PawVoyageR
mobile app
PawVoyager is the go-to mobile app offering pet owners a treasure trove of reliable, up-to-date resources for seamless pet-friendly travel planning. Enjoy a stress-free experience that's both efficient and enjoyable. Say goodbye to leaving your furry friends behind!
Role: UX Strategist, Researcher, Ux Designer.
Tools: Figma, FigJam, Miro, Adobe Creative, Google Suite,
Timeline: 4 months
Process: Research, Ideation, Prototyping, and Testing. Repeat.
The problem Space
In recent years, the market for traveling with pets has been steadily growing, reflecting the increasing number of pet owners who consider their pets as family members and desire to include them in travel plans.
Pet Travel Expending:
Notably, pet owners in the United States have dedicated over $10 billion to pet travel expenses in recent years, encompassing pet-friendly accommodations, transportation, and related costs, according to the APPA.
Pet Ownership Growth:
With approximately 67% of U.S. households owning pets, as reported by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), this figure has steadily risen over time.
Rising Demand for Pet-Friendly Accommodations:
There's a burgeoning demand for pet-friendly lodging options, prompting hotels, vacation rentals, and other accommodations to adapt and cater to
pet owners' needs.
Impact on Travel Plans:
A staggering 64% of Millennial pet owners have cited concerns about leaving their pets alone as a reason for canceling travel plans, indicating the significant role pets play in travel decision-making.
EMPATHIZE
Unleashing Insights:
Who is really our User?
During the 2020 pandemic, many people added pets to their households, and with the ability to work remotely, enabling longer trips, pet owners began seeking pet-friendly accommodations.
I needed to understand who the users were. Through 1:1 interviews with five devoted pet owners, I unearthed the pivotal challenges and pivotal factors shaping their quest for pet-friendly travel.
The resounding revelation? A pressing need for a dependable, comprehensive, and regularly updated hub of information—a singular destination to streamline their pet-friendly trip-planning journey.
Quotes from interviewees
User insights
Sara, a dedicated pet owner, seeks assistance in orchestrating a pet-friendly getaway with her beloved cat, Chico. Hindered by her hectic work schedule, she grapples with the overwhelming sea of information, fraught with inaccuracies and unreliability.
Problem statement
“Sara, an avid pet owner who cherishes traveling with her furry companion, is determined to meticulously plan her vacation. She seeks indispensable safety guidelines, pet-friendly lodging options, and engaging activities tailored for her and her cherished cat, Chico, ensuring a seamless and joyous experience away from home."
"How can we streamline and provide current, trustworthy information on pet-friendly travel, empowering pet owners to efficiently plan vacations?
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
competitors
How do they tackle this challenge?
DEFINE
Meet SAra
a globetrotter & Super Cat MOm
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of my key audience segments, I synthesized the diverse insights and quantitative user research into a cohesive pattern. This allowed me to create reliable and realistic representations of typical users for reference, laying the foundation for informed decision-making in app development.
She juggles work and treasures family time on weekends. Traveling excites her, but planning feels like a chore, especially when finding pet-friendly places. She dreams of stress-free globe-trotting with her furry companion, knowing he's safe and welcome everywhere.
Convenient comparison and booking for pet-friendly vacation rentals.
Accessible pet-friendly activities.
Verified pet-specific reviews from fellow travelers.
Simplified discovery of nearby pet supplies and care facilities.
Scattered information complicates planning.
Many accommodations don't welcome cats.
Locating vet care and pet essentials in new cities is daunting.
Excessive fees for pets and cleaning make travel plans more difficult.
IDEATE
Wireframes & User flow
Before diving into app design, I needed to figure out how users would navigate through it. So, I started by doodling some user journey ideas on paper, based on what I learned from research and brainstorming. Each flow went through a bunch of tweaks to make sure it was super easy for users to complete tasks.
The following flow represents booking a pet-friendly accommodation. The flow to discover places to eat and to see would be similar.
Sketching: new Concepts Take Shape
PROTOTYPE
Sketching: new Concepts Take Shape
LESSONS LEARNED
Final thoughts
Budget Limitations and
One of the key takeaways from this case study is the importance of carefully managing budget limitations, particularly in the context of development costs. We learned that while ambitious goals can drive innovation, they must be balanced against the financial constraints of the project. Going forward,
User Education on New
Another crucial lesson gleaned from this experience is the necessity of educating users about new technologies. We discovered that even groundbreaking features can be met with resistance or confusion if users are not adequately informed about their purpose and functionality. Moving forward,
Founder's Vision and Open-
Lidia Talavera, the visionary founder behind the business, entrusted us with full autonomy to redesign her website, explore innovative UX/UI solutions, and develop cutting-edge technology to address customer pain points.
Thank you!