Empathize, Define & Ideate
My Role
This was a desktop-first design, which allowed me to include many features for users. I chose a hierarchical structure for PetVet and sequential structure for the registration flow. Creating a sitemap helped ensure navigation was organized and logical for users. I particularly enjoyed building and testing the low and high-fidelity prototypes for this project. User feedback from the usability studies informed each iteration of the design.
Project goal
Design a user-friendly portal for stakeholders to register for, access pet health records, and communicate with other stakeholders (veterinarians, laboratory staff, and pharmacists) about the wellbeing of pets.
Target audience
Pet owners (ages 16+), veterinarian clinics, laboratories, pharmacies
Key challenges and constraints
I do not have a pet at present, so I did thorough interviews to get a sense of the current needs of the target demographic. I did not know if a similar pet health portal product already existed, so a competitive audit was essential before starting my design. I also included features of the health portal I use to access my own medical records as helpful elements in this design.
Research study details
After conducting user interviews, I created an empathy map and personas to better understand the target users and their needs. I assumed that all users would sign up for the same reason: convenience. However, after conducting research, I learned that some users appreciated the eco-friendly, electronic alternative to paper communication and documentation about their pet’s health. Other users said they wanted a way to centralize and share pet health records with their co-owner.
Persona 1
Persona 2
Paper Wireframes
Persona 1
Prototype & Test
Usability study findings
Before
Users found some navigation elements confusing...
Users were confused by having to go to "account settings" to sign-out of their account...
After
So I labelled and repositioned these elements on the page to clarify their function
So I added a CTA button to sign out instead
Final Thoughts
I learned that user research is key to designing a user-centered product. Doing usability testing and listening to participant feedback was essential to make the design changes that would result in a better user experience. This project increased my determination to keep designing and ideating with the user and their needs clearly in mind.
Possible next steps
1. Conduct another round of usability testing using the hi-fidelity prototype to further refine the PetVet interface
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2. Improve accessibility features