Portfolio 2025
PETOK
Description
A platform aims to create a harmonious environment for all pet lovers and a better life for pets.
Client
Self-initiated
Year
Aug-Sep 2022
Category
UI/UX Design, Mobile App Design, UX Research, ToC
Role
UI/UX Designer, UX researcher
overveiw
The Problem
Studies have shown that pets can bring various benefits to human-beings, physically, biologically, and psychologically. Despite all the advantages, a lot of first-time pet owners are feeling anxious about bringing a pet to their lives -- first time pet owner anxiety. There are also other factors that prevent people who want to have a pet from adopting.
Moreover, shelters/fosters as well as pets are facing difficulties such as euthanization especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall Process
How Can We help pets not only survive but also have a better life and provide a smoother and concern-free environment for pet-lovers and their pets?
RESEARCH
Background Research
Benefits of Having A Pet
Pet owners over age 65 make 30% fewer visits to doctors than those without pets
Exercise time of dog owners is 2X than recommended
Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without
Kids growing up in a home with "furred animals" have less risk of allergies and asthma
Health
Pets help reduce anxiety, loneliness, and depression
People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without
Dogs can help children with ADHD focus their attention
Children with autism spectrum disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs
Mental
Physical security including help with medical emergency
Adding structure and routine to your day
Bringing new responsibilities and learning how to care
Building a bridge for those social interactions
General
The Need of Adopting A Pet
1.5 million pets are euthanized each year due to pet overpopulation
Mass breeding facilities force pets to repeatly give birth in intolerable environments
Roughly 6.5 million animals enter shelters each year but only 3.2 million(49.23%) are adopted.
Stakeholder Research
Based on the background research, the stakholders are devided into 3: shelters, pet lovers, and pet owners. I conducted both secondary and primary research using survey that has reached 17 people and semi-structured interview with 5 participants.
Top 3 Concerns, Adopters & Shelters A Pet
Breeder, Shelters, and Charities
About 34% of pets are purchased from breeders, while 23% are adopted from a shelter. Although 100% participants have frequently seen ads about animal shelters in their daily life, only 14.3% reported that they are sponsoring animal charities.
Research Insights
The adoption process isn’t streamline enough as well as the follow-up work
Cluster information tends to add difficulties to the adoption process
The difficulty of accessing information on tips of taking care of pets affects decisions, especially for first-time pet owners
The ads of supporting animal shelters are not efficient enough.
Lack of funding causes short-staffing as well as limited spaces
Overcrowding of pets in one space can spread uncured diseases
Conflicts exist between knowing benefits of a pet and having the abilities of adopting one
Compatibility with the pet
Feeling anxious before deciding to adopt the first pet
market Research
I conducted a market research of the trending apps and platforms based on their functions using binary opposition analysis in the categories of UGC (user generated content) media, Single source feed, pet adoption specific, and generic.
SWOT Analysis & Role-Play Research
Design Goals
Based on research, I set the goals based on the time and effort needed.
ideation
To visualize my ideas, I choose the method of design charrettes embeded with my design goals.
concept development
Based on the sketches, I removed the point accumalation in idea 1 and combined with profile page #4. The option of purchasing the products wa moved to the upper screen so that it’s easier for users to notice it. #2 & #5 are combined onto the product page. Support function is added to #3.
System Map
uI Library
Typography & Colors
Components
Illustrations & Icons
final design
FRE/On Boarding
Key Feature 1 - Videos
This page is also serve as the landing page when user open the app to make sure users have the adequate knowledge before adopting a pet.
Popup notification window at the side when recommended products, events, or pet for adoptoin is shown in the video
Treat function at the side for donation not only help shelters raise fundings but also give users who cannot adopt a pet the opportunity to raise a pet virtually.
Save enables users to save tips for review in the future.
Q&A section allows users to directly ask about their concerns to professionals.
Key Feature 2 - Match Scores
Match score helps users to select and filter pets
Characteristics of pets are listed clearly
Without finishing 10 tutorials as a first-time pet owner, the adoption process will not be successful
Key Feature 3 - Market Place
Shop page enables users to shop either by pet or product categories.
Detailed feeding instructions are embedded in each product detail page
Floating buttons make it easier for user to find and click
Certain percentage of revenue will be donated to animal charities
Notification of revenue donation is hide at the side for non-first-time app users for both cleaner interface and reminder
Key Feature 4 - Volunteer
Categories are seperated into “Volunteer” and “Support” (which is donation)
Users can browse the nearby events to participate
The support section are divided into living, food, and health
Volunteer page allows not only pet lovers to volunteer and be immersed in the pet environment but also pet owners to join the event.