I participated in a modified Google Ventures Design Sprint brought by Bitesize UX. They provided me with the primary research for this project. My role was to synthesize the data, brainstorm solutions, design, and test them.
A Design Sprint is a 5-day structured process for rapidly solving design challenges and creating innovative solutions through ideation, prototyping, and user testing to validate ideas and iterate towards a final design.
I had set a target to finish the project within 5 days, but it took me 9 days to complete it.
Empathy Map
Wireframes
Prototyping
User Testing
Figma, Miro, Notion, Userberry, Descript
CityPups is an exciting new startup on a mission to assist urban dwellers in finding their dream furry friend to adopt. CityPups understands that when considering welcoming a dog into your city, finding the perfect match for your lifestyle and needs is crucial.
Through extensive research and interviews, CityPups has uncovered a critical insight: every person and city lifestyle is unique, and finding the perfect dog to adopt requires a tailored approach.
Provide a personalized and seamless experience that leads to lasting and fulfilling connections between caregivers and their furry companions.
🧡 Emotional Connection
The personalized experience helps potential dog caregivers connect emotionally with the adoption process.
🧡 Enhanced Compatibility
The comprehensive survey gathers detailed information about potential dog caregivers' lifestyles, preferences, and needs.
Transforming Goals into Action
To understand and connect with the problem, I took a deep dive into CityPups‘ long-term vision: increase the adoption rate to create happier dog caregivers and improve “forever” homes for dogs. From there, I turned this big goal into a sprint question: How can CityPups help people looking to adopt a dog find their perfect furry companion?
Increase the adoption rate to create happier dog caregivers and improve “forever” homes for dogs.
How can CityPups help people looking to adopt a dog find their perfect furry companion?
Identifying User Pain Points
Affinity Map. After analyzing the research findings and creating an affinity map, three key highlights stood out for prospective dog owners when considering adopting a dog: characteristics & behavior, household type, and adoption information.
User Journey Map. It was time to map out the end-to-end experience to understand the steps a potential pet caregiver would need to take to find the right dog to adopt. The journey map also helped narrow a broad challenge to a specific target.
Turning challenges into opportunities
After identifying prospective dog caregivers' challenges, it was time to reframe them into opportunities and decide which focus area to target.
Capturing ideas from other sites
Day two started with venturing into the online world and finding inspiration for my solution. While I found examples from CityPup’s competitors, I also looked at sites outside the competitors’ industry.
👍 I can find an answer to my question
Carvana’s “Car Finder” provides a straightforward, user-friendly quiz to guide users in answering, “What car should I get?”
👍 I know how the process works
Wags & Walks’ insightful guide on the adoption process provides essential information, particularly for new caregivers.
I am confident in finding what I need
Having experienced the confidence a car finder quiz instilled, I decided to create a similar tool for prospective dog caregivers.
Sketching possible solutions
It was time to grab pen & paper and start generating solutions. I used the four-step sketch method involving notes, ideas, Crazy 8’s, and solution sketches.
Notes & Ideas. Putting my thoughts on paper helped me realize that I must focus on a matching survey, a critical step in the adoption process.
Crazy 8’s. This exercise helped me quickly picture different solution variations to choose the best solution.
Creating a blueprint for critical screens
On day three, I chose the best solution from Crazy 8’s exercise and created simplified wireframes, showing how a user would navigate through CityPups website.
- The user lands on CityPups’ home page and navigates to the matching process.
- The user completes a tailored lifestyle and preferences survey for potential dog matches.
- After the survey, the user reviews and confirms their responses before proceeding.
- The user lands on the survey result page with a dog selection that matches their lifestyle and preferences.
Logo Color Change
I've refreshed the CityPups logo with a serene Burnt Umber hue to create a calm environment that balances users' excitement and nerves while they seek their furry companion. The subtle change promotes a comfortable and easy user experience.
Breathing life into wireframes
On day four, I refined the simplified wireframes into a comprehensive prototype that accurately mirrored the final product to improve user engagement during the usability test.
Hero Section. This section aims to catch the users’ attention with a captivating image, a strong headline, and a brief intro to CityPups. It also features a noticeable call to action (CTA) that invites users to start their journey toward finding the perfect canine companion.
“How It Works”. This section outlines the process users follow, guiding them to the next step with a clear call to action.
Adoption Success Stories. This section spotlights joyful adoption journeys from our satisfied users, inspiring confidence and enthusiasm in potential adopters.
Emphasizing user feedback
On the fifth day, with the interactive prototype ready and all the necessary elements in place, it was time to conduct a usability test. The user testing phase allowed me to measure the prototype’s effectiveness and identify areas that needed further refinement.
To understand the needs & expectations of potential adopters.
To identify what aspects users find most valuable and what improvements I could make.
Moderated remote usability test
Length: 30-minute session via Zoom
5 participants
Determine the relevance of the survey questions from the user's perspective.
Identify any gaps in the questionnaire that could better address user needs.
Radio Button Selection
Participants could select multiple radio buttons simultaneously.
Recommendation
Update the radio buttons’ functionality only to allow a single selection.
Skipping Review Step
One participant (#4) expected to see the matches right after clicking the “Next Step” button.
Recommendation
Add the “Skip” button. Users can skip the review step to cater to different user preferences.
Initial Dog Browsing
One participant (#5) preferred initially browsing through pictures of available dogs before taking the matching survey. This feature is currently not included in the website’s design.
Recommendation
Include a feature that allows users to browse available dogs before taking the survey.
⏳
Time Management
The tight schedule kept me deeply involved each day, and I was able to make decisions more easily thanks to the straightforward results and valuable user insights.
📆
Tight Deadline
Initially, I planned to finish the Sprint Design in 5 days, but it took me 9 days. As I dove into designing and prototyping, the timeline adjusted to accommodate the actual pace of the work. Admittedly, I hesitated to recruit usability test participants too early, so I waited until the design stage was halfway complete before starting that process.
👋🏼
Thank you for reading!
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