Park Hound App
Mobile app design
Project overview The challenge
As a dog owner, I often find that a short stroll around the neighborhood isn’t sufficient for my furry companion. It would be great if I could easily discover nearby dog parks without the hassle of sifting through search engine results and reading countless reviews. Finding a suitable place where my dog can run off leash and release all that pent-up energy can be challenging.
As a user, my ideal solution would be a centralized platform that provides a comprehensive list of dog parks close to my location. This platform should also include user reviews, ratings, and photos, allowing me to make an informed decision about the best spot to take my dog for an exhilarating off-leash adventure.
The solution
After reviewing the problem statement and available market services, I embarked on creating a range of concepts to fulfill the user’s needs. To begin, I brainstormed essential features for an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) solution and translated them into a low-fidelity wireframes. This prototype was then tested with dog owners to observe their response and potential usage pattern.
Through iterative testing and concept exploration, we refined our designs to better meet the user’s requirements. Utilizing an interactive wireframe prototype allowed us to identify issues early on and gather valuable feedback. This feedback inspired new ideas, including features such as a “share direction” functionality for arranging doggy playdates, weather updates, and integrating the Best Time app’s foot traffic API to determine the park’s busyness. These additions ensure that dog owners always know if their furry companions will have playmates (if their dog is social) or if they can enjoy a peaceful park visit all to themselves.
Armed with the additional insights, I created a high-fidelity design prototype that encompasses all the MVP features while incorporating the new ideas. This prototype will undergo testing with potential users to refine it further and prepare for development.
Throughout the product’s life cycle, I will continuously enhance the user experience by incorporating user feedback obtained through surveys and interviews. This iterative process will allow me to address any pain points and introduce additional features as needed.
Responsibilities Task involved
- Market research
- User research
- Technology research
- Wireframing
- User testing
- Design prototype