City Pups
City Pups is a new start for city animal lovers wanting to adopt a dog, and for those who have trouble finding pets for their lifestyle. Many people struggle to find dogs that have the personality to live in a small place and require less activity.
We want to create a page that will allow city dwellers to easily find information on pets that fit their lifestyle to adopt.
Project contraints
This project was modeled as a Design Sprint, where i was able to run through the whole design process in a 5 day work week. Taking the time to do a different process each day for the project. Due to the limited amount of time for the project my designs are rough idea of what the web browser would ultimately look like.
Day 1: Mapping
We began the process by understanding our users and what they wanted from our website. We found that users wanted a system that allowed them to search for quality’s or characteristics they wanted in their pet. While making it simple to find in their area.
Using the information from the user interviews done on the first day I was able to create a site map that would provide a rough idea for the site.
Day 2 & 3: Sketching and story boarding
Using the the site map I began sketching out possible designs by doing a crazy eights exercise to brainstorm ideas. Using the eight screens I was able to pick out two ideas that i ended up incorporating into my sketches and story boards.
I Wanted to create a design that allowed users to either take a quiz or just check off the things they were looking for in a pet. I chose this system so it would be easier to narrow down options for pets if the user was able to pick what they wanted.
Day 4: Prototype
Using the sketches i created I now had a rough draft for when the real work began on the wireframe and prototype of my design. I created a design that was simple and straight to the point as soon as the page opened. With options for the user to follow for what ever their needs.
Day 5: Testing
On the final day, 5 participants were tested to experience the prototype for City Pups. I found that users were overwhelmed by the way the checklist feature was created and they thought it would be beneficial to add filters to the screens so they could filter out certain aspects. Participants did like the idea of being able to search for their needs when looking for a pet. I think this design was on the right track with some features that needed to be reworked.
What I Learned:
The design sprint experience was very different from my other projects, I found it interesting to try to quickly come up with ideas and create a working prototype in 5 days. I think it is a good tool to use when under a short deadline to create a good framework for a project. This project taught me that I can be more creative than i give myself credit for. It can be difficult for me to try and come up with creative ideas on the spot especially under a short time constraint. That is how it is sometimes, so i am glad i was able to use this as experience for the future.