ROLE Product Strategy · Research · Ideation · UX · UI
TEAM 2 Engineers · 1 Designer (UX team of one)
METHODOLOGY Hybrid, Scrum+Kanban (remote side project)
TOOLS Sketch · Framer · Illustrator · Zeplin · Trello
DURATION 2018 · 2020 (18 months)
BACKGROUND
In Chile, over 50% of people are pet owners, facing challenges in discovering pet-friendly places, managing medical records, and finding like-minded pet owners. Guami is a one-stop solution for sharing experiences and connecting with the community. Despite the project not being launched, my involvement in shaping the user-centric design journey was a valuable experience, emphasizing the platform's goal of simplifying the lives of pet enthusiasts and promoting responsible ownership.
THE CHALLENGE
NAVIGATING INFORMATION FRAGMENTATION
Chilean pet owners struggle to find all the information they need in one place. Current methods, such as navigating different websites or relying on word of mouth, affect their satisfaction and overall user experience.
NAVIGATING INFORMATION FRAGMENTATION
Chilean pet owners struggle to find all the information they need in one place. Current methods, such as navigating different websites or relying on word of mouth, affect their satisfaction and overall user experience.
GOAL
ONE-STOP SOLUTION FOR RESPONSIBLE PET CARE
Develop an app for pet owners, designed to foster community, enhance satisfaction, and streamline their lives through various features, all with a focus on promoting responsible pet ownership. The app aims to create a supportive network for like-minded individuals in a convenient one-stop solution.
ONE-STOP SOLUTION FOR RESPONSIBLE PET CARE
Develop an app for pet owners, designed to foster community, enhance satisfaction, and streamline their lives through various features, all with a focus on promoting responsible pet ownership. The app aims to create a supportive network for like-minded individuals in a convenient one-stop solution.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
ENTERING A GROWING MARKET
A significant opportunity exists to enter and dominate the Chilean pet app market. The sector witnessed impressive growth from 2012 to 2017, with a 92% increase, generating USD 800 million in sales. Projections for 2022 anticipate sales to rise further, reaching USD 1,153 million, representing 8% of the projected LATAM sales. (Albertini, 2017)
ENTERING A GROWING MARKET
A significant opportunity exists to enter and dominate the Chilean pet app market. The sector witnessed impressive growth from 2012 to 2017, with a 92% increase, generating USD 800 million in sales. Projections for 2022 anticipate sales to rise further, reaching USD 1,153 million, representing 8% of the projected LATAM sales. (Albertini, 2017)
DEFINITION
SETTING THE FOUNDATION
Working on a side project undertaken by a small team with time constraints, it was essential to define an MVP to test with users and see how the solution would iterate. The initial decision to build the product on iOS was pragmatic, driven by the expertise available, considering Android development for future stages. My role involved leading the entire design process end-to-end, leveraging my user-centric design thinking and decision-making skills.
SETTING THE FOUNDATION
Working on a side project undertaken by a small team with time constraints, it was essential to define an MVP to test with users and see how the solution would iterate. The initial decision to build the product on iOS was pragmatic, driven by the expertise available, considering Android development for future stages. My role involved leading the entire design process end-to-end, leveraging my user-centric design thinking and decision-making skills.
RESEARCH
UNDERSTANDING PET OWNERS IN CHILE
To understand our users, identify specific behavior patterns, and the market, I did desktop research, 3 online surveys with +90 participants, and interviewed 10 pet owners from Chile.
UNDERSTANDING PET OWNERS IN CHILE
To understand our users, identify specific behavior patterns, and the market, I did desktop research, 3 online surveys with +90 participants, and interviewed 10 pet owners from Chile.
DESKTOP RESEARCH
• Chile's 2017 Cholito Law (Law 21.020) mandates responsible pet ownership, requiring pet registration, microchip implantation, and accountability for their well-being and any damages caused marking a milestone in Chilean society. (ChileAtiende)
• Chile's 2017 Cholito Law (Law 21.020) mandates responsible pet ownership, requiring pet registration, microchip implantation, and accountability for their well-being and any damages caused marking a milestone in Chilean society. (ChileAtiende)
• In Chile, 6 out of 10 households own pets, predominantly dogs (52%) and cats (25%). Most households have more than one pet, and 70% of owners take their pets to the veterinarian, incurring an average monthly expense of USD 34.51. (GFK 2018)
• In 2018, over 65,000 pets were registered in Chile. By 2021, registrations soared to 1.5 million, with over 400,000 pets neutered. Dogs and cats constitute the majority, with mixed-breed dogs being the most registered (608,439). (Subdere)
SURVEYS & INTERVIEWS
WHAT IS IN THE MARKET?
