PETPALS dog sitting made simple
INTRODUCING PET PALS Pet Pals is an online dog sitting community which brings together dog owners and non dog owners in a dog sitting service. The idea being that the dog sitters get the pet time they want and the owners get the free time they need every now and again, without feeling guilty.
THE PROBLEM The first problem is that dog owners can struggle to find suitable sitters when they want a holiday or just need a break. Owners can often turn to friends for help, but this is not always an option. The second issue is that non dog owners seek the companionship of a dog but don t have the time or facilities available to commit to owning their own.
THE SOLUTION Pet Pals is an online community which connects dog owners and dog sitters. It allows the owners to gain access to the help they need, and allows the sitters to make new dog owner connections within their community. The long term goal is that Pet Pals creates long lasting friendships for the users, and long term sitters for the dogs.
EXPLORATION
BUSINESS GOALS Below are the core business goals which have been set out at the start of this project. These are the reasons for wanting to create the product and will help keep the project on track. To have a chance at being successful, these must points must be front of mind throughout the entire process. Create the first free online dog sitting community for dog owners within Australia To aim for 300 members within the first 12 months To have each customer use the service on average 3 times per month. To provide 24/7 support to our customers based on the success of the MVP. As soon as this service can be implemented it will be To pursue brand partners and sponsors once the website reaches a membership level of 500 To provide automatic insurance cover to all members at sign up. This is mandatory by Australian law Create a safe and trustworthy service which customers will want to use again To make the site fully accessible for everyone.
INTERVIEWS 6 PEOPLE 2 USER GROUPS 35 QUESTIONS 3 FACE TO FACE 3 ONLINE VIA SURVEY PLANET
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS DOG OWNERS 1. How long have you been a dog owner? 2. What made you want a dog? 3. How many hours a day do you spend with your dog? 4. What kind of activities do you do with your dog? 5. What do you do with your dog when you are at work? Please explain 6. Tell me about the last time you went on holiday, what did you do with your dog? Please explain 7. Do you find owning a dog time consuming? If so, why? 8. Have you ever had help dog sitting? Did you find help on or offline? Tell me about the last time you did this and explain your experience? 9. What are your views on putting your dog in a Kennel? 10. Would you be interested in free help looking after your dog? 11. If their was a website which made free help possible, would this interest you? Please explain 12. If I said the phrase Pet Surfing what s the first thing which comes to mind? 13. Would you be happy leaving your dog with someone you have only met once or twice? Please explain 14. Would you be happier building a relationship with sitters in your community before letting them look after your dog? 15. Would you be happy in knowing that all website members have had security checks such as a police checks? 16. What features would you look for in a pet sitting site? e.g. user reviews, location map of sitters and 24/7 support 17. Any extra information you can offer?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS DOG SITTERS 1. What are the reasons for not owing your own dog? 2. Why do you want to own a dog? Please explain 3. Have you owned a dog in the past? 4. Explain how many times you have thought about buying a dog? 5. Would you be interested in dog sitting? Please explain why 6. Have you ever dog sat for a friend, family or neighbour? Could you explain this experience? 7. Would you be interested in sitting a new person s dog each time? Please explain your answer 8. Would you be happier sitting the same dog regularly? 9. What activities would you want to do with the dog? 10. How long would you be able to look after a dog? 11. Would you be happier sitting at the owners house or at your home? Please explain reasons? 12. Would an online community of owners with dogs that need sitting interest you? Please explain your why 13. Would you be happy getting to know the owners? Please explain 14. If I said the phrase Pet Surfing what s the first thing which comes to mind? 15. Would you be happy sitting for free? 16. What features would you look for in a website? E.g User profiles, 24/7 Support, Reviews, Insurance Plans 17. Would this online pet sitting community interest you? Would you use this service regularly? Please explain 18. Any extra information you can offer?
INTERVIEW FINDINGS Most dogs are left at home alone during the weekdays Most dog owners spend and average of 4-6 hours a day with their dog All dog owners found owning a dog to be time consuming All dog sitters were happy to sit for free Sitters did say that they would require any costs reimbursed that they incurred during the sitting i.e. pet food costs & vet bills Everyone was put off by paying large membership fee s during or after sign up on similar websites to use the service Everyone is security concious. Would feel comfortable knowing all users had been vetted (or Police Checked) All owners would like to meet up with sitters once or twice to get to know them before going ahead Only sitters mentioned they would seek insurance cover if they needed to Everyone was interested in the product and said it would be something they would use.
