MeoWe

Role

Project Type

UX Researcher, UI Designer, Product Designer

Mobile Application

Overview

Based on research, the number of cats in Canada as of 2022, has reached approximately 8.5 million, which is 0.6 million more than dogs! A bit of a surprise eh? With most cats being indoor animals, there is evidently a good amount of them that are kept outdoors or hybrid. This has always created concerns for missing cats in some neighborhoods. Cats, on the other hand, are good at hiding their pain which leads to the result of late discovery of health issues.

MeoWe is a dedicated mobile application designed for cat parents seeking convenient access to cat sitting/boarding services. It also serves as a platform for users to connect with certified veterinarians in case of health concerns or emergencies related to their cats. In addition to these services, MeoWe provides information about local cat events and fosters a community, creating a secure space for cat owners to interact and share experiences.

Pain Points

There are no accessible veterinarians for health concerns and emergencies.

There is no general storage for the cat's previous medical information.

There is no platform that offers a way for lost cats or sighted reports.

Project Goals

1.

To provide a platform that is cat and cat owner-focused.

2.

To help form a close-knit community for cat owners.

3.

To help solve more common concerns for cats.

Personas

Niall

Age: 31

Location: Downtown Toronto

Occupation: Digital Designer

Niall, a remote worker, values the time spent at home with his cat. However, as a single pet owner, travel poses a challenge as he must leave his cat behind. Finding a trustworthy cat sitter is essential. As a first-time pet owner, he is navigating the learning curve of cat care and is concerned about identifying and addressing potential health issues promptly. Niall seeks a solution to alleviate his stress, ensuring his cat is well-cared for during his travels.

Goals:

Finds a platform to deal with health concerns and emergencies.
Have a good source to find reliable cat sitters.

Frustrations:

Worries his cat is not getting taken good care of while he is out of town.
Not sure if some symptoms are worth him panicking.

Kassie

Age: 40

Location: North York

Occupation: Bakery Owner

Cassie lives in a house in North York with her partner and three cats. While having a yard allows her cats to explore outdoor nature, she sometimes worries that one or more of them might get lost and have trouble finding their way home. She occasionally sights random cats wandering around the neighborhood and she wonders if they belong to anyone who lives nearby. It would be great for her to learn more about the cat situation in her neighborhood.

Goals:

Bond with her local neighbors who own cats.
Help more stray cats find a home.

Frustrations:

Not knowing if cats in the neighborhood are stray or owned.
Worries of her cats being lost.

User Journey Map

Low Fidelity prototype

Usability Study

Being a cat owner has enabled me to connect with fellow cat parents, providing valuable insights into user needs and enhancing the overall user experience.

Through interviews with numerous cat owners, I identified a demand for a solution to address cat owners' health concerns during non-business hours when most animal hospitals are closed. Establishing a platform to connect cat owners with veterinarians after regular hours could prove mutually beneficial. Additionally, interviews highlighted the need for features such as a lost and found platform for cats, contributing to the reduction of stray cat numbers and fostering a safer community for both cats and their owners.

Conversely, the delivery function did not gain popularity due to potential complications. It has been deferred for consideration in a future update once relevant issues are addressed.

High Fidelity Prototype

After the wireframe and user interviews, I was able to progress into building the high-fidelity prototype with a bunch of new improvements. MeoWe is now a platform that allows cat owners to connect to certified veterinarians who are online to answer health concerns or even book urgent appointments. (A fee might be required) This feature separates MeoWe from other competitors and benefits the cat owner community, also generates revenues for itself and the veterinarians who are looking to extend their business hours with their personal time.

MeoWe is the application for cat owners and those who want to participate in a healthy and friendly community.

Interactive prototype

Takeaway

When defining a problem, one of the most important things is that thorough research should be conducted, this helps the designer to locate what the issue really is, and what the market/users really looking for

Iteration is the key when it comes to refining the product because no product is perfect, there is always something better that can be added into the product.

Think from the users' perspectives, because at the end of the day, they are the person that will be looking to benefit from using the product. So if we can put ourselves in their shoes, means we are half way to success.