When I adopted my cat, it took some time for us both to adjust and fall into a happy routine.
I figured that I might not be the only person to struggle after bringing home a new pet, so I decided to learn about others’ experiences and pinpoint some common hurdles.
In my initial research, I discovered that the cost of vet care can be an unwelcome surprise for many new pet owners. This discovery prompted me to design an app that new pet owners can turn to for support and information.
Sole designer, independent project
Figma, Figjam
I knew I wanted to create an app for first-time pet owners, but I needed to identify a problem to tackle.
I planned to interview first-time dog and cat owners with the goal of understanding the key challenges they face. Then I could narrow in on a problem space.
In the time shortly before, and up to 1 year after, bringing home their first dog or cat:
I spoke with 5 people who had gotten their first dog or cat in the past 3 years. An affinity map helped me pick out patterns in the results.
I identified two key challenges faced by new pet owners.
I would need to select one of these two problems to pursue.
I considered the two problems I had identified. I noticed that while it wasn’t easy for my interviewees to adapt their lifestyles to pet ownership, the change was expected. On the other hand, the burden of vet care came as more of a shock.
To learn more, I dug into additional research about how vet costs impact pet owners.
No wonder the first-time pet owners I spoke with were caught off guard by vet care costs.
My research confirmed that this is a real issue that could benefit from novel solutions. Next, I needed to get specific in my focus.
I crafted two point of view statements expressing my users’ concerns to better connect with the problem. Then, I turned the POV statements into questions to guide my thinking.
I’d like to explore ways to help new dog and cat owners feel empowered to handle unexpected veterinary bills, so they can avoid future financial hardship and stress.
…help new pet owners feel empowered to handle unexpected future veterinary bills?
I’d like to explore ways to help new dog and cat owners learn about available pet insurance options, because they will have fewer choices once health issues arise later on.
…help new pet owners learn about pet insurance options?
Before considering solutions, I dug into the problem from multiple angles.
I began seeking out a range of products addressing the problem of paying for vet care. By understanding these products, I’d be able to develop a unique solution.
I developed personas with the intention of revisiting them throughout the design process.
I made sure that my personas represented a wide range of user needs. For example, “Nina,” would be likely to save money with pet insurance, while “Alex” might be better off without it. Nina has dog, while Alex has a cat.
By considering the needs of both personas, I would make sure my product served users in a variety of circumstances.
Up to this point, I had taken a user-focused perspective. I needed to think about business needs as well.
A venn diagram helped me consider where the needs of the business and the user might align or diverge.
In my competitor analysis, I found a lack of products offering thoughtful, personalized recommendations to help users prepare for potential future vet costs. So I decided to design a product filling this niche.
I brainstormed a list of possible features for this product. Then, I prioritized them based on two axes: necessity and effort to implement.
Using this matrix, I narrowed down the potential features to a set that I planned to pursue in an MVP design.
I created user and task flows for the “care planner” and other important features. This helped me take the perspective of a potential user and clarify what screens and interactions I would need to design.
Next, I considered navigation. How would users access the different features of the app?
In a site map diagram, I created a hierarchy of content. I also explored how the app might behave differently based on whether the user had completed the initial questionnaire.
I now had a sense of the structure of my app. I needed to tackle its appearance and function through iterative wireframes.
Before tackling brand design, I developed a set of business values to guide my decision-making. I selected a brand name, logo, color scheme, typography, and iconography to create a unified look embodying these values.
Empathetic. Approachable. Informed. Trustworthy. Interested.
Next, I researched best-practice design patterns. Then I applied the brand design to create a set of UI components.
My next step was uniting these components with the goal of creating a satisfying and effortless user experience.
My goals for usability testing were:
I planned to test the following flows:
I held live online usability tests with 5 people who owned dogs and/or cats. Then, I created an affinity map to pull out patterns.
I reviewed the results through the lens of success metrics like completion of the flow, comprehension, satisfaction, and utility of the product.
I was able to pinpoint several issues having to do with navigation, comprehension, and more.
I prioritized the issues uncovered in usability testing, then designed solutions.
How do I continue the recommendation?
(4/5 participants)
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
Users got stuck on the first screen of the recommendation, not realizing they needed to scroll down. This confusing navigation pattern has been broken into two screens to be consistent with the rest of the app.
How do I add a pre-existing condition?
(3/5 participants)
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
Some users found the process of adding a pet’s pre-existing condition unintuitive, expecting a drop-down or list. The design has been updated to a search overlay including a list of suggested options.
What does this question mean?
(3/5 participants)
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
The questionnaire asks two questions about users’ financial preferences. Some were unsure how to answer these questions, and wished for more specificity. Both questions have now been rewritten to be more specific.
Why is the back button down here?
(2/5 participants)
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
The placement of the back button in the recommendation was unexpected and didn’t match the questionnaire. Now, it’s at the top left for both flows.
What does pet insurance cover?
(2/5 participants)
Users may have interpreted the recommendation differently depending on how much they knew about pet insurance. I added a section in the recommendation about how pet insurance works, with a link to learn more. The word “premium” has also been changed to the more accessible “rate.”
Health risks—oh no!
(2/5 participants)
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
The app’s health risks feature brought up anxiety for two users. The copy around health risks has been rewritten to shift the tone toward prevention/education rather than suggesting the pet is “at risk”.
This prototype incorporates the changes made based on my usability test findings.
If I were to continue pursuing this project, I would:
