Collin County Animal Shelter Redesign
Collin County Animal Shelter Redesign
Collin County Animal Shelter Redesign
Project Overview
Role
UI/UX Designer
Team
Individual project mentored by Carolina de Bartolo
Timeline
8 weeks, December 2024 - January 2025
Tools Used
Figma, Adobe InDesign, Figjam, Canva, Google Forms, Google Meets, Discord
Note
For this project I worked with local organizations to provide a free redesign of what their website could look like through an updated UI/UX lens
The Context
Problem
Collin County Animal Shelter is a staple organization of my local community and like many other animal shelters, struggle to receive the funding and awareness necessary to adopt out animals in need.
Solution
My goal is to do my part to help, by spreading awareness for the shelter and creating a more inviting virtual experience for potential adopters to view their pet options.
Project Goal
Updating the CCAS website to reflect a modernized homepage that shows users what they can expect. As well as provide an intuitive results page where users can easily sort and compare animals.
Collin County Animal Shelter Website Before Redesign
Collin County Animal Shelter Website
Before Redesign
CCAS Adoption Homepage
CCAS Adoption Search Results
Defining User Needs
User Interviews
I visited several animal shelters in Collin County to interview adopters about their adoption website use.
User Interview Results
Limited search filters for finding pets
Lack of clarity on pet backgrounds makes narrowing down harder
Confusing layout with hard-to-find sections
Problems finding answers to adoption questions
Collin County Animal Shelter User Persona
Collin County Animal Shelter User Persona
CCAS User Task Flow
CCAS User Task Flow
CCAS Mid-Fi Wireframes
CCAS Mid-Fi Wireframes
CCAS Hi-Fi Wireframe Screenshots
CCAS Hi-Fi Wireframe Screenshots
User Feedback
Areas of Opportunity
Improving CCAS website navigation
Strengthening search and filtering functions
Upgrading visual content and background of pets
Revising and Iterating
Based off direct user testing feedback, this is what I changed:
Navigation Changes: Making the search bar more accessible by positioning it at the top of the page and refining filters for clarity
Visual Enhancements: Adding more contrast and clear section divisions, particularly for the homepage and adoption search, guiding users more effectively
Prominent Content: Highlight key content areas like available animals to improve user flow
CCAS User Interview Affinity Map
CCAS Iterations Based on Feedback
CCAS Iterations Based on Feedback
CCAS User Interview Affinity Map
CCAS User Interview Affinity Map
Key Takeaways
Reflection
Animals are a topic near and dear to me, being a pet owner myself. Researching for this project has helped me understand the needs of my community and communicate with users on a local scale.
Future Notes
One challenge I faced was balancing all the information the shelter wanted to share without overwhelming the user. I had to rethink the layout a few times to make sure the site felt welcoming and easy to navigate. It took a few tries to get the right balance.
Next time, I’d spend more time upfront mapping out user flows and testing earlier to catch those hiccups sooner. If I did it again, I’d dive deeper into user feedback earlier on and experiment with more design variations to find the best solution faster.
Overall this has been a gratifying process, working with the local community and I’m grateful for the experience I gained. A good reminder that design is a constant process of learning and improving. And it definitely doesn't hurt that I get to hang out with cute dogs.
CCAS Website Redesign Prototype
CCAS Website Redesign Prototype
Project Overview
Role
UI/UX Designer
Team
Individual project mentored by Carolina de Bartolo
Timeline
8 weeks, December 2024 - January 2025
Tools Used
Figma, Adobe InDesign, Figjam, Canva, Google Forms, Google Meets, Discord
Note
For this project I worked with local organizations to provide a free redesign of what their website could look like through an updated UI/UX lens
Defining User Needs
User Interviews
I visited several animal shelters in Collin County to interview adopters about their adoption website use.
User Interview Results
Limited search filters for finding pets
Lack of clarity on pet backgrounds makes narrowing down harder
Confusing layout with hard-to-find sections
Problems finding answers to adoption questions
The Context
Problem
Collin County Animal Shelter is a staple organization of my local community and like many other animal shelters, struggle to receive the funding and awareness necessary to adopt out animals in need.
Solution
My goal is to do my part to help, by spreading awareness for the shelter and creating a more inviting virtual experience for potential adopters to view their pet options.
Project Goal
Updating the CCAS website to reflect a modernized homepage that shows users what they can expect. As well as provide an intuitive results page where users can easily sort and compare animals.
