MOBILE APPLICATION
How Emotionally Intelligent Design Improves Booking Confidence for Dog Grooming
PROJECT
Design a mobile-first app for a local dog grooming service.
ROLE
UX/UI Designer, Researcher, Visual Designer, Usability Tester
DURATION
July 2025 – August 2025
UX/UI SKILLSETS LEVERAGED
MARKET RESEARCH
Exploring the Grooming Space
Market Insights
I conducted secondary research by analyzing app reviews, service provider websites, and pet-care forums to learn how dog grooming digital experiences feel to users today.
- • There’s a gap in user-friendly grooming apps overall.
- • Many groomers still rely on outdated sites and phone calls to book appointments.
- • First-time users seek reassurance their dog will be treated with care.
- • Users worry about timing, delays, and unexpected changes.
Key takeaway: Trust, transparency, and clear communication matter as much as convenience—especially for first-time users.
of U.S. households
own at least one dog
of pet owners prefer
scheduling appointments online
of pet owners find it
challenging to schedule grooming services
USER PERSONAS
Who's Behind the Experience
Based on market insights, I developed four user personas to align design choices with the diverse needs and challenges of pet owners.
THE WHY BEHIND THE DESIGN
6 UX Findings and Design Goals
From my research, I identified six key focus areas from user needs to guide my UI design decisions. These findings highlight the need for a digital experience that builds trust, simplifies decisions, and streamlines the booking process.
TRUST IS TOP PRIORITY
Goal: Show groomer bios, reviews, certifications, and past work.
BOOKING FLOWS ARE CLUNKY OR OVERWHELMING
Goal: Allow quick appointment scheduling with a clean UI.
REAL-TIME UPDATES & COMMUNICATION IS RARE
Goal: Provide messaging and status notifications.
REPEAT USERS WANT PERSONALIZATION
Goal: Let users create dog profiles to save preferences and see past appointments.
SERVICE DESCRIPTIONS ARE OFTEN VAGUE
Goal: Use clear, detailed descriptions to reduce confusion and support calls.
VISUAL DESIGN OFTEN FEELS OUTDATED OR GENERIC
Goal: Use warm colors, friendly microcopy, and pet-centric imagery.
TURNING GOALS INTO APP FLOWS
Information Architecture
The site map helps ensure that the structure of the app addresses user needs uncovered in research. My focus was to make information easily accessible, with clear navigation for effortless booking and browsing.
LOW-FI EXPLORATION
Key Wireframes
I began sketching early concepts of the pages. These quick sketches allowed me to explore layouts and content hierarchy. I tested different navigation bar options to see which would enhance usability and identified which items were most essential to feature. Wireframing helped establish early structure for core flows—appointment creation, groomer discovery, and status visibility.
Homepage Wireframes
LOW FIDELITY TESTING
Prototypes
I refined my wireframes into low-fidelity prototypes to validate navigation, booking flows, and onboarding interactions before moving into high-fidelity UI design.
ONBOARDING FLOW
Tested new-user introduction, account setup, and pet profile creation.
BOOKING APPOINTMENT FLOW
Validated service selection, scheduling, and confirmation steps.
TESTING USABILITY
Design Evolution Through Iteration
Moderated usability testing informed iterations and guided my final design decisions.
Through a moderated usability study of one user, they navigated through the app while I noted comments and areas for refinement. Feedback was positive about the booking process and ability to schedule for more than one dog. To bring more reassurance and comfort to the user, I prioritized the status of appointments and personalization of dog profiles on the home screen. The service information and messaging features were not easily accessible, so they were added to the navigation menu to support both new and repeating users.
Wireframe
Testing structure & navigation
First Iteration
Added visual identity + clearer CTA
Second Iteration
Personalized screen with appointments
Final Design
Added navigation + messaging feature
PROJECT OUTCOME
Final Design
The biggest challenge was balancing simplicity with trust—early versions felt either too bare or too cluttered. Iterative testing helped refine booking flows, add multi-dog support, and build credibility with groomer bios and status updates. The outcome was a streamlined, reassuring app that simplified scheduling while boosting user confidence.
LINK TO FIGMA
TESTING & OUTCOME
Challenges & Outcomes
The biggest challenge was balancing simplicity with trust—early versions felt either too bare or too cluttered. Iterative testing helped refine booking flows, add multi-dog support, and build credibility with groomer bios and status updates. The outcome was a streamlined, reassuring app that simplified scheduling while boosting user confidence.
LINK TO FIGMA