Project Overview
Problem Statement
Pet owners often struggle to find reliable, affordable, and flexible care for their dogs. Busy work schedules, frequent travel, or physical limitations can make it difficult to provide consistent exercise and attention for their pets. Many experience stress when coordinating pet care or feel uneasy trusting strangers to enter their homes. As a pet lover myself, I understand how important it is to ensure dogs receive the care they need
Solution
I designed Pet Trek, a mobile app that connects dog owners with trusted, local pet care providers for walking, sitting, and drop-in visits. Pet Trek offers flexible scheduling, real-time walk tracking, and detailed walker profiles to build confidence and transparency. Whether users need midday walks, overnight stays, or occasional check-ins, the app makes it easy to arrange quality care with just a few taps. Pet Trek empowers dog owners to manage their pet’s needs effortlessly while maintaining peace of mind.
Objective
My goal with Pet Trek is to deliver a user-centered platform that makes pet care more convenient, personalized, and trustworthy. By offering features like recurring bookings, in-app messaging, and detailed caregiver reviews, Pet Trek supports dog owners in giving their pets consistent, loving care no matter their schedule or lifestyle. The app is designed to reduce stress for owners and enrich the lives of dogs through dependable, daily attention and companionship.
User Research
UX Personas
To better understand the types of users who would benefit from a dog walking and pet services app, I created three distinct user personas. These personas helped me build empathy for potential users and provided insight into who I was designing for. They also guided my UX design strategy and directly influenced key design decisions and features incorporated into the app.
Persona 1:
Weekday Worker - Needs Midday Walks
Name: Sarah Thompson
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Location: Chicago, IL
Age: 32
Household: Lives alone with her 2-year-old Labrador, Max
Tech Comfort: High – uses multiple apps daily for productivity and lifestyle
Goals & Needs:
Ensure her dog gets exercise and potty breaks while she’s at work
Get real-time updates or photos for peace of mind
Prefer scheduling recurring walks to avoid constant booking
Frustrations:
Worrying about her dog being alone too long
Inconsistent communication from past walkers
Lack of transparency about who’s entering her home
Quote:
“I just want to know Max is getting the care he needs while I’m in meetings all day.”
Persona 2:
Frequent Traveler – Needs Overnight Care
Name: James Patel
Occupation: Sales Executive
Location: Austin, TX
Age: 41
Household: Lives with his Australian Shepherd, Luna
Tech Comfort: Moderate – uses apps regularly, appreciates simplicity
Goals & Needs:
Reliable pet sitters for business trips (1–2x per month)
Someone trustworthy who can stay overnight or host Luna
Easy booking and repeat sitter matching
Frustrations:
Stress of finding last-minute care
Not knowing how Luna is adjusting while away
Difficulty coordinating with kennels and limited availability
Quote:
“It’s tough leaving Luna behind, but knowing she’s with someone she’s familiar with makes all the difference.”
Persona 3:
Elderly Owner – Needs Regular Walking Help
Name: Margaret Evans
Occupation: Retired Teacher
Location: Suburban Detroit, MI
Age: 74
Household: Lives alone with her small dog, Daisy
Tech Comfort: Low – prefers simple, easy-to-read interfaces
Goals & Needs:
Help walking Daisy daily due to limited mobility
Friendly, consistent walker she can build trust with
Option for phone-based scheduling or simple app navigation
Frustrations:
Hard-to-use apps and small text
Struggles with remembering login credentials
Doesn’t want to rely on neighbors or family
Quote:
“I just want someone kind and dependable to help with Daisy so she stays healthy.”
Comparative Analysis
To better understand the competitive landscape and identify opportunities for improvement, I conducted a comparative analysis of leading dog walking apps—Rover, Wag, and PetBacker. This analysis helped me evaluate common features, usability patterns, and areas where users experience friction.
By identifying what these apps did well, such as real-time tracking and walker reviews, I made sure to incorporate similar features into PetTrek. At the same time, I addressed gaps like limited transparency around pricing, lack of customization for pet behavior, and minimal onboarding for new users. These insights directly influenced PetTrek’s design decisions and feature prioritization, helping me build a more intuitive, inclusive, and trustworthy user experience.
Wireframing
Note: Final Wireframe is still in the process of being completed, here's a sneak peak on the direction I'm going
Medium Fidelity Wireframe
I created medium fidelity wireframes to focus on the overall structure and functionality of the app. This stage allowed me to explore different user flows, test how key features would work together, and quickly iterate based on feedback. By prioritizing layout and usability, I was able to validate the core experience of PetTrek before moving into high-fidelity design and branding decisions.
Style Guide
I created a style guide to establish visual consistency and maintain a cohesive brand identity throughout the PetTrek app. It included elements like color palette, typography, iconography, and UI components that reflect the app’s friendly and trustworthy tone. Having a centralized style guide made it easier to ensure accessibility, streamline the high-fidelity design process, and create a seamless experience across all screens and interactions.
High Fidelity Wireframe
I created high-fidelity wireframes to bring the visual design and user experience of PetTrek to life. This stage allowed me to apply the finalized style guide, test visual hierarchy, and refine UI details like spacing, icons, and interaction feedback. High-fidelity wireframes helped me simulate the real experience of using the app, making it easier to spot design inconsistencies.
