Case Study
Smart Walk
The Problem
Dog owners often struggle to find reliable and convenient solutions for walking their dogs. While some have the time to walk their pets, others face challenges like busy schedules, physical limitations, or travel. Additionally, finding qualified walkers who understand canine behavior and meet their pets needs is a common concern.
The Goal
The goal is to provide dog owners with a reliable, convenient platform to connect with trusted, qualified dog walkers. Smart Walk will allow owners to schedule walks, track their pets' activities, and make secure payments, while offering dog walkers an efficient way to manage their schedules and earn income.
My Role and Duration
Lead Designer designing a dog walking app from conception to delivery
Responsibilities
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
User Research
I conducted interviews and created user journey maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. A primary user group identified through research was working adults who don’t have time to walk their dogs, or those with accessibility needs.
My research revealed that time was not the only factor limiting others from walking their pets. Other users problems include other health challenges and weather that make it difficult to walk their dogs.
User Pain Points
1
Reliability
Users want to book dog walkers they can trust
2
Accessibility
Platforms for walking dogs are not equipped with assistive technology
3
Recurring Walks
Most dog walking apps do not offer the option for recurring dog walks
Alejandra is our user persona, she wants to focus on her non-profit organization, however, Alejandra is always exhausted from working long hours, she wants to find a caretaker that's budget friendly to take care of her pet, Molly.
Mapping Alejandra’s user journey revealed how helpful it would be for user’s to have a reliable dog walking app.
Digital Wireframes
As the initial design phase continued, I made sure to base my designs on feedback and findings from user research.
Easy navigation was key to address in the design, in addition to equipping the app to work with assistive technology
Usability Study Findings
Round 1 Findings
Users want to add multiple dogs
in their booking
Users want an indication when
they are scrolling or selecting an
option
Users want to eliminate redundant
information
Round 2 Findings
Users would like a search bar
engine to type in their zip code
User’s want to include a GPS
feature so they can track their
walker
Users wants visual cues when
confirming a booking
High Fidelity Prototype
Homescreen
Early designs allowed for some customization, but after the usability study, I decided to include a search bar where user’s can enter their zip code to help find the nearest dog walker to them.
The second usability study revealed how user’s would prefer to have a GPS feature built in the app. This will help and ease the user because they can view where their pet is located, as well as contact the dog walker in case of emergencies.
High Fidelity Flow
Accessibility Considerations
Haptic feedback was incorporated so users can feel when they are scrolling or clicking buttons
Used icons to help make navigation easier
Made sure the color contrast followed WCAG guidelines so user’s don’t strain their eyes