Pet sitting is a vital resource for pet owners dealing with the daily grind of work, health issues, or travel. This service involves three key users: the pet owner, the caregiver and of course, the pets! Wagmates is a pet sitting service that offers unique features to alleviate stressors for pet owners, caregivers, and the pets too.
I managed every aspect of this project solo, from conceptualization to handoff. Single-handedly, I navigated through discovery, research, design, and testing, all while adhering to a tightly managed schedule to meet the imminent deadline.
Pet sitting is a highly sought-after service among pet owners. However, current products available on the market often have concerning track records, leaving pet owners feeling anxious about leaving their beloved pets in the care of strangers. Pet owners lack a sense of control over their pets' well-being while they're away and desire a more convenient way to check in and ensure that their pets are receiving the expected care.
To really get what both pet owners and caregivers are after, we have to understand why owners feel good (or not-so-good) leaving their pets with others. And, let's figure out what caregivers need to keep things smooth and to keep pets and clients happy. To answer these questions, I will use three different research methodologies:
I conducted a thorough analysis of the current offerings in the market, including their features, pricing, and standard functionalities. This provided me with valuable insights into the competitive landscape and served as a foundation for determining the essential features to include in order to remain competitive. Additionally, it helped identify unique features that can be integrated into Wagmates to distinguish it from other products.
I distributed surveys to both pet owners and caregivers to gather insights into their experiences with existing market products, as well as their needs and pain points. The 28 responses I received challenged my preconceptions and provided valuable guidance on which areas to prioritize in my upcoming interviews. Surveys indicated that pet owners prefer to hire a sitter rather than board their pets, but they still struggle to place their trust in existing products.
I interviewed 5 people who had experience in owning pets and using services to find pet sitters, as well as people with pet sitting experience. I organized interview responses to identify recurring themes and issues. Among all participants, common themes included a general lack of trust in strangers to care for pets, a dislike of pet boarding due to small kennel areas and lack of cleanliness, and the perception that pet care feels too transactional.
Based on my research, I crafted Points of View (POV) statements that captured what people were saying. Then, I turned those insights into How Might We (HMW) questions, flipping challenges into opportunities for solutions. After considering several options, I selected the one that most closely resonated with the feedback gathered from surveys and user interviews.
Based on the POV statements and HMW questions, I built persona profiles for both pet owners and caregivers to reference throughout the design process so that I could make sure the product was relating to the common thread of needs & goals, and frustrations & pain points.
To really get what both pet owners and caregivers are after, we have to understand why owners feel good (or not-so-good) leaving their pets with others. And, let's figure out what caregivers need to keep things smooth and to keep pets and clients happy. To answer these questions, I will use three different research methodologies:
I conducted a thorough analysis of the current offerings in the market, including their features, pricing, and standard functionalities. This provided me with valuable insights into the competitive landscape and served as a foundation for determining the essential features to include in order to remain competitive. Additionally, it helped identify unique features that can be integrated into Wagmates to distinguish it from other products.
I distributed surveys to both pet owners and caregivers to gather insights into their experiences with existing market products, as well as their needs and pain points. The 28 responses I received challenged my preconceptions and provided valuable guidance on which areas to prioritize in my upcoming interviews. Surveys indicated that pet owners prefer to hire a sitter rather than board their pets, but they still struggle to place their trust in existing products.
I interviewed 5 people who had experience in owning pets and using services to find pet sitters, as well as people with pet sitting experience. I organized interview responses to identify recurring themes and issues. Among all participants, common themes included a general lack of trust in strangers to care for pets, a dislike of pet boarding due to small kennel areas and lack of cleanliness, and the perception that pet care feels too transactional.
Based on my research, I crafted Points of View (POV) statements that captured what people were saying. Then, I turned those insights into How Might We (HMW) questions, flipping challenges into opportunities for solutions. After considering several options, I selected the one that most closely resonated with the feedback gathered from surveys and user interviews.
Based on the POV statements and HMW questions, I built persona profiles for both pet owners and caregivers to reference throughout the design process so that I could make sure the product was relating to the common thread of needs & goals, and frustrations & pain points.
Numerous features could ease pet owners' concerns about leaving their pets with a stranger. Given the scale of the project and limited time, I had to determine which features to implement first and which ones to defer. I prioritized based on the frequency with which they were mentioned in my research.
Before proceeding with wireframing and usability testing, I created a sitemap to establish the screen hierarchy and structure.
I wanted a friendly and playful color palette, and a font to match. The bright and energetic colors pair with the playful logo design. The color palette and font selection was fully flushed out with accessibility in mind.
I designed responsive low fidelity wireframes for key screens involved in my desired user tasks. Once I was satisfied with the hierarchy of information, I developed high fidelity screens, prioritizing mobile, then designing for desktop after.
Numerous features could ease pet owners' concerns about leaving their pets with a stranger. Given the scale of the project and limited time, I had to determine which features to implement first and which ones to defer. I prioritized based on the frequency with which they were mentioned in my research.
Before proceeding with wireframing and usability testing, I created a sitemap to establish the screen hierarchy and structure.
I designed responsive low fidelity wireframes for key screens involved in my desired user tasks. Once I was satisfied with the hierarchy of information, I developed high fidelity screens, prioritizing mobile, then designing for desktop after.
Numerous features could ease pet owners' concerns about leaving their pets with a stranger. Given the scale of the project and limited time, I had to determine which features to implement first and which ones to defer. I prioritized based on the frequency with which they were mentioned in my research.
I designed responsive low fidelity wireframes for key screens involved in my desired user tasks. Once I was satisfied with the hierarchy of information, I developed high fidelity screens, prioritizing mobile, then designing for desktop after.
I developed user flows to illustrate the key pathways users will navigate while interacting with the app.
Numerous features could ease pet owners' concerns about leaving their pets with a stranger. Given the scale of the project and limited time, I had to determine which features to implement first and which ones to defer. I prioritized based on the frequency with which they were mentioned in my research.
Before proceeding with wireframing and usability testing, I created a sitemap to establish the screen hierarchy and structure.
I wanted a friendly and playful color palette, and a font to match. The bright and energetic colors pair with the playful logo design. The color palette and font selection was fully flushed out with accessibility in mind.
I adjusted a Material 3 kit with Kismet's branding to keep it simple for the development phase.
I designed responsive low fidelity wireframes for key screens involved in my desired user tasks. Once I was satisfied with the hierarchy of information, I developed high fidelity screens, prioritizing mobile, then designing for desktop after.
I developed user flows to illustrate the key pathways users will navigate while interacting with the app.
I recruited 6 participants for moderated user tests and had them complete 3 tasks on a high fidelity prototype to find any potential UX issues before launching the product. Success metrics were that users were able to complete all tasks within a reasonable amount of time and little to no errors.
Wins
Opportunities
Based on the results of the usability tests, I organized the feedback in an impact vs effort chart, starting from high impact/low effort. I was able to make all of the revisions on this chart within scope.
Following user interviews - and more importantly - incorporating users feedback into the final prototype, I became reassured that this product effectively meets users' needs and desires, enabling them to locate pet sitters and experience peace of mind during their absence.
Lessons learned:
Divide the design process into smaller, more digestible stages, and commence testing at the mid-fidelity stage to catch issues earlier. Integrate feedback consistently throughout the process to ensure that user-important features are implemented effectively.
