unconditional shelter
The Brief
I was responsible for all phases of the UX process and the design.
The Deliverable
A well-organized site
So as not to make a website that was overwhelming, I designed a simple, 5-page website with clear CTAs and sticky navigation in soothing animal colors.
Compatibility quiz
To address the problem of mismatched people and pets, I designed a fun, quick, easy-to-take questionnaire that provides the person with a profile they can use to find just the right animal friend. The custom search-widget asks the same questions as the questionnaire.
pets and people profiles
Finishing the ten-question quiz, the person is given their profile to use in matching themselves with a pet who has a similar profile.
Information up front
I clarified the adoption process by providing How-It-Works information at the bottom of every Unique Pet's Page that explains the process in clear language and provides links to both the Compatibility Quiz and the Adoption Application.
The basis
Problem Statement: People who want to add a pet to their household need a website that provides honest information about the animals and provides assistance in the adoption process. Many people who adopt an animal later find that the animal is ill or that the animal’s personality/needs don’t match the rhythm of the household.
Hypothesis: People interested in adopting an animal need a website that matches their needs and situation with the needs of the prospective pet. The website should provide a lot of information about the process without being overwhelming, and also provide support after the adoption is complete.
Business Opportunity: A website that facilitates the adoption process online would result in more animals being adopted. This is a metric that could be measured if the website were developed and launched.
The research
I used qualitative and quantitative research to understand the problem. I used an online survey of people who had adopted an animal from a shelter in the past year. And I interviewed 5 people by video call to understand what they liked and disliked about the process of adoption.
I also did a competitive analysis. I examined 5 direct and 1 indirect competitors to understand how various organizations handle the process of adoption online. The information was distilled into a Competitive Analysis Report.
This deep research gave me the info I needed to create all the UX assets (Empathy Maps, Personas, User Journey Maps) and it gave me a creative direction.
After creating the wireframes, I did a round of usability testing to tighten up the design, then I created the high-fidelity version and did another round of usability testing.
The design
From the foundational research, I'd understood that one of the biggest problems is getting the animal home and discovering that it does not fit well in the familial environment. So I designed a Compatibility Quiz that would help match the person to the pet and vice versa.
After taking the quiz, the person receives their profile which they then use to match their profile to those of pets they are interested in.
I spent a lot of time choosing the colors of this website. I went through several color combinations before finally landing on the chosen colors which are colors of animals. Colors have to be carefully chosen when they are shades of brown.
