project details
Duration: 8 weeks
My role: Sole product designer responsible for the UX/UI process, from initial research and persona development through final prototyping
overview
research insights
Owners monitor their dogs' well-being through everyday behavioral cues—energy levels, appetite, and bathroom habits—rather than structured tracking.
While owners are motivated to be proactive about their dog's health, current digital apps require attaching health observations to predefined events, adding friction to quick check-ins.
The problem
Dog owners need a simple, quick way to log daily health observations and visualize patterns over time because memory-based health monitoring makes it difficult to spot gradual changes, leading to missed early warning signs and uncertainty about whether their dog is truly thriving.
The solution
Based on research insights, I designed a dog health app with quick check-ins for logging key health indicators. The app also visualizes trends over time to help owners identify patterns and potential issues.
usability testing
The goal of this study was to understand how easily users can navigate the health check-in feature, interpret insights, and perceive value from health tracking over time through Maze.
tested flows
Pattern visualization and insights
Health insights that surface trends over time, helping dog owners spot deviations.
Quick daily health check-ins
Fast check-in feature for logging health indicator observations.
key user insights
Desire for richer documentation through multimedia notes
Participants want the ability to add notes, photos, and videos to provide richer context beyond structured fields, improving documentation and veterinary support.
Validated alignment with users’ pet health monitoring goals
The majority of participants said the system clearly reflected their dog’s status and changes over time, helping address the gap of owners relying on memory to notice subtle health shifts.
design iteration
Supporting notes and media attachments for accurate documentation
Before
After
Based on usability testing data, I implemented support for notes and media attachments within the check-in flow to improve documentation accuracy and give users more flexibility when logging health observations.
reflection
What I learned
Avoid assuming the solution too early
Early in the project, I assumed a journaling app for dog memories would be valuable. However, research showed users were more interested in tools for monitoring and understanding their dog’s health. This reinforced the importance of letting research define the problem before committing to a solution.
Validate language and tone earlier with users
I would test the language and tone used in health insights earlier in the design process to ensure they felt supportive, clear, and non-alarming. Because health-related information can easily be misinterpreted, earlier validation of wording and labels could have helped confirm that insights were reassuring and actionable without increasing anxiety.
