Dog.Data
Designing a better dog adoption service for more successful adoptions, happier owners, and emptier shelters.
Dog.Data redesigns the service of dog adoptions in the US. The services and interactions are not only made to suit the user’s needs and desires in the process, but also nudges the adopters to choose the right dog for them, and not choose based off of traditional criteria, like breed or age. Dog.Data creates more successful dog adoptions for happier owners and emptier shelters.
PROJECT DETAILS
Date: 2016-2017
Project Background: Senior Thesis for BFA Design at The University of Texas at Austin. Includes project and exhibition design. Taught by visiting lecturer Jett Butler of FÖDA.
Design: Service, User Experience, Communication Design, Wayfinding
Role: Individual project, Senior Thesis
Not only was the service needing to be addressed, but the user’s touch points were important to redesign as well. Discovery of the issue through transparent public policy (amount of dogs up for adoption), led to a more catered online and in-person experience, while eliminating dogs that were unfit for the user’s criteria without them even realizing it.
Deliverables
Campaign:
targeted awareness
Showing statistics for strays, surrenders, and adoptions in specific cities.
Website
nudging users to search and choose differently
Wayfinding
improving the overwhelming shelter experience
Service High-Level Walkthrough
Mapping the service design. Individual becomes aware of statistical data within their city, leading them to the website/app. If that individual desires to adopt a dog, they use dog.data to narrow down their search. If they go straight to the shelter, the ipad quiz narrows their search down to a specific letter that corresponds with what dog would fit best for their family and lifestyle.
Senior Design Exhibition walkthrough:
Research & Process
RESEARCH
I researched many categories to become more literate on the subject of dogs, including doing interviews, ethnographic research, and quantifiable research. I interviewed shelter volunteers, breeder advocates, dog haters, dog lovers, first time adopters, and lifelong dog owners. I also had online surveys asking about how people go about looking for a dog and what they look for in a dog.
Research Topics: Local shelters (Austin Pets Alive, Austin Animal Center, Austin Humane Society), no-kill cities, dog shelter histories, laws and regulations, breeders, reasons people want dogs, reasons people choose certain dogs, animal cruelty, stray dogs, and dog behavior.
People don’t always look for the right things in a dog that will suit their needs, but usually look for what they desire. I discovered that there are many, many issues within the complex system of dog adoptions. The collision points within the system have a ripple effect to other players and entities within that system. But if you were to really focus on the most important singular problem, it’s not about fixing a problem with the dogs. The problem is that we haven’t addressed the true needs of people who are adopting dogs. We have not paid as much attention to the adopter.
The largest reason dogs are returned or abandoned at shelters is because they don’t fit the lifestyle of the owner.
Wireframes & IA
Hindsight
Hindsight
If I were to expand on one part of this project, it would be to create a more concrete visual identity for the desktop website, and also develop a mobile version of the website. A lot of what was touched on for this project were high-level concepts, and there wasn’t enough time to hash out every detail for the service delivery.
I’d also love to get feedback to see if any of these dogs were adopted via visitors to the Visual Arts Center where my thesis exhibition was displayed. There could also be an opportunity to partner with shelters in a low-risk way to test and prototype this service.