Goals

The goal of the dog dating app is to provide a platform for people who love dogs to meet and make friends in their new neighborhood. The app should be visually appealing and easy to navigate for users of all ages and backgrounds.

Map

• Map

Day #1

Before I discovered what is essential for users, I had set the goal for the app:

Goal #1 Simplified Signup & Intuitive Profile Creation

Goal #2 Friendly dog matching system

I started the research with a competitive analysis to understand the users' needs and what these apps are doing well. I did this for four apps. Pawdates, Doggystyle, Gabby, and Fetchadate. This table shows what feathers provide for users for each application.

Competitive analysis

Analyzing the SWOT helped me realize something important: most competitors prioritize the owners over their dogs. This prompted me to take action and ensure our app pays equal attention to both owners and their furry friends, creating a more inclusive and engaging experience for everyone involved.

I also conducted a feature inventory to examine how competitor apps structure and organize their features.

After conducting a SWOT analysis of the four dog dating apps, it's clear that each app has its unique strengths and weaknesses.

How can I think like our users?

So, I did HMWs to generate creative and user-centered solutions while focusing on how to address the problem effectively. Asking these questions allows me to frame issues for ideation and helps me understand users' pain points.

And then I categorized them into groups.

I was curious about the specific information a dog owner is looking for on the dog dating app, so I decided to have conversations with five individuals to dive deeper into their thought processes and preferences.

an interview question

“What concerns might you have about meeting up with other dogs and their owners from an app?”

After synthesizing my user interview, I found a few 🔑 takeaways.

Sign-up process

Interviewees expressed a strong desire for a quick and easy sign-up process that is not time-consuming or requires too much personal information.

Dog Compatibility

Users emphasized that it is essential for the app to match compatible dogs based on breed, age, size, and other important factors. Users felt that it should be easy to find compatible dogs that share similar interests and habits.

Dog information

Users emphasized that it is crucial to have access to detailed information about dogs' behavior, training, and health conditions to ensure compatibility and prevent potential issues.

Location-based matching

Users preferred location-based matching that connects them with dogs in their neighborhood. They felt that this would make it easier to arrange meetups and playdates with compatible dogs and their owners.

Owner information

Users emphasized the importance of having access to the owner's information, including contact information and social media profiles, to prevent scams and ensure safety.

After the interview and survey insights, What can I use to systematically structure and prioritize insights as a primary focus throughout the project?

So, I created a persona and a journey map to track my design.

Based on the problems users shared, I created three user stories and 3 user flows, pulling together insights from my discovery phase research.

Sketch

Sketch •

Day #2

I used the four-step sketch to brainstorm an ideal what-if scenario, which helped me narrow the focus on how a real user would interact with my app.

Decide

Decide •

Day #3

Storyboard

After sketching, my vision for the design is clearer. Therefore, I created a storyboard to help me see the real picture of the situation when the users use the apps.

The story is about Betty who recently relocated to a new city with her beloved furry companions. She is eager to meet new people and include her dog in activities.

I also delved deeper into my research, focusing on heatmaps to really understand where users most often touch their phone screens, giving me insight into their natural habits and preferences.

Lo-Fi Protoypes

Prototype

Prototype •

Day #4

Visual Design

In my visual design concept, I wanted to make sure the dog photos really pop. So, I went with a clean white background to make them stand out. To draw attention to the action button, I opted for a bright and colorful design to make it inviting and easy to spot.

Name & Logo

I crafted a logo that's both adorable and meaningful. It features a heart with a gradient fill, matching the color of the call-to-action button. Combining "Woof" with "match" in the logo lets users know right away that this app is all about connecting dogs for meetups. To keep things friendly and approachable, I opted for the Nunito and Coiny fonts – they're round and sans-serif, adding to the app's cute and welcoming vibe.

It is important to me that my app is accessible to everyone. Therefore, I followed the accessibility standard. Each icon must be at least 48 pixels wide, and the font size should be at least 16 pixels to make it easy for people to click and read. In addition, I designed the app to use only two colors to avoid being a cutter.

Hi-Fi Prototypes

Usability Test

Usability Test •

Day #5

I conducted usability testing on Maze.co and

found many issues with my design.

So, I revisited my prototype and figured out how to address the problems.

It takes too long and too many pages to create a profile during the onboarding process.

Problems#1

Solution#1

I cut down on profile creation steps by merging pages to make the onboarding process quicker. Plus, I added progress indicators to keep users moving smoothly along.

After the onboarding process, users are confused about how to access the dog matching page.

Problems#2

After finishing the onboarding process, the user will be automatically redirected to the matching screen.

Solution#3

Users really want to dive deeper into learning about both the dog's owner and the dog itself.

Problems#3

Solution#2

I created and introduced a new page where users can explore more details about owners and their furry companions.

Final prototype

Learnings

Working on this project was truly rewarding. It gave me a deeper understanding of how important companionship and engagement are for dog owners like Justin. Collaborating with Justin was a breeze; his clear requirements and insights into dog owners' desires were invaluable.

However, I faced two main challenges: understanding the needs of dog owners and managing my time effectively. To tackle these, I delved into researching dog personalities and behaviors that resonate with users. I also adopted the design sprint method, which helped me stay organized and meet deadlines. It was a lesson in balancing each phase of the project; spending too much time on one aspect could slow progress and impact both Justin's experience and mine.

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