Case Study:
North Willow Animal Shelter Website
The product:
Responsive website for an animal shelter with a pet adoption user flow
Project duration:
2 months | March 2023 - May 2023
Self-directed project
My role:
UX research, UI design, visual design
Responsibilities:
User research, wireframing, prototyping, creating low-fidelity and high-fidelity mockups, user testing
Tools used:
Adobe XD
Project overview
“How might we create a responsive website where users can quickly and easily find an available pet that’s the right fit for their lifestyle?”
The solution
The problem:
North Willow Animal Shelter needs a website that allows users to view pets available for adoption and complete the application process.
The goal:
Create a responsive website that showcases pets available for adoption and walks the user through the application process.
The solution I created is a responsive website that walks the user through the pet adoption process with speed and ease.
The process
An empathy map was created to understand the needs of users. I identified two primary user groups: users who had never adopted a pet before, and users who had already adopted a pet. The first set of users would need a clear and easy process that would walk them through every step. The second set of users would want a streamlined process since they are already familiar with pet adoption.
Animal personality details are a mystery unless the pet’s bio has this information
No option for paperless adoption forms
Pain points
No detailed adoption process listed on website for new pet parents
Personas
Eleanor is a young professional who needs an easy way to search for kittens that match her lifestyle because she’s new to pet parenthood.
“I want to adopt a kitten, but I’ve never had pets before and I have no idea where to start.”
Goal: Adopt a kitten who is cuddly and loving but low maintenance.
Rob is a busy marketing executive and seasoned dog owner who needs a quick way to search for dogs available for adoption because he doesn’t have a lot of free time.
“My dog is getting older, and I want him to have a companion to play with while my wife and I are at work.”
Goal: Adopt a dog that will keep their current dog active and engaged while he and his wife are at work all day.
Journey maps
The North Willow Animal Shelter website will offer the following:
Animal “id cards” that include each adoptable animal’s photo, name, age, and other pertinent information
Appointment scheduling so users know that an adoption counselor will be available when they arrive
Ability to fill out adoption paperwork and pay adoption fees online
A section for new pet parents to read about the adoption process, what is required of a new pet parent, and a supplies checklist
Competitive audit
Opportunities
Adoption application form could be available on website
Adoption process should be clearly defined for first-time pet adopters
Brand voice could be lighthearted and humorous
Animal detail pages could include animal “id cards” with photos and pertinent information.
Use bulleted lists, iconography, photos, videos, and headings to break up content
Include an accessibility widget
Create an adoption supplies list for new pet parents
Make adoption fees easy to pay online
Create an online appointment scheduler so users can select a date and time to visit the shelter
Include a link to Google Maps to make it easy for users to plan their route to the shelter
Value proposition
Information architecture
Ideation
Next step: Usability study
Research is being conducted now. Details are forthcoming.
Let’s connect!
Thank you for taking the time to read this case study. I’d love to hear your thoughts on my work!