OnLeash
Emerging Media Capstone Project
Fall 2023
Project Overview
As a pet lover and aspiring innovator, I embarked on a journey to revolutionize the pet care industry by creating OnLeash, an app that addresses the unique needs of pet owners and their furry companions. Prototyping began ins Summer 2023 and continued into the Fall with alpha and beta developments. This is the status of my capstone project so far.
The Problem
The development of OnLeash was fueled by a personal need — the anxiety of leaving my epileptic dog, Burnley, in the care of others. Existing pet care apps excel in finding sitters but fall short when it comes to addressing the concerns of leaving pets with friends or family. OnLeash aims to fill this gap by catering to pet owners who prefer familiar caregivers.
The Prototype
The journey unfolded with the creation of a prototype in Summer 2023, which you can read more about here.
The Solution
OnLeash tackles this problem with a multifaceted approach:
- Detailed Pet Profiles: Empowering pet owners to create comprehensive profiles for their companions, detailing medical history, dietary preferences, and unique habits.
- Customized Care Plans: Going beyond basics, caregivers access personalized care plans outlining feeding schedules, personality traits, medication protocols, and more.
- Role-Based Home Pages: Users can toggle between home pages based on their role — pet parent or pet sitter. As a pet parent, users can access features tailored to their furry companion’s needs. Simultaneously, when in the role of a pet sitter, users have a dedicated home page offering functionalities for the care they provide to other pets.
- Sitter Updates: Caregivers can share photos and timely updates on the pet’s activities directly through the app.
- Pet Location Tracking allows pet owners to monitor their pet’s whereabouts. Utilizing GPS technology, the app provides real-time location updates.
A Deeper Dive
There are two different home views that users can toggle between based on their role as either a pet parent or a pet sitter. Each has relevant features based on the user’s needs.
Pet Parent Home
Pet parents have their own dashboard in the app.
- Quick actions are displayed prominently at the top including access to pet profiles, calendar, and pet tracking.
- Updates from the pet sitter are displayed here and include photos uploaded by the sitter.
- Utilize the to-do list for important tasks and reminders.
- In-app messaging is accessible to both pet sitters and pet parents.
Pet Sitter Home
As a pet sitter, this is the home page that you will see in OnLeash.
Pet Sitter Dashboard
Pet profiles are prominently displayed in the dashboard leading to information about the pets.
Quick actions include a calendar view where sitters can manage their schedule and an emergency button that can be used to contact the nearest emergency vet or animal hospital.
A task list is included to keep track of tasks and reminders while taking care of pets for friends and family.
Pet Profile View
In this profile, critical information is displayed front and center so that sitters are made aware of critical information such as if this pet is friendly with other animals or children and if they require medication.
Sitters have access to information about the pets diet and feeding schedule, health, medication details, personality information, as well as vet information.
Design System
OnLeash isn’t just an app; it’s a meticulously crafted experience.
I’ve created a Design System that ensures that every interaction, from a button tap to a heartfelt message exchange, aligns with the app’s core principles. The result is an app that not only functions seamlessly but also resonates emotionally with its users.
The Design System for OnLeash includes:
Style Guide: Typography, Logos, Color Palette, Imagery, and Editorial Style.
User Interface: UI Components and Pattern Library
Tool Stack: I used a combination of Adobe Illustrator, Figma, and Xcode for the design and development of OnLeash.
Read more about the OnLeash Design System:
Results
OnLeash not only delivers peace of mind to pet owners but serves as a testament to the potential of technology in enhancing the pet care experience. Key insights gained from user-centric design, market analysis, and balancing innovation with empathy have paved the way for future iterations. The journey with OnLeash continues, iterating based on user feedback and refining features to meet the evolving needs of pets and their owners.
View the OnLeash website here.
Next up:
User Research! Stay tuned as I navigate the world of UX Research and put OnLeash to the test.
