The Peaks
(Mobile)
The role I filled for this project was all inclusive. I researched, wrote, and designed all aspects of the app in Figma.
Target Audience
The target audience for this project are those who are looking for an animal companion. Since this parameter is fairly open ended its important to try and design an app that appeals to all generations and demographics.
Research study details
The research that I settled on was a remote 30 min study with people who either had pets, or were looking to get them soon. In addition to the pain points listed above people expressed their displeasure surrounding the lack of special needs features that particular animals may have. They wanted to know up front weather or not their future pet would need some special treatments, and not be blindsided later on down the line.
The Goal:
The goal for this project was to two-fold. Create a mobile app for a beloved local adoption center, and learn more about the intricacies of designing in Figma.
Key challenges
After the initial research it became clear that there were three main pain points surrounding adoption apps.
1. Lack of a saving feature so you can "favorite" pets you want.
2. Only having one or two photos and not more.
3. Lack of accessibility features such as proper contrasting for visibility.
Initial design and wireframes
From left to right shows the progression of the wireframing to the initial design. While the app functions there are still issues such as an inconsistent color scheme and lack of finer detail.
Results from User testing
After the initial round of usability testing several aspects of the overall design needed to be changed. To start users wanted an easier to use calendar, the calendar that I had initially used was too large, and the font was too small to be practical. Users also expressed a disconnect between buttons that looked actionable and their intended destination.
Final polished designs
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Conclusion
I learned so much in this project. The main area of focus was certainly on Figma and getting used to the design process. Figma strikes me as one of the applications that will take you a long time to master but when you do you will be able to finish things in half the time it used to take you. Having now started to learn the basics of design, being able to see it implemented in a usable design has been incredibly rewarding, and makes me excited for more projects to come.
