PawTinder - Pet Adoption App
One App to connect pet Adopters and shelters
Project
PawTinder
Timeline
October 2021 - March 2022
Target User
Pet Adopters, Pet Shelter Owners
Location
Siegen, Germany
Industry
Social Networking
Overview
The project was aimed at designing a mobile app that helps the process of adopting a pet from an animal shelter and create a more transparent process. While there are apps out there that try to do something similar, this one is focused on building a trusted and registered platform, which means the animals promoted on the app only come from registered and verified shelters/breeders. This is to avoid illegal animal trading from unknown sellers.
Design thinking (DT) approach was mainly used for completing this project. The steps are done iteratively and are indicated by the use of the curved lines along each process; understand, observe, point of View (POV), ideation, prototype, and testing.
My Role
User Research, Information Architecture and developing design concept UX & Usability Testing
Skills
Figma, Wireframing, Storyboarding, Evaluation Methods, UX Design, Design Thinking Model
Tools
35%
Improved Onboarding Completion
25%
Increase in User Retention
84%
Increase in Time Spent on App
Problem
Pet adoption platforms often lack verification, making the process risky and non-transparent. Adopters struggle to find pets from trustworthy sources, while shelters are overwhelmed and under-resourced.
Goal
Make pet adoption safer and more transparent
Help shelters manage and showcase adoptable pets more efficiently
Improve the user experience for both adopters and shelter staff
Key Challenges
Overcrowded Shelters: Limited resources make pet discovery difficult.
Illegal Pet Trading: Unverified sellers exploit adopters.
Poor UX: Existing apps lack intuitive design and unique features.
Solution
PawTinder is a mobile app that matches adopters with pets from registered and verified shelters only. Inspired by dating apps, it uses a swiping interface and includes features like:
Verified shelter listings
In-app messaging between adopters and shelters
Advanced filters for pet preferences
Simplified onboarding for shelter admins
The Old Design
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User Side Redesign
Design Process
The project followed the Design Thinking approach, which allowed us to continuously improve and iterate upon the design. Here's how we tackled each step:
Understand: We conducted user interviews and reviewed existing platforms to identify pain points.
Observe: We observed pet adopters interacting with shelter websites and apps to understand their challenges.
Define: The core problem was clear: making pet adoption easier, more transparent, and safer.
Ideation: We brainstormed several features, such as pet swiping (similar to Tinder), verified pet listings, and shelter messaging systems.
Prototyping: Using Figma, we created wireframes and prototypes.
Testing: We conducted usability testing with 20 participants, where the app was praised for its ease of navigation and simplicity, though users suggested adding more filtering options.
Shelter Side Design
Conclusion
PawTinder successfully streamlined the pet adoption process, prioritizing safety, transparency, and usability. The app helped bridge the gap between overcrowded shelters and adopters looking for a reliable and simple way to find their future pets.
Key Features
Pet Swiping: Inspired by Tinder's swipe-to-match feature, users can swipe through pet profiles and "adopt" a pet with a single action.
Verified Shelters: Only shelters and breeders that pass a verification process are allowed to list their pets.
Messaging: A built-in messaging system allows potential adopters to communicate directly with shelters, ensuring a secure and private conversation.
User Testing & Feedback
Ease of Use: 90% of users found the app easy to use.
Navigation: 75% were satisfied with the swiping feature.
Search Function: Users requested a search bar with filters for more efficient pet discovery.
Results & Outcome
The app resulted in a 25% increase in adoption requests at participating shelters. Users appreciated the transparency, with over 85% of adopters saying they would recommend the app to others.
