Chow’s Chow
A dog food subscription mobile experience that fills the market gap by offering a one-stop shop app to browse and customize subscriptions. Chow’s Chow focuses on providing accessible lists of ingredients and a coherent order flow.
Role: UX Design from start to finish | Timeline: November 2021 to January 2022
PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might we…
improve the process of subscribing to a dog food subscription service?
As a dog parent and enthusiast, I understand the efforts and tribulations that come with providing for furry companions. Many of my peers, including myself, spend copious amounts of time customizing and tweaking meals for our dogs in hopes of providing them with a higher quality of life. Further reflecting on the products and subscription services currently on the market, I began to wonder why we were not taking part in those services, prompting the question above.
Take a Peek into Chow’s Chow
Process
Empathize | Define | Ideate | Prototype | Test
ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS + INSIGHTS
All owners believe that some form of fresh pet food is the best for their pooch.
Wanting to ensure a human-centered solution, I reached out to eight dog owners, whom majority make conscious efforts in altering their dogs’ meals. I asked a series of questions regarding feeding habits, challenges, and areas for improvement to discover user wants, needs, and pain points.
Three main insights:
01 Fresh ingredients are highly favored.
All eight owners believe in incorporating some type of fresh ingredient into their dogs’ food, if not the entire meal.
02 The end-to-end process of cooking meals is timely and exhausting.
Some owners struggle with balancing life obligations and the time it takes to research recipes, grocery shop, cook, and clean.
03 Websites are frustrating and focus too much on marketing.
Two interviewees are currently subscribed to a dog food subscription service but find the website to be inconvenient because of constant sign-ins and ad pop-ups.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
There is currently no mobile app experience for a dog food subscription.
I conducted a competitive audit on four direct competitors to familiarize myself with the current service offerings, data needed to be collected, and the SWOTs. It was revealed that none of the competitors obtained a mobile app experience that allowed for quick and convenient access. This insight directed my path to a solution.
DEFINE SOLUTION
Moving towards a direct mobile app experience.
After compiling my research and pondering on potential solution areas, I found that a mobile app would quickly appeal to needs and fill the market gap. A mobile app would boost the brand’s identity and build trust among customers.
Ideate
CRAZY 8
Using the Crazy-8 methodology, I drew various screen iterations and refined the design.
The overall goal was to create a design that ensured complete details while maintaining a minimalistic feel.
WIREFRAMES
Moving into Figma, I began digitizing the screens to better mimic the various sketches. Considering the nature of subscription services, I focused on creating a transparent experience. Keeping users in the know about their transactions builds a better relationship between customers and the business.
Testing and Iterating
USABILITY TESTINGS + INSIGHTS
I created a user testing guide and conducted two unmoderated usability studies to better understand the users and their experience. The first study tested the low-fidelity prototype. After feedback was received, adjustments were made. The high-fidelity prototype was also tested and improvements were made accordingly.
Round One Insights
01 Some users prefer preset units when filling out the form
02 Where to get started is not obvious to everyone
03 Email confirmations reassure users that their order was processed
04 Users want more resources (ie. fun facts)
Round Two Insights
01 Additional payment methods expand reach to more users
02 Certain text colors are difficult to read
ITERATIONS
Home Page
During the first usability study, some users had difficulty finding where to get started. I opted to increase the button size and added a sub-caption giving context on where to navigate to. I also implemented orange to the item cards to encourage a call-to-action.
LOW-FIDELITY
HIGH-FIDELITY VERSION II
FINALIZED
Preset Units
The first design allowed users to input their own customizable answers. Some users expressed their preference for presets because they helped them specify their pet’s information.
LOW-FIDELITY
FINALIZED
Color Choices
Some of the font color choices were difficult to read and lacked consistency. I modified the app colors to better complement and contrast one another in adherence to WCAG guidelines.
HIGH-FIDELITY VERSION I
FINALIZED
Payment Methods
Originally, I only accounted for a single payment type. I then included additional options since some users have other preferred payment methods.
HIGH-FIDELITY VERSION II
FINALIZED
Taking a Peek into Chows Chow
Your dogs, well, they deserve good too.
Browse Ingredients
Explore meal options by diving deeper into the list of ingredients and their individual advantages. This allows you to be informed of what is going into your dogs’ food and why it’s beneficial.
Customize Meals and Delivery
Follow the chronological order flow to get started with the subscription process. Choose the top three meal options that you think your dog(s) will like best, then, customize the delivery date and frequency based on your needs.
Order Summary
Review your order summary to ensure everything is correct. This additional level of communication ensures transparency of purchase and subscription.
Additional Features and Resources
After submitting an order, a small collection of interesting highlights and articles are presented. Stay engaged by learning about what’s to come and how to better improve your life as a dog parent.
Accessibility Considerations
01 Colors that adhered to WCAG guidelines
Ensured proper color contrast for those who are visually impaired.
02 Implemented the use of icons
Used icons for a better chance of universal understanding, improved navigation, and form specification.
03 Typography hierarchy
Incorporated typography hierarchy to maximize understanding of content and influence a seamless flow.
Takeaways
IMPACT
Chow’s Chow app is convenient, intuitive, and fun. Dog owners can find ease knowing that the process is straightforward and transparent, allowing them to easily customize and manage their subscription at the tip of their fingers.
WHAT I LEARNED
Initially, I wanted to create a holistic end-to-end service with the focus being on the actual tangible product along with the conceptual app/web designs. Needing to be realistic about my time and scope, I began to focus on an area of improvement rather than the whole business picture. In doing so, I was able to look at what was currently on the market and fill a need, rather than creating something that already exists.
NEXT STEPS
Moving forward, Chow’s Chow would benefit from conversing with stakeholders about business models and financial pain points. In addition, conducting a usability study with individuals who may have not been accounted for in the previous studies can reveal pain points that were not earlier addressed.