"How might we create a standout online platform for dog breeding that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and rich in comprehensive breed information? "

Project Details

My Role:

  • Solo Project - Lead UX Designer

Tools:

  • Figma

Responsibilities:

  • Research

  • Paper & digital wireframing

  • Low & high-fidelity prototyping

  • User interface

  • Responsive design

Timeline:

  • Overall: 8 weeks

  • Research: 3+ weeks

  • Design & testing: 5 weeks

Overview:

Treasured Hearts Chihuahuas is a Chihuahua breeding business based in Massachusetts, USA, boasting 17 years of expertise as dedicated hobby breeders. With a loyal family of clients cultivated over the years, they've decided to transition from their current Facebook operations to a more professional website. Despite the convenience and affordability of Facebook, Treasured Hearts aims for a more inclusive and polished online presence. Their goal is to share their journey, feature adorable litters of pups, showcase glowing testimonials, and establish a stronger foothold in the competitive dog breeder space.

Challenge:

Relying on Facebook limits the Treasured Heart's Chihuahuas reach and lacks the professionalism needed to attract a wider customer base. The goal is to create a user-friendly website that showcases their Chihuahua breeding expertise and facilitates seamless customer interaction.

Objectives:

  1. Expand customer reach beyond Facebook.

  2. Create a professional and trustworthy online presence.

  3. Provide an intuitive platform for customers to explore available Chihuahua breeds and make inquiries.

Research and Discovery

Owner Interview:

I spoke with the owner to gain insights into running a dog breeding business on Facebook. We discussed clientele dynamics and the pros and cons of relying on Facebook as the primary platform. The owner emphasized the business's casual, community-like approach, serving a diverse clientele of various age groups and genders. Positives of using Facebook include ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and community-building capabilities. However, challenges arise from limited clientele reach, limited customization, branding control, information organization issues, and privacy concerns. Addressing these challenges is crucial not only for enhancing brand identity and trust within the competitive dog breeding space but also for boosting sales and fostering a stronger sense of community engagement beyond Facebook.

Competitor Analysis:

In my exploration of various dog breeder websites, I observed a spectrum of design and user experience strategies. Some prioritize sleek visuals and user-friendly navigation, influencing how they present information about breeds and health. On the flip side, others opted for a more direct approach, showcasing only pictures and essential contact details. There's also a divergence in customer engagement methods; some breeders maintain an active social media presence, while others don't participate. Moving ahead, my aim is to strategically leverage these insights to craft a distinctive online presence within the dog breeding landscape.

Based on gathered insights, I crafted the following personas to consider a more broad point of view and minimize personal biases in the design process. This approach aims to create a more user-centric and inclusive design, considering varied user needs and preferences.

Design Process

Using the gathered information, I crafted an Information Architecture structure aligned with our objectives. The primary aim was to ensure a user-centric, simple, and easily navigable design.

Below is the final structure.

Wireframing and Prototyping:

I began brainstorming the design by creating a number of paper wireframes. This approach allowed for exploration of various concepts before transitioning to a digital format. By analyzing different components, I refined the design to create the final product. Below, you'll find examples of the evolving designs that eventually led to the final iteration.

Following the paper wireframes, I began to put the design into practice by creating digital wireframes and a prototype. I used this as an opportunity to test out the design and obtain user feedback to further iterate on the design.

Website Design:

Using the user feedback from potential utilizers, I began drafting the final design. My intent was to utilize a clean and visually appealing design to convey professionalism, promote trust and showcase’s the business’s essence. In addition, I made sure to create a responsive website to ensure it is accessible on various devices, including mobile phones and tablets, to accommodate different user preferences.

Desktop and Mobile prototype are linked below.

Takeways:

Although this was a concept project in nature, the fact that it was based on a real business gave it the feeling that I was working with a real client. It was a really interesting experience to create a business page from scratch, while keeping in mind the basic functions that customers have grown to know and love from its Facebook operations. This project really allowed me to exercise my creativity and utilize Figma on a broader level. This not only gave me the opportunity to sharpen my UX design skill set, but it also allowed me to develop my technical skills with Figma, (learning s auto-layout, animations and transitions, etc.)

Overall this was a fun project to take on and as a fellow dog owner, it was a joy to create a project that other fellow dog enthusiast will enjoy!