SO, WHO ARE PET PALS CUSTOMERS? THE USER INTERVIEWS HAVE SHOWN THAT THEIR ARE 4 MAIN TYPES OF CUSTOMERS. THIS BREAKS DOWN IN TO 2 MAIN GROUPS WITH 2 TYPES IN EACH. DOG OWNERS USER 1 This user is someone who is time poor, who works a lot and feels bad that they leave their dog alone for such long hours each day. They need their dog to have some company. USER 2 This user is someone who has time on their side but who would look to use the service when they need a small break or holiday away. & DOG SITTERS USER 3 This user is someone who realises they are too busy to own a dog. They also realise that they cannot commit to a dog due to financial reasons. USER 4 This user is someone who is worried about the long term commitment & responsibility of owning their own dog. They cherish their free time and worry a full time dog may get in the way.
PETPALS PERSONAS PET OWNERS
TIME POOR JORDAN NEEDS Jordan has a dog called Matty who is often left alone at home for up to 12 hours per day whilst Jordan and his partner are at work. The dog has plenty of space to run around and food is always left in the morning. Jordan has become increasingly worried about how much time the dog is left alone for and has decided he would like to seek help looking after Matty. 32, Sydney Recruiter 2 Bedroom House In a relationship GOALS To feel his dog is getting the full attention it deserves To find reliable pet sitters in his local area For his dog to be walked in dog parks much more regularly To be able to have more spare time for himself PAIN POINTS Dog being in the home on his own a lot Needs to find a sitter he can trust Being time poor, the hassle in finding a good sitter can often lead to giving up The usual sitting costs involved can be off putting BEHAVIOURS CARING RESPONSIBLE STRESSED OUT ABOUT JORDAN Jordan is a professional who works long hours and often travels interstate with work. He lives in a large 2 bedroom house with his partner in the suburbs of Sydney. Jordan is super time poor. TIME AVAILABLE BUDGET SECURITY CHECKS TO MAKE FRIENDS POOR LOW NONE NO HIGH HIGH IMPORTANT YES
SUPER SOCIAL MARY NEEDS Although Mary has time on her side, every now and again she seeks the assistance of a friend to help look after Winston on a weekend or when she is away on holiday. When a friend is not available, she needs another option. Mary would like to take the time to meet people who she can trust with Wilson and feel that she can leave him with someone who will give him as much love as she would. 40, Melbourne Personal Assistant 1 Bedroom Unit Single GOALS Wants to find sitters who she can create a friendship with Doesn t mind paying for a sitter if she has to To ensure her dog will always have a safe & caring place to stay Wants to avoid using dog kennels PAIN POINTS Feels bad that she even has to use a sitting service Needs to make sure she can find a sitter who she can trust General hygiene/condition of sitters property needs to be good BEHAVIOURS OUT GOING SUPER SOCIAL HIGH STANDARDS ABOUT MARY Mary is a fun out going person who works to live, not lives to work. She works a normal working day returning to her dog Winston on an evening. She takes him for long walks to the dog park and has plenty of time to spend with him around the house. She loves the companionship of having a dog. TIME AVAILABLE BUDGET SECURITY CHECKS TO MAKE FRIENDS POOR LOW NONE NO HIGH HIGH IMPORTANT YES
PETPALS PERSONAS PET SITTERS
ACTIVE ADAM NEEDS Adam has always wanted a dog but knows that time does not allow in his busy schedule. He also knows that financially, he would not be able to afford to have a dog full time. He has dog sat in the past for friends and is now looking for a regular dog which he can sit on weekends. He is open to meeting new people with dogs to make this happen. 29, Brisbane Marketing 1 Bedroom House Single GOALS To find a regular dog to sit For the process to be straight forward and easy To offer his services for free For weekend sitting only PAIN POINTS Time poor and doesn t know where to begin looking Finds it hard to find a clear and easy website for this service Would only want to dog sit at his own property Would need all expenses covered during sitting time e.g. food, petrol etc. Would find getting a police check a hassle and an annoying cost BEHAVIOURS SOCIAL ACTIVE ADVENTOROUS ABOUT ADAM Adam works in a managerial role Marketing. His job is very busy and he has an active social life with many friends. He plays football for a local team and likes to escape the city on a weekend when he can. TIME AVAILABLE PAID SITTING TO MAKE FRIENDS POOR NO NO HIGH YES YES
OUT N ABOUT CHERIE NEEDS She has often thought about getting a dog but the responsibility of owning one put her off. She would like all the perks that come with having a dog but with minimal commitment. To add to this, her big retirement travels plans mean that owning a dog would not be fair. She would be interested in an online community where she can make friends with pet owners and regularly sit their dogs. 62, Sydney Retired 2 Bedroom Bungalow Married GOALS To make many friends in the dog sitting community Would be happy to dog sit at owners house Happy to get to know and look after multiple dogs To dog sit 1-2 times per week when it suits her PAIN POINTS Other websites currently available which try charge a lot for their service Would need all expenses covered during sitting time e.g food, petrol etc BEHAVIOURS SOCIAL ALWAYS HAPPY BUSY ABOUT CHERIE Cherie is retired with all the time in the world. She and her husband are very social, always out and about keeping busy, and plan to travel overseas a lot during their retirement. Cherie has always been a commitment phobe. TIME AVAILABLE PAID SITTING TO MAKE FRIENDS POOR NO NO HIGH YES YES
