Context
Details
Client:
Pawlink Collective
Role:
UI/UX Designer
Involvement:
Web Interface, Prototyping, User Research
Pawlink Collective approached me to design a mobile solution that could simplify and centralize pet adoption and donation processes while increasing trust between adopters, shelters, and independent rescuers.
The product also needed to support animal welfare initiatives such as partnerships with NGOs, lost pet communication, and donation campaigns, all within a single, easy to use experience.
Design Approach
I led the project using the Double Diamond methodology, as it provides a clear and user centered structure for tackling complex problems. For a product dealing with pet adoption, emotional sensitivity, trust, and transparency were critical, making deep discovery and validation essential before moving into solution design.
Discover Phase
During the Discover phase, my focus was on understanding both the business objectives and the ecosystem around pet adoption.
To do this, I facilitated strategic alignment sessions using frameworks such as Do’s and Don’ts and the 360º View Canvas. These tools helped clarify the value proposition, define boundaries for the product, identify risks, and align expectations across stakeholders.
This groundwork ensured that design decisions were guided not only by user needs but also by realistic business constraints and long term goals.
Proto Personas and User Journeys
Still in the Discover phase, I developed proto personas to represent the main user groups, including potential adopters, rescuers, and shelter managers.
The process started with desk research to understand market behavior and existing solutions. I then conducted user interviews to validate assumptions, uncover pain points, and better understand emotional drivers behind adoption and donation decisions.
Based on these insights, I created storytelling scenarios and user stories to visualize real world contexts, motivations, and frustrations. This helped clearly map user journeys and align the product vision around a well defined Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Problem Definition
Insights from interviews allowed me to clearly define the core problem the product should address. This moment was a turning point in the project, as it brought clarity and focus to the design effort, ensuring that all solutions directly responded to real and validated user needs.
Ideation and Co creation
In the Develop phase, I led ideation sessions to explore multiple solution paths. Techniques such as Crazy 8 were used to quickly generate and evaluate ideas, encouraging divergent thinking before converging on the most promising concepts.
Usability Testing
After building an interactive prototype in Figma, I conducted usability testing sessions to validate navigation, flows, and key features.
Participants were recruited based on the defined personas and included adopters and people involved in animal rescue. Tests followed a task based approach, including:
- Searching for pets available for adoption
- Filtering by location and pet characteristics
- Registering lost or found pets
During sessions, I observed task completion time, navigation clarity, and error frequency, while encouraging participants to think aloud to capture emotional responses and expectations.
Refinements
Based on testing feedback, I refined the interface by improving button visibility, enhancing color contrast for accessibility, and simplifying certain navigation paths. These changes reduced cognitive load and strengthened the emotional connection throughout the adoption journey.
Final Solution
The final product delivered a trustworthy, emotionally engaging, and easy to navigate experience that supports pet adoption, donations, and animal welfare initiatives. The solution aligned user needs with Pawlink Collective’s mission, providing a scalable foundation for future growth and partnerships.