User Feedback
Areas of Opportunity
Improving CCAS website navigation
Strengthening search and filtering functions
Upgrading visual content and background of pets
Revising and iterating
Based off direct user testing feedback, this is what I changed:
Navigation Changes: Making the search bar more accessible by positioning it at the top of the page and refining filters for clarity
Visual Enhancements: Adding more contrast and clear section divisions, particularly for the homepage and adoption search, guiding users more effectively
Prominent Content: Highlight key content areas like available animals to improve user flow
Key Takeaways
Reflection
Animals are a topic near and dear to me, being a pet owner myself. Researching for this project has helped me understand the needs of my community and communicate with users on a local scale.
Future Notes
One challenge I faced was balancing all the information the shelter wanted to share without overwhelming the user. I had to rethink the layout a few times to make sure the site felt welcoming and easy to navigate. It took a few tries to get the right balance.
Next time, I’d spend more time upfront mapping out user flows and testing earlier to catch those hiccups sooner. If I did it again, I’d dive deeper into user feedback earlier on and experiment with more design variations to find the best solution faster.
Overall this has been a gratifying process, working with the local community and I’m grateful for the experience I gained. A good reminder that design is a constant process of learning and improving. And it definitely doesn't hurt that I get to hang out with cute dogs.
Project Overview
Role
UI/UX Designer
Team
Individual project mentored by Carolina de Bartolo
Timeline
8 weeks, December 2024 - January 2025
Tools Used
Figma, Adobe InDesign, Figjam, Canva, Google Forms, Google Meets, Discord
Note
For this project I worked with local organizations to provide a free redesign of what their website could look like through an updated UI/UX lens
The Context
Problem
Collin County Animal Shelter is a staple organization of my local community and like many other animal shelters, struggle to receive the funding and awareness necessary to adopt out animals in need.
Solution
My goal is to do my part to help, by spreading awareness for the shelter and creating a more inviting virtual experience for potential adopters to view their pet options.
Project Goal
Updating the CCAS website to reflect a modernized homepage that shows users what they can expect. As well as provide an intuitive results page where users can easily sort and compare animals.
The User
User Interviews
I interviewed 6 people who expressed interest in expanding their social life. We gathered their priorities and found areas where we could address common needs.
User Interview Results
Interest in hobbies
Challenges in forming new relationships
Desire for more social time
Openness to meeting new people
Use of technology for social connections
Potential for a platform to facilitate connections
Group vs one-on-one settings
User Feedback
Areas of Opportunity
Improving CCAS website navigation
Strengthening search and filtering functions
Upgrading visual content and background of pets
Revising and Iterating
Based off direct user testing feedback, this is what I changed:
Navigation Changes: Making the search bar more accessible by positioning it at the top of the page and refining filters for clarity
Visual Enhancements: Adding more contrast and clear section divisions, particularly for the homepage and adoption search, guiding users more effectively
Prominent Content: Highlight key content areas like available animals to improve user flow
Key Takeaways
Reflection
Animals are a topic near and dear to me, being a pet owner myself. Researching for this project has helped me understand the needs of my community and communicate with users on a local scale.
Future Notes
One challenge I faced was balancing all the information the shelter wanted to share without overwhelming the user. I had to rethink the layout a few times to make sure the site felt welcoming and easy to navigate. It took a few tries to get the right balance.
Next time, I’d spend more time upfront mapping out user flows and testing earlier to catch those hiccups sooner. If I did it again, I’d dive deeper into user feedback earlier on and experiment with more design variations to find the best solution faster.
Overall this has been a gratifying process, working with the local community and I’m grateful for the experience I gained. A good reminder that design is a constant process of learning and improving. And it definitely doesn't hurt that I get to hang out with cute dogs.
Defining User Needs
User Interviews
I visited several animal shelters in Collin County to interview adopters about their adoption website use.
User Interview Results
Lack of clarity on pet backgrounds makes narrowing down harder
Limited search filters for finding pets
Confusing layout with hard-to-find sections
Problems finding answers to adoption questions
The User
User Interviews
I interviewed 6 people who expressed interest in expanding their social life. We gathered their priorities and found areas where we could address common needs.
User Interview Results
Interest in hobbies
Challenges in forming new relationships
Desire for more social time
Openness to meeting new people
Use of technology for social connections
Potential for a platform to facilitate connections
Group vs one-on-one settings
CCAS Adoption Homepage
CCAS Adoption Search Results
CCAS Adoption Homepage
CCAS Adoption Search Results