While benchmarking apps in Chile, few were found, primarily related to lost and found pets or adoption. Laika, a similar app, was removed from major app stores. SOSAFE, a security-oriented app, allows reporting lost and found pets but lacks a specific focus on pets. Compared to other countries, Chile lacks dedicated apps for pets, with a limited presence on Instagram and Facebook accounts recommending pet-friendly places or selling accessories.
While benchmarking apps in Chile, few were found, primarily related to lost and found pets or adoption. Laika, a similar app, was removed from major app stores. SOSAFE, a security-oriented app, allows reporting lost and found pets but lacks a specific focus on pets. Compared to other countries, Chile lacks dedicated apps for pets, with a limited presence on Instagram and Facebook accounts recommending pet-friendly places or selling accessories.
PROCESS
IDEATION, EXPLORATION & DESIGN
IDEATION, EXPLORATION & DESIGN
In the process of sketching, creating flows, and iterating designs, I prioritized easy and intuitive navigation for users. For the scope of this case study, I will delve into the MVP features "Community" and "Pet-friendly places & services." Considering their prevalence in Chile, we specifically chose to build the app for dog and cat owners.
FEATURE "COMMUNITY"
Users can contribute under the six main categories that pet owners are interested in: Dogs, Cats, Food, Entertainment, Health, and Grooming. They have the ability to post and save comments, upload photos, and like the content. This feature was developed to provide pet owners with a dedicated space to engage with others who share similar interests, fostering a sense of community. Originally, we called this feature "Questions," but we changed it to "Community" because users found it confusing for a section.
Users can contribute under the six main categories that pet owners are interested in: Dogs, Cats, Food, Entertainment, Health, and Grooming. They have the ability to post and save comments, upload photos, and like the content. This feature was developed to provide pet owners with a dedicated space to engage with others who share similar interests, fostering a sense of community. Originally, we called this feature "Questions," but we changed it to "Community" because users found it confusing for a section.
FEATURE "PET-FRIENDLY PLACES & SERVICES"
The feature allows users to search for pet-friendly places and services, providing georeferenced results in both map and list views. Users can write reviews, save their favorite places, and access essential information such as the name, address, and website of each location, along with community reviews. This feature was designed to assist pet owners in discovering places and related pet services and also presents an opportunity for potential partnerships with businesses to generate revenue.
The feature allows users to search for pet-friendly places and services, providing georeferenced results in both map and list views. Users can write reviews, save their favorite places, and access essential information such as the name, address, and website of each location, along with community reviews. This feature was designed to assist pet owners in discovering places and related pet services and also presents an opportunity for potential partnerships with businesses to generate revenue.
WHAT USERS SAY
VALIDATING THE DESIGN
I did usability tests with pet owners from Chile under moderated video calls. Users could complete all the tasks with "Pet-friendly places & services." They reacted satisfied with the experience and excited with the idea. Otherwise, In the "Community" section, users struggled to select the filters and recognize the icons. I iterated the screens, which had less friction in the later usability test.
VALIDATING THE DESIGN
I did usability tests with pet owners from Chile under moderated video calls. Users could complete all the tasks with "Pet-friendly places & services." They reacted satisfied with the experience and excited with the idea. Otherwise, In the "Community" section, users struggled to select the filters and recognize the icons. I iterated the screens, which had less friction in the later usability test.
• Orange selection: (#1) Participants struggled to select the categories while looking for category names. I added a label (#2) to each icon, and users understood and could complete the task.
• Red selection: (#1) Users were initially confused with a microcopy and didn't relate the tab "followed" to favorites posts. To improve clarity, I changed the tab to "favorited" (#2).
• Blue selection: (#1) Participants took time to like a question and were confused between the star and the paw. Despite the initial attempt to innovate with the "paw" for liking, I followed their mental models and changed it to a "heart" icon (#2), improving user understanding. After this adjustment, users encountered no problems liking content.
LAST THOUGHTS
CONCLUSION
After constant research, we added two additional features to our MVP based on identified user needs, prioritizing the development of a robust solution over an early release. Prospector users were interested and willing to use it, but unfortunately, the project was put on standby due to the challenges posed by the pandemic in 2020. This unforeseen circumstance affected the planned timeline and development trajectory, leading to not launching the project as initially intended, and also because the restrictions in South America were stricter compared to the USA, would affect features related to on-site activities.
CONCLUSION
After constant research, we added two additional features to our MVP based on identified user needs, prioritizing the development of a robust solution over an early release. Prospector users were interested and willing to use it, but unfortunately, the project was put on standby due to the challenges posed by the pandemic in 2020. This unforeseen circumstance affected the planned timeline and development trajectory, leading to not launching the project as initially intended, and also because the restrictions in South America were stricter compared to the USA, would affect features related to on-site activities.
