About
Snagie is an organization with the goal of providing shelter for animals and finding them new homes. They mostly work with adults between 22 and 50 years old, and most users are nature lovers and pet owners.
The goal is to provide a website and mobile app for easier communication and to find new pet owners or volunteers.
Project overview
My Role
UX designer creating a responsive website and mobile app from conception to delivery. Conducting research and interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low- and high-fidelity prototyping for responsive design, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
Project Goal
Design a website and mobile app with animal profiles to provide information and improve opportunities for prospective pet owners to meet and adopt pets. Additional features, such as an adoption plan and a donation page, help users learn about and support the organization.
User Research
I conducted research to gain insight and better understand the users I'm designing for and their needs. Through my study, I identified the primary user group as pet owners and nature lovers who are discouraged from adopting animals due to a lack of knowledge and time to put into finding their new pet.
I discovered that many individuals want to learn more about available pets and make plans before visiting a shelter to ensure that they are suitable pet owners and that they can meet their new pet in fewer steps to save time.
Understanding the User
Petar Vidak
Age: 23
Education: Biology student
Hometown: Split, Croatia
Family: Lives with parents
Occupation: Student
Goals
Have a balanced schedule between studying and caring for his pet.
Find a way to connect with a faraway animal shelter.
Help his family decide on adopting a new dog.
Frustrations
Not having enough time to volunteer and support the animal shelter.
“Sometimes, looking for a new pet can be overwhelming and time-consuming.”
“Being outside with my dog is best part of my day.”
Key Challenges
Information
Animal adoption websites are not providing enough information or online option for scheduling appointment.
Time
Too many forms or obligations before deciding on meeting a pet discourage people from scheduling appointment.
Easy access to pet information and images, and quick scheduling of appointments.
A short adoption form ensures that gathering information about potential pet owners is not time-consuming.
Starting the Design
Initial Design Concepts
The website's design was optimized for responsiveness on various screen sizes by iterating each page and organizing features. The conclusion was that a mobile app would have better functionality for smaller screens.
The homepage content was organized using a tiered-layer cake layout, making it easier for users to read and take action. The primary user path flow is prominent and designed to minimize user pain points.
Paper Wireframe
User testing results
I conducted two rounds of usability studies. Results from the first study helped me iterate and build from wireframes to mockups. In the second study on high-fidelity prototype, findings showed parts and elements that needed to be improved and refined.
01
Participants wanted more user-friendly features for pet searches.
02
Users would prefer to see more important information about the pet highlighted for easier reading.
03
A more descriptive reservation form would be helpful to users.
The layout of the reservation form has been modified, and new text fields have been added.
The pet information has been organized and highlighted for easier reading.
The Pet Card has been redesigned for more intuitive interaction.
The search and filter layouts have been modified to improve accessibility.
Sign-up and log-in buttons have been added for ease of access.
The Pet Card has been redesigned for more intuitive interaction.
