CASE STUDY · PRODUCT DESIGN · MOBILE UX
Whiskers
A research-driven cat adoption experience focused on helping people move from browsing to more confident, informed adoption decisions.
WHY THIS PROJECT
The project started from a personal connection to adoption.
My own experience adopting my cat, OJ, shaped my interest in making adoption feel more accessible and less intimidating. The design challenge became how to combine useful information, personality, and community in one mobile experience.
PROBLEM & INSIGHTS
Research pointed to three things people needed before feeling confident enough to adopt.
01 · Simplicity
People responded positively to a clean, welcoming interface that made adoption feel less daunting.
02 · Personality
Users wanted more than basic facts—they wanted clearer signals about a cat’s personality, behavior, health, and needs.
03 · Community
Feedback repeatedly highlighted social connection, messaging, and support from shelters or other adopters.
RESEARCH EVIDENCE
Four types of evidence shaped the product direction.
Field Research
Observed shelter spaces, adoption displays, and visitor context to understand the real-world environment around adoption decisions.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
Early concept testing explored onboarding, personality matching, and messaging, revealing where people still needed more clarity and reassurance.
Kennel Card Experiment
A sample kennel card showed which pet details mattered most at a glance and where unfamiliar shelter terms needed clearer explanation.
Volunteer Interviews
Shelter volunteers and animal-welfare advocates surfaced operational limits, adopter concerns, and the support people need throughout the process.
FINAL PRODUCT
Simple UI, richer information, and community support.
The final concept focused on a cat-first interface, detailed personality and adoption information, and community features that helped potential adopters ask questions and feel more supported. The original project also identified future opportunities for accessibility, video calls with shelters, and subject-matter-expert feedback.
REFLECTION
Listening changed what the product needed to be.
The strongest lesson was that adoption is not a transactional decision. People bring emotion, uncertainty, prior experience, and a need for reassurance into the process. Research helped me move beyond a simple pet-browsing app toward an experience that better supports informed, human decisions.