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Nomadicat
A solo project inspired by a first-world problem
2 weeks
Figma, Empathy
Duration:
Tools:
The Problem
Stray animals are an international public health concern. In some areas of the world, there have been attacks by large groups of stray dogs. But even without the threat of violence, stray animals have the potential to spread disease themselves, or through the parasites they carry. This issue has persisted throughout the modern era due to animal breeding and the pet industry and so the solution is not so simple. Removing or relocating the animals is useless if there is still a demand for pets and breeders.
Honing In
For this project, I focused on stray animals in urban/suburban America where the stray animal population mainly consists of stray cats. A typical situation would be a small group of caretakers in a community that will consistently feed and interact with the stray cats. They might also create a shelter and organize medical procedures with their local animal care organizations. Beyond this small group, you might have a similar sized group of residents that will feed and interact with the cats when they come across a stray. Otherwise, these animals continue to live unacknowledged.
Current Frustrations
Research began with interviewing people who actively care for stray cats. This allowed me the opportunity to understand their drive to care for these cats and how their process could be improved for the sake of the cats and their caretakers. The problem is that the care of these animals is in the hands of the community and oftentimes these people are not coordinating their efforts to care for the animals. That may be effective enough, but it is possible for the colony to reach numbers that are hard to manage without a collective effort.
First Take
The initial designs for the mobile app were geared towards the more active caretakers - the users we interviewed initially. The process would start by entering your location, and then immediately, you will be prompted to take a picture of your cat interaction. Since the interaction can be quick, and a picture is the best way to identify these cats, it was important to have the app startup ready to capture the moment. An idea inspired by Snapchat.
After taking the picture, the user provide some basic answers about the cat interaction and leave any comments if necessary. They will add this interaction to the cat’s profile or create the profile if there isn’t one. Locating the cats of the community by marking their interactions on a map was another feature mentioned in interviews. Starting with a pen and paper, I started to sketch flows and screens before I worked my way into Figma.
Refining the Scope
With some initial designs put together, it was time to dive deeper and widen my perspective. For the second round of research, I focused on features that would help draw the empathetic neighbor to become more active in their role in managing these cats. I interviewed and tested with people minimally active in their stray community. This helped me gauge a mood I need to set within the app and what features might interest these users about this experience. I also discussed the application with a veterinary doctor to help better inform the design of the application to promote a safe interaction for both the animals and humans.
Increasing Fidelity
These changes include a cat profile that will highlight the pictures taken - to engage users that are not necessarily interested in caring for the animal. And an information page for users engage with strays safely. The information page would double as a way to contact and learn about animal rescue organizations and procedures. Another insight gained from the second round of research was to include a way to identify lost pets or outdoor cats.
Seeing Into The Future
With the app, it is easier to build a relationship with the stray cat population, maintain that relationship, and provide better and more consistent care to the stray communities. Future steps for this app would include more research to ensure this process is effective for as many environments as possible and isn't a detriment to the current processes. Additional testing of the prototype and visual elements to strengthen the app's overall functionality. Check the link below for the prototype I will update as I continue to work on this study.
What I Found
This project was a dive into a mostly new world for me. I am familiar with the cause, I own a rescue dog myself, and I would consider myself an animal lover. But the depth of the process and the passion of the volunteers was something I would not have imagined. For me, this was an illuminating experience in empathy. The issue and the people helping its remediation are all around us, we just need to help turn on the light.