Role
UX Designer.
Tools Used
Figma, Canva, CamScanner.
Skills
Design Thinking, Sprint, Agile, User Research, Personas, Prototyping.
Summary
Everyone has visited the Toronto SPCA website at some point in their lives. It provides information about pet health, pet adoption, and affordable veterinary services. However this key information is hidden behind multiple tabs and layers on the website.
Problem space
Millennial’s frequently lack reliable information to guide them through the pet adoption process. This results in poor decisions and difficult circumstances when caring for their pets.
How Might We Question
How might we ensure that millennial’s have access to reliable information, that empowers them to make informed decisions throughout the pet adoption process?
After establishing a problem space and how might we question interviews were then conducted. This gave clarity as to what part of the adoption process needed to be improved.
Research
Secondary Research
After conducting secondary research, it was concluded that millennial’s make up the largest number of adopters but are also the lowest percentage of donors. As a result, it was decided to focus on this area since millennial’s could adopt even more efficiently with the proper information. Resulting in a decrease of shelters expenses.
To arrive at a solution, more insight was required following primary and secondary research. Decontextualized interviews were conducted, this allowed us to establish a persona and understand what the users need in order to improve their experience with the SPCA.
Assumptions and Questions
A set of both assumptions and questions were developed prior to conducting interviews to help understand the core focus of the solution.
Assumed User Journey
Following the completion of the questions and assumptions, it was decided to develop a premature user journey. Having a basis of how the user would act would ultimately provide context for the user flow.
Possible routes that a user would encounter when trying to adopt a pet or discover more information.
Interview Questions
Interview questions were then developed. It was decided that what needed to be determined was how millennial’s who have already adopted a pet felt about the adoption process. It was also important to understand how millennial’s acquired additional information during the adoption process.
Question 1: How old are you?
Question 2: Where do you presently live?
Question 3: Do you have any pets? If not, why?
Question 4: Can you describe your current living situation and lifestyle? How do you think a pet would fit into this?
Question 5: Have there been any barriers that you’ve run into during the process of owning pet or that have led you to not pursue owning a pet?
Question 6: Have you ever considered adopting a pet? What attracts you to or deters you from the idea of pet ownership?
Question 7: What avenues have you pursued to acquire a pet, if any?
Question 8: Have you ever considered donating to an animal shelter? Why or why not?
Question 9: What does the ideal process of getting a new pet look like to you?
Question 10: Are there any resources or support systems you think would help you make a more informed decision about pet adoption?
Question 11: Can you walk me through your thought process when it comes to charitable giving, particularly in relation to animal shelters? What factors influence your decision on whether or not to donate?
Interview Insights
As a result of the interviews, many assumptions were confirmed, such as the lack of information and cost. The "reputability" factor emerged as a key aspect that hindered users from making donations.
Summarized Insights
The following insight statements were synthesized from the interviews:
Reputability:
People are more likely to donate or adopt from organizations that they trust.
Cost:
The cost of adopting is a major contributing factor as to why people are hesitant. Cost can take many forms such as emotional, monetary, and time spent with the animal.
Access To Information:
Awareness of the animals breed, background, and history (i.e. how to best take care of a future pet) is a major factor when it comes to adoption.
Synthesis
Persona
Based on the results of the interview process, it was concluded that a persona would benefit to the design process in order to put the following interview insights into the appropriate context.
The persona culminated was based on user insights from interviews along with primary and secondary research.
Chosen Area Of Focus
Interview insights helped identify access to information as the focus, this is aimed at empowering millennials to adopt. This area was chosen because shelter costs are highest for housing animals, and increasing adoption among younger generations who have the highest adoption rate and the lowest donation rate.
After completing interviews and creating a persona, ideating the final solution took place. Sketches were utilized to give shape to the final solution. Along with understanding where specific redesigns were needed in order to improve the process of adopting a pet.
Ideation
Solution Sketches
After completing the persona, it was determined that solution sketches were necessary to determine how the re-design should be approached. The focus was on making the adoption process more efficient, which would allow for easier access to information.
Homepage giving information about SPCA services and adoption.
Where users would filter their selection.
User selects available dog of their choice and fills out application.
Final step where user submits documentation and waits for follow up from SPCA.
Final User Flow
Upon reviewing the solution sketches, it was decided to refine the user journey into a simplified User Flow prior to creating the final design.
Final Re-Design
Desktop and Mobile Web Versions
In order to demonstrate how a responsive version of the website would appear to someone viewing it on their phone and on their desktop, the re-design was created in both mobile web format and desktop format.
Key Learnings and Next Steps
Design Impact
In the re-design process, it was imperative to be very specific regarding the function and flow to be followed. A seamless and simple-to-follow flow for the user was also taken into consideration during this process to make the adoption process easier.
Next Steps
With more time and revisions, it would be optimal to expand on certain features, such as pet information, and adding additional sections. Adding in more pets or animals would follow after this, for example, adding in cats and small animals to the front page and giving their sections the same treatment as the dog sections, along with a banner encouraging others to adopt.
Key learnings
This re-design was developed using an agile methodology during this sprint. Since the project had a tight deadline, there was not a great deal of time to devote to certain features. One of the most important lessons learned was to ensure that a sufficient amount of time is spent on each section without sacrificing quality, as well as to understand when something is good enough and to move on rather than spending an entire day fine-tuning a single button.
Thank you for reading!
Thanks for reading and making it to the end! It is my pleasure to own two adopted animals, a Sheppard Husky (5 years old) and a Tabby cat (13 years old). They were both rescue animals that were adopted. I have a great passion for pet adoption since I am a pet parent who has adopted pets, and there are so many wonderful animals waiting for their forever home.
Thank you again so much for reading, and please send me an email or connect with me on LinkedIn if you have additional questions or would like to chat!
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