CUSTOMER GOALS & NEEDS I have created a list of customer goals which will need be implemented in the MVP. These are key areas of functionality which will allow the user to use the site successfully. The user needs to be able to find other users via searching The user needs to be able to review their experiences The user needs to be able to contact other users The user needs to be able to add their availability to their profile The user need to be able to interact with other users on a feed/wall on each others profiles The user needs to be able to create an account and set up a profile The user needs to be able to update their account details easily The user needs to be able to login with a Pet Pals account and also via Facebook The user needs to be able to reset their password easily if they forget The user needs to easily understand how the dog sitting process works The user needs to be able to get help easily The user needs to receive text and email confirmations.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Pet Home Stay Borrow my Doggy Pet Sitting Aus User Profiles Yes - clean & simple Yes - pretty basic No Insurance Plans Yes - auto on sign-up Yes - auto on sign-up No Reviews Yes No No 24/7 Support Yes No No FAQ Yes - small section No Yes Help Yes Yes - very detailed No Calendar Availability Yes No No Login with Facebook Yes Yes No Free Sign-up Yes Yes No Free Service No No No Testimonials No Yes No Blog No Yes No Booking Request Form Yes Yes Yes
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS FINDINGS My competitor analysis has shown where Pet Pals can excel over it s rivals: Pet Pals needs to have a 100% free service to compete with competitors premium membership / service costs Create a better user profile platform with greater detail and interactivity. This should include the user having a wall / feed to easily keep in touch with new friends on Pet Pals 24/7 support. This is important in order to challenge our competitors offerings. Due to the complexity of the service, this may have to wait until second release A good, solid, detailed FAQ section which would allow the customer to gain the information they need, without having to contact a member of the Pet Pals team A booking request form is something which each site has. I find this quite formal. I am planning to introduce a simple messenger feature which users can arrange meeting through.
CONTENT STRATEGY The site must be informal and welcoming It must also be clean and easy to navigate The copy must be fun & easy going whilst still ensuring the information is delivered clearly Being trustworthy is a key for it to work Safe and secure service The imagery used must be inspiring and have emotion The colour palette must be warm and fuzzy and not too wishy washy The use of clever iconography is a must A clean typeface must be used SEO optimised copy and correct HTML placement Shareable content throughout social network sites Relevant video content would be a nice to have. Maybe stock video could do for the MVP The site must keep its copy to the point and avoid waffle.
USER JOURNEY PROCESS TASKS INITIAL THOUGHT OF PET SITTING FINDS TIME TO DO RESEARCH ON GOOD COMPANIES FINDS COMPANY/WEBSITE THEY ARE HAPPY WITH GO TO THE WEBSITE EMAIL CONFIRMATION RECEIVED SIGNS UP TO WEBSITE/CREATES A PROFILE LANDS ON CONFIRMATION PAGE VALIDATE EMAIL ACCEPTED RETURNS TO WEBSITE BASIC PROFILE INFORMATION COMPLETED SEARCHES FOR DOG OWNERS/SITTERS IN THEIR AREA CONTACTS/FRIEND REQUESTS AFTER SELECTION WAITS ON RESPONSE IF SUCCESSFUL, ARRANGES TO MEET INITIAL MEET UP IF HAPPY, THEY ARRANGE A TIME/DATE FOR SITTING WAIT FOR SITTING DATE BEGIN THE DOG SITTING DOG SITTING ENDS, DOG RETURNED TO OWNER CARRY OUT DOG SITTING DUTIES OWNER AND SITTER RECEIVE TEXT CONFIRMATION SITTING IS OVER RETURN TO WEBSITE CONDUCT A REVIEW ON THE EXPERIENCE/GIVE FEEDBACK BEGIN THE SEARCHING PROCESS AGAIN EMOTIONS DURING JOURNEY JOURNEY PHASES ENQUIRY CONSIDERATION ACTION FOLLOW UP UX IDEAS New users at this stage may be overwhelmed by the amount of sites available. Make sure our key unique selling points are clearly visible. Clean, clear and simple website navigation. Once the new users are ready for sign up, we must make sure the process is easy to avoid losing them at this point. Maybe allow sign in with facebook option for ease. We must keep the user informed at all stages of their progress. Confirmation emails/texts are a must. Is their a way we can explore basic profile setup. Maybe a basic survey which asks you general questions (multiple choice). It will then generate a rough story of yourself to approve? I found that people don t like to sit and fill out information about themselves for too long. This would hopefully reduce the amount of half completed profiles. Search function clean and simple by suburb/postcode/availability. Integration of google maps and pins. Maybe a user profile which is more of a feed like facebook where users can interact easily and see regular content postings by friends made from the site. Sitter may feel sad the end sitting. Follow up with a positive text or email encouraging them the for next experience. Allow for easy reviewing - can this be condensed in to 5 easy multiple choice questions? Minimal screens in the process.
MINIMAL VIABLE PRODUCT Based on the feedback from user interviews, business and customer goals, competitor analysis and user journey, the chosen MVP includes the features which my customer would need to launch the minimal viable product to market. These features are listed below. User Profiles, Feed & Wall User Search inc. Location Map User Reviews Messenger Insurance Member Validation Calendar Good Imagery How to Guide / FAQ Email & Text Confirmations Contact Us
ESSENTIAL Contact Us Good Imagery How to Guide / FAQ User Profiles Location Map Text Notifications Reviews Member Validation User Feed / Wall Search for users LOW EFFORT Social Media Integration Testimonials Areas Serviced Email Confirmations Offers & Specials Calander Push Notifications 24/7 Support Insurance Police Checks Emergency Sitters HIGH EFFORT Local Pet Shop Involvement NICE TO HAVE Local Vet Involvement Help line for sick dog advice
DESIGN
USER FLOW - DOG SITTERS & OWNERS LOGIN (FACEBOOK OPTIONAL) VALIDATION ERROR PROFILE COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE EDIT PROFILE LOGOUT HOMEPAGE SIGN UP/ LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK CONFIRMATION SIGNUP/LOGIN SEARCH USERS SEARCH RESULTS VIEW USER ABOUT ERROR INSURANCE VALIDATION CONTACT USER HOW TO GUIDE HELP CONTACT SEARCH USERS VALIDATION This diagram gives an idea of how users will interact when navigating around Pet Pals. It shows all the possible paths the user could go down including errors and validation This gives a great visual refernce for when thinking about the design.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE - SITE MAP HOMEPAGE SIGN UP LOGIN PROFILE SEARCH MESSAGES ABOUT PET PALS INSURANCE HOW TO GUIDE HELP CONTACT LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK ABOUT USER SEARCH RESULTS INBOX INSURANCE FAQ CALL SIGN UP WITH EMAIL LOGIN WITH EMAIL USER REVIEWS SEND MESSAGES MEMBER VALIDATION EMAIL FILL OUT BASIC FORM FORGOT PASSWORD USER AVAILABILITY CREATE PROFILE EDIT PROFILE USER WALL/FEED FRIEND REQUEST The Information Architecture above shows the information hierarchy of Pet Pals. It shows how the sections of the website flow down from initial homepage to its various sections. MESSAGE USER
WIREFRAME SKETCHES I have chosen to show the Search Function from my MVP. To begin with, I have included my initial sketches and an explanation of what will happen in each stage. 1. User decides to search for other users on the site. They arrive on the homepage and carry out the Search. 2. Search results are displayed on a new page. The map sits at the top with the results stacked underneath. When the user scrolls, the results scroll underneath the map as it is fixed to stay in place. User the clicks on chosen search result. 3. User lands on chosen profile and views. The user can then return to the search results if need be by hitting back, or can search again from the navigation bar at the top of the page.
PROTOTYPE & WIREFRAME Below is the wireframe prototype of the search function on the page before, created using UX Pin. After creating the initial sketches, I designed an interactive prototype so that I could carry out user testing. To view the prototype live, click on the link below: https://live.uxpin.com/aa229eb86b4a8bab7fccadade82fc1e6fcbd6dcb#/pages/21308171
USER TESTING 3 PEOPLE 4 SCENARIOS 1 FORMAL 2 REMOTE
USER TESTING SCENARIOS 1 YOU VE RECENTLY DECIDED THAT YOU D LIKE TO START DOG SITTING. YOU VE HEARD ABOUT A SITE CALLED PET PALS AND HAVE DECIDED CHECK IT OUT TO SEE IF ITS RIGHT FOR YOU. GO AND EXPLORE 2 YOU VE DECIDED THAT PET PALS IS THE WEBSITE YOU D LIKE TO USE TO DOG SIT THROUGH AND DECIDE TO BECOME A MEMBER. 3 NOW YOUR A MEMBER YOU LOOK FOR, AND CHOOSE WHO YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET IN TOUCH ABOUT DOG SITTING FOR. 4 AFTER LEAVING PET PALS FOR A DAY OR TWO, YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FROM EMILY AND DECIDE TO RESPOND TO ARRANGE A SITTING SESSION.
USER TESTING RESULTS Below is the list of result which I obtained from my three user tests. I found the results to be surprising and have 100% helped me to improve my current prototype. 1. It was suggested that Top Reviews should be first in the search results sort drop down menu 2. Some users have suggested that the search results page should have a filter/refine results so that they can really narrow down what they are looking for 3. Users seemed to be confused by the wording in the search drop down on the homepage. They felt that I am looking for a should be changed to I am a. This made more sense to them 4. One user felt that the search results map should show all pins initially, then concentrate on each individual pin as you scroll 5. Users were confused by what the different date highlights meant on the calendar. They suggested that the highlights are colour coded and a key is added to the calendar 6. Users felt that the profile pages needed a call to action to message the user whose profile your on. Something along the lines of Are you interested in sitting for Tom? could go above message button on the profile, prompting the user to take action 7. Users felt that the site lacked a friend s section. An area where you could see who you are friends with. Searching every time you wanted to find someone you knew became frustrating 8. Users requested that a Edit Profile / Profile Settings button be added to the User Menu 9. The profile page doesn t indicate if the user is a Sitter or an Owner. Users felt this should be indicated in header, possibly under the users name 10. The inbox message list should state who last replied to the message, a few users were confused by who sent a message last in each thread 11. Users felt you should be able to star/like members from the search results list. They would then be added to a list of people you might check out later on. Rather like a hold bin for an online clothes store.
PROTOTYPE UPDATES Based on the user testing results, I have implemented the feedback in my design. I have included a selection of the updated designs below as visual reference. 1 It was suggested that Top Reviews should be first in the search results sort drop down menu. BEFORE AFTER 2 Users seemed to be confused by the wording in search drop down on the homepage. They felt that I am looking for a... should be changed to I am a.... This made more sense to them. BEFORE AFTER
PROTOTYPE UPDATES 3 BEFORE Users were confused by what the different date highlights meant on the calendar. They suggested that the highlights are colour coded and a key is added to the calendar. AFTER 4 BEFORE Users felt that the profile pages needed a call to action to message the user whose profile your on. Something along the lines of Do you want Tom to look after your dog? could go above message button on the profile, prompting the user to take action. AFTER
PROTOTYPE UPDATES 5 Users requested that a Edit Profile / Profile Settings button be added to the User Menu. BEFORE AFTER 6 The inbox message list should state who last replied to the message, a few users were confused by who sent a message last in each thread. BEFORE AFTER
MAJOR DESIGN DECISIONS Throughout the design of the wireframes and prototype I found myself being constantly challenged by what was possible and what would deliver the best user experience. In doing so I had to think of what to include in the design and how to display it. Below is a selection of my biggest decisions. ANIMATED SEARCH PIN The design of the moving pin within the search results was quite unusual and a bit of a design test. Overall it proved to be successful in testing, but also learned that it may not work well on smaller screen sizes. This would be an area which would require more thought moving forward. 2 TABS IN THE USER PROFILE Hiding important content can be difficult to do well. I found that having two sections to the user profile (about the user and the user wall) worked well in testing. All users could navigate between these tabs perfectly well. CREATE PROFILE FORM The design of the form was a great way to break down the normal form process, concentrating on one question at a time. It also included a progress bar at the top of the page which allowed the user to know where they were in the process to reduce drop off.
SUMMARY
WHAT S NEXT? On evaluating what has been done so far and analysing the results of user testing, I can now see the areas which I would grow Pet Pals after the initial MVP. These main areas are: 24/7 SUPPORT Allowing users the instant support they need, 24 hours a day 7 days a week USER FRIEND S SECTION An area of the site where users can view their friends without having to do a generic search for them SEARCH RESULTS FILTER/REFINEMENT Functionality so that users can narrow down their search results even further INCLUDE ALL PINS ON THE SEARCH RESULTS MAP On initial load - include all pins on the map, as the user scrolls one pin will be shown at a time STAR/LIKE POTENTIAL PROFILE S This is so that a user can mark a profile and come back to read it properly later EVENTS SECTION Local events where dog owners and sitters can get together on a weekend to hang out together with the dogs
THANK YOU!