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Pet Help & Rescue (PHaR)

A friends and neighbors approach to keeping pets safe and evacuating them when disasters strike.

Client

Animal Help Now

Services

UI & UX Design

Industry

Nonprofit & TECH4GOOD

Timeline & Status

9 weeks - Launched

My Role & Impact

Main UX Designer

I redesigned the MVP for Pet Help & Rescue (PHaR), leading the foundational user research, including market analyses, interviews, and early usability testing. I conducted a mobile heuristic audit, guided beta and QA testing efforts, and implemented a product board to streamline cross-functional collaboration. By holding informal workshops between design and development, I improved handoff efficiency by 42%. These efforts contributed to a 70% Net Promoter Score and improved alignment across teams.

Context

Pet Parents Are NOT Prepared For Disasters… A Fatal Mistake For Their Animals

The 2021 Colorado Marshall Fire took over 1,000 pet lives, exposing a critical problem: many U.S. pet parents lack emergency preparedness. Our mission was to build a "neighbors helping neighbors" solution to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

UX Goals

Higher user adoption

Reflect pet parents' commitment to disaster preparedness and support.

Ease of use

Achieve low time-on-task rates to reduce pet parent stress when requesting help.

Maintain user engagement

Ensure users keep their information up-to-date, interact with important resources, and use the app when a crisis occurs.

Solution

An Application That Makes Emergency Preparation Easy and Quick

The app is a simple, all-in-one tool for pet parents. It helps them build an emergency help network and get the necessary resources to quickly evacuate or support their pet during a disaster.

Quick Setup and Onboarding
Upload Key Information
Request Help in Seconds
Provide Help with Ease

Problem space

Poor UX in Critical User Flows = Reduced Emergency Effectiveness

I was brought iin during the ideation phase of PHaR. Through a heuristic audit and initial validation testing with a group of prospective users, several issues with the existing designs became evident, including...

1

Long task completion

Despite being an emergency app, it took several minutes to figure out how to complete basic tasks.

2

Poor navigation & layout

Critical actions were buried under several touchpoints, leading to confusion.

3

Paradox of choice

Stakeholder assumptions led to the addition of too many features, without considering user priorities, which caused cognitive overload.

Navigating a Tight Timeline

We had a strict launch period (as seen below), but my findings were too important to ignore. I knew they needed a stakeholder conversation, so I sprang into action with a quick presentation to get the team aligned.

Stakeholder Meeting

Presenting Design Issues to Stakeholders

I created a slide deck to call out specific issues in our user flows and get the team on the same page. (The deck has been modified to honor my NDA.) My goal: use this to realign our focus and create a clear path forward.

The verdict

After A LOT of deliberation, we scaled back from a full app to an MVP launch to reduce costs. I was able to advocate for more competitive research, but we slightly adjusted the timeline to still uphold the original plan.

Readjusting the Timeline

To stay on track, I worked with the stakeholders to alter our timeline to integrate these changes and make expectations clearer.

Discover: Foundational Research

Analysing the Competition and Market Landscape

With 66% of U.S. households now owning at least one pet and technology playing an increasingly significant role, the pet care app market has grown into a billion-dollar industry. Although PHaR operates as a nonprofit, I aimed to understand its unique value in a crowded market and validate stakeholder assumptions. To do so, I conducted a thorough analysis of the market landscape.

Key Takeaways

Market gap

No other apps on Android or iOS specifically cater to disaster care.

Mobile use

Users share data more freely on pet apps, but privacy concerns are risng.

Privacy

Users share data more freely on pet apps, but privacy concerns are risng.

Define: Feature Outine

Holding Workshops for Feature Prioritization

With objectives and user base clarified, I worked on a MoSCoW-like method to prioritize MVP features. This approach ensured crucial cross-team alignment and incorporated extensive input from front- and back-end developers to determine priorities based on feasibility, time, and user needs.

With objectives and user base clarified, I worked on a MoSCoW-like method to prioritize MVP features. This approach ensured crucial cross-team alignment and incorporated extensive input from front and back-end developers to determine priorities based on feasibility, time, and user needs.

Develop: Design Principles

Establishing Design Principles to Guide the Process

With the features outlined, I knew it was time to start designing. However, to prevent the inconsistencies I noticed during onboarding, I developed UX principles based on my learnings so far. After confirming them with my team, I used these principles as a rubric for user interaction decisions.

With the features outlined, I knew it was time to start designing. However, to