My Organic Dog Mobile App​
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The Product
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“My Organic Dog” is a dog food nutrition tracker app that allows you to analyze the nutrition of organic dog food brands and compare them and also track your dogs nutrition.
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Timeline
June - July 2023 | 2 Months
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My role
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Lead UX Designer, overseeing every stage of the product development lifecycle.
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My responsibilities
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Conducting user interviews, creating wireframes and prototypes, conducting usability studies, addressing accessibility, iterating on designs and overseeing branding and logo design.
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Tools
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Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Miro
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Background
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This mobile app was created for the Google UX Certification class.
my organic dog case study.
Project Overview​
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The Problem
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Design a nutrition tracking app for Organic Dogfood.
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The Goal
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The aim of our project is to develop an Organic Dog Food Tracker App designed to assist users in monitoring their dogs' nutrition effectively. Targeting dog owners who prioritize their pets' well-being and professional dog breeders/trainers, the app will provide tailored information to ensure optimal nutrition for dogs. Effectiveness will be assessed by tracking individual dogs' health improvements and longevity through the app, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of canine well-being and longevity.
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User Research​
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Conducting user interviews and developing empathy maps provided valuable insights into the personas and needs of our target audience. Through this research, we identified a primary user group consisting of professional dog trainers, breeders, and athletic competitors. This group validated our initial assumptions about the Organic Dog Food nutrition app, yet uncovered critical gaps in user awareness and functionality.
Specifically, users expressed a lack of alerts regarding new dog foods on the market and challenges understanding ingredient names and comparisons between foods. Additionally, there was a notable absence of guidelines based on breed and weight for determining appropriate dietary requirements for dogs. These findings underscore the importance of addressing these user needs to enhance the app's effectiveness and user satisfaction.
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Pain Points
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Tracking
Dog food ingredients are hard to track and they have varying ingredients
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Glossary
Identifying the
ingredients is not enough - users need to know what each ingredient actually is.
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Comparisons
It is hard to compare two or more dog foods by its nutrition.
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Guidelines
It is hard to know exactly what is a healthy diet for a dog.
User Personas:​
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"Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to
listen"
Primary Persona description, Gary
Through interviews and research, Gary emerged as the primary user persona for "My Organic Dog," encapsulating the needs, values, goals, and frustrations of our target audience. As a professional dog breeder and trainer who participates in competitions nationwide, Gary's dedication to his dogs' health and performance is paramount. With dyslexia, Gary faces challenges in navigating the complexities of dog nutrition while on the road, where competitions take him.
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His primary goal is to ensure his dogs remain athletic and strong to excel in agility competitions, driving his desire to choose dog food wisely and knowledgeably. However, Gary is frustrated by the difficulty in keeping track of his dogs' nutrition during travels, deciphering ingredient labels efficiently, and staying informed about new dog food options. Understanding Gary's persona is crucial in tailoring the app to meet his specific needs and alleviate his frustrations, ultimately enhancing his dogs' well-being and performance.
Infinity Board:
User Journey Map​
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User Journey Map for Primary Persona
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Based on Gary's persona and his goals of choosing dog food wisely and knowledgeably, a user journey map was crafted to organize and prioritize his experience within the "My Organic Dog" app. The journey map delineates each stage of Gary's interaction with the app, from initial exploration to decision-making and post-purchase evaluation.
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It highlights key touchpoints and pain points along the way, such as researching ingredient information and staying updated on new dog food options. By visualizing Gary's journey, the map enables us to identify opportunities for enhancing usability and providing tailored support at critical moments, ultimately guiding Gary toward informed and confident decision-making regarding his dogs' nutrition.
Brand Development​
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Logo Creation
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In the design journey for the logo of the "My Organic Dog" app, a remarkable and unique occurrence transpired—an emblematic creation emerged in a single iteration, encapsulating the essence of the app's mission and values with astounding clarity. The concept materialized effortlessly, depicting leaves intertwined to form a harmonious composition, symbolizing the organic nature of the app's focus on dog nutrition and health. Positioned atop the foliage is a dog profile, elegantly integrated to signify the central role of canine companionship within the app's framework.
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The color palette of forest and bright green was deliberately chosen to evoke feelings of freshness, vitality, and organic vitality, resonating with the app's emphasis on natural and wholesome nutrition for dogs. While it is uncommon for a design process to yield such an outcome without iterations, the creation of the logo underscores the alignment between our vision and the app's brand identity.
Final My Organic Dog Logo in Color
UI Design - UI Kit
This UI Kit graphic serves as a foundational resource for digital product design, consolidating essential design components, patterns, and guidelines into a centralized repository. Its purpose is to expedite the design process while ensuring consistency and coherence across user interfaces. By providing designers with reusable building blocks such as buttons, forms, typography styles, and icons, the UI Kit streamlines workflow, fosters collaboration, and promotes adherence to brand guidelines. Its versatility enables scalability and evolution over time to accommodate new design patterns and features, ultimately contributing to the delivery of high-quality digital products.
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User Interface Kit for My Organic Dog
Starting the design​
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Architecture
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The depicted user flow in the sitemap commences from the onboarding screen, guiding users through their journey via the profile view, where comprehensive information is consolidated. Within the main menu, users can access sections such as Pet's Profile, Pet's Food, Food Database, Glossary, and Help, facilitating seamless navigation and access to essential features and resources.
My Organic Dog Web Application Sitemap
Ideation: Paper Wireframes
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Using the comprehensive sitemap and user flows tailored to the My Organic Dog mobile app, we conceptualized paper wireframes. These wireframes serve as foundational blueprints, delineating the app's layout and functionality in a tangible and iterative manner. Adopting a user-centric approach, we prioritized mobile usability, recognizing the prevalence of smartphone usage among our target audience.
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6 Iterations of Paper Wireframes for Pet Profile Screen
The paper wireframes focused on optimizing user interaction and accessibility. Various design elements, including circular and rectangular photos, were strategically positioned to enhance visual appeal and usability. The menu layout—exploring top and bottom menus—was incorporated to facilitate intuitive navigation, ensuring access to key features such as the pets section, food section, health log, glossary, and help area.
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A rotating menu positioned in the bottom right corner of the screen was iterated to optimize thumb manipulation and streamline user interaction. The inclusion of essential elements within the profile interface, such as the company logo, pet photo, pet name, and daily alerts, was carefully considered to provide users with pertinent information at a glance with the goal of empowering users to make informed decisions about their pets' nutrition and well-being.
Digital Wireframes & Lo-fidelity Prototype
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To effectively engage teenagers, the interface must strike a balance between maintaining their interest without overwhelming them. By adopting a simplistic design approach and incorporating a dynamic logo alongside a continuously updated list of subjects, we can sustain their interest and encourage exploration within the platform.
Digital Wireframe depicting Meal Update Screen
My Organic Dog Lo-Fidelity Prototype
Study Type:
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Unmoderated Usability Study
Location
Remote, USA
Participants
5 Participants
Length
30 minutes
Usability Study​
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After the low-fidelity prototype was finalized, a Usability Test Guide was written and proposed. Participants who owned dogs were then recruited to take part in a Zoom virtual usability test.
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There were 7 prompts created to test the usability and critical objectives of the app including, browsing dog food choices, choosing a meal, reviewing terms in the glossary and filling out the pet information profile.
The test goals included the following:
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Identifying any significant errors or interruptions in task completion within the app.
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Assessing whether users encounter difficulties with navigation or interface design.
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Gaining insights into successful task completion paths and recognizing effective UI elements.
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Evaluating the placement and timing of relevant information to ensure it meets users' needs effectively.
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Findings
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Refine Navigation
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One button required clarity to prevent user confusion, indicating a need for overall navigation improvement.
Confirmation Clarity
Participants expressed a desire for confirmation prompts to provide clarity on their current location within the interface.
Comparison
Tool
Participants desired a nutrition or price comparison feature for dog food options.
The usability study conducted for the mobile app focused on tracking dog nutrition revealed significant insights into user needs and preferences. Participants highlighted the necessity for navigation enhancements, with one button requiring clarity to improve overall navigation efficiency.
Additionally, participants expressed a desire for confirmation prompts to provide clarity on their interface location, ensuring a smoother user experience. Users also emphasized the importance of integrating a comparison tool, particularly for nutrition or price comparisons of dog food options.
Overall, these findings underscored the importance of implementing user-centric design enhancements to address navigation challenges, enhance interface clarity, and provide valuable features to meet user needs effectively.
Lo-Fidelity Prototype Onboarding Screen shown before usability study and
Hi-Fidelity Prototype shown after usability study findings were implemented
Lo-Fidelity Prototype Pet Profile Screen shown before usability study and
Hi-Fidelity Prototype shown after usability study findings were implemented
Infinity Board showing User Comments from Usability Study
Refining the Design​
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Hi-Fidelity Prototype​
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My Organic Dog Hi-Fidelity Prototype
Accessibility Features​
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Text Visibility​
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Accessibility was a paramount consideration throughout the design process of the My Organic Dog mobile app, with a focus on ensuring usability for all users. The selected color palette underwent rigorous testing to ensure optimal accessibility, particularly for individuals with visual impairments. This comprehensive assessment encompassed the examination of text visibility on buttons and areas where colors overlap, guaranteeing that users can navigate the app with ease and clarity.
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Enlarged Text / Text-to-Speech
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Recognizing the diverse needs of users, the app offers customizable settings to enhance accessibility further. Users have the option to enlarge text size to accommodate visual impairments, ensuring readability and usability for all individuals. Additionally, an audio feature enables users to listen to text, providing an alternative mode of interaction for those with visual or reading impairments, thus promoting inclusivity and accessibility across the user base.
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Language Accessibility
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Furthermore, the My Organic Dog app strives to cater to a global audience by facilitating language accessibility. Users have the flexibility to translate the app's content into their preferred language either through the settings menu or by selecting their desired language during the account creation process. This multilingual capability ensures that users from diverse linguistic backgrounds can fully engage with the app's features and content, reinforcing its commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.
Going Forward​
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Key Takeaways​
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Impact
Quote from study participant:
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“This app is adorable. I love that this app enables me to care for my furbabies health so much better than without the app. It’s easy to navigate and actually even fun! I’d definitely pay to use it.”
Insights
Comprehensive Accessibility Integration: The My Organic Dog mobile app prioritizes inclusivity and accessibility through a multifaceted approach. By implementing a meticulously tested color palette and offering customizable settings such as text enlargement and text-to-speech functionality, the app ensures usability for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties. This commitment to accessibility not only enhances user experience but also aligns with industry best practices, reinforcing the app's reputation as a user-centric and inclusive platform.
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User-Centric Customization: The app's focus on user-centric customization empowers users to tailor their experience according to their individual preferences and needs. Through settings options allowing for larger text display and audio assistance, users can optimize their interaction with the app, promoting usability and engagement across diverse user demographics. The inclusion of language translation capabilities underscores the app's commitment to catering to a global audience, facilitating accessibility for users from different linguistic backgrounds and enhancing overall user satisfaction.
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Seamless Integration of Health and Nutrition Features: In addition to its robust accessibility features, the My Organic Dog app seamlessly integrates health and nutrition functionalities to provide a comprehensive solution for dog owners. From tracking nutrition and organic dog food options to monitoring water intake and medications, the app offers a holistic approach to pet care. This integration not only simplifies the management of a dog's well-being but also reinforces the app's position as a valuable resource for dog owners seeking to prioritize their pets' health and nutrition effectively.
Next Steps
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In conclusion, the case study has provided valuable insights into the design and functionality of the My Organic Dog mobile app. Moving forward, there are several key next steps to consider for enhancing the platform's capabilities and user engagement.
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Comparison Feature
Adding the comparison feature so users can identify differences between different organic dog foods and then make the best decision for their individual dog.
Research
Researching all organic dog food ingredients and creating a working glossary that is relevant.
Health Goals
Researching dogs
and getting recommendations by veterinarians on the best health goals for each type of dog.
The next steps for the My Organic Dog app entail enhancing its functionality to better serve the needs of users and their beloved pets. One crucial enhancement involves the addition of a comparison feature, allowing users to discern differences between various organic dog foods. By facilitating informed decision-making, this feature empowers users to select the best dietary options tailored to their individual dog's needs, aligning with best practices in product design that prioritize user empowerment and satisfaction.
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Further research into organic dog food ingredients is imperative to ensure the app's glossary remains comprehensive and relevant. By meticulously curating a working glossary that provides accurate and up-to-date information on organic dog food ingredients, the app can serve as a trusted resource for users seeking to understand the nutritional content of their pet's diet. This initiative reflects the app's commitment to providing valuable, educational content that enhances user knowledge and fosters trust in the app's expertise.
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Conducting research on dogs and obtaining recommendations from veterinarians regarding optimal health goals for different breeds and types of dogs is paramount. By leveraging expert insights and scientific knowledge, the app can offer tailored health recommendations that align with the specific needs and characteristics of each dog, promoting their overall well-being and longevity. This research-driven approach reinforces the app's credibility and underscores its dedication to supporting the health and happiness of users' canine companions.