Project Overview

Problem Statement

Pet owners often struggle to find trustworthy, convenient, and flexible pet care services, especially for last-minute needs like dog walking, pet sitting, or home visits. Existing platforms can be overwhelming or lack clarity in scheduling, service selection, and caregiver transparency, leading to frustration and reduced user trust.

Solution

I designed PetTrek, a mobile application designed to simplify the process of booking reliable pet care services. By offering a user-friendly interface, personalized scheduling options, and detailed walker/sitter profiles, PetTrek helps users quickly find and manage pet services tailored to their needs. The app emphasizes clear navigation, visual consistency, and accessible information to create a seamless and trustworthy experience.

Objective

The goal of this design was to create an accessible and responsive app that allows pet owners to:


  • Select from a variety of services (dog walking, sitting, home visits)

  • Register and manage multiple pets with ease

  • Schedule one-time or recurring appointments

  • Browse and select from nearby certified pet professionals

  • View caregiver profiles with experience, skills, and reviews

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, I analyzed leading dog walking apps: Rover, Wag, and PetBacker. This research highlighted key features to include in PetTrek, such as pet profiles, caregiver ratings and reviews, and recurring scheduling. I also addressed common usability gaps like unclear pricing, limited pet behavior customization, and lack of onboarding. These insights directly informed PetTrek’s feature set and helped create a more intuitive, user-friendly experience.

Wireframing

User Flow Diagram

I started the wireframing process by creating a user flow diagram to ensure a clear, intuitive experience and to guide the placement and purpose of each screen.

Medium Fidelity Wireframe

Next, I designed a medium-fidelity wireframe to focus on the overall structure and layout of the app. This step helped me visualize key screens, prioritize the user flow, and explore how core features could support a more usable experience.

Style Guide

I then created a style guide to establish visual consistency and a cohesive brand identity across the app. It included elements such as the color palette, typography, and iconography that reflect the app’s friendly and trustworthy tone. This centralized guide helped streamline the high-fidelity design process.

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.

Interactive Prototype

Final Steps

Next Steps

  • Add in missing screens from the wireframe like Drop-In Visits, Review Pages, Become a PetTrek Professional, and Contact pages.

  • Conduct Usability Testing: Teste the prototype with users to observe task completion, identify pain points, and gather feedback on layout, navigation, and content clarity.

  • Iterate Prototype Based on Feedback: Refine button placements, adjusted font sizes, improved screen transitions, and clarified labels based on usability insights.

What I Would Do Differently

  • Further Accessibility Considerations: Integrate accessibility practices earlier in the wireframing phase, such as testing for screen reader compatibility and color contrast.

  • Notifications & reminders: Add in a helpful alert system for upcoming appointments and notifications when I service is completed.

  • In-App Tracking: Provide a way for users to track their pets when services are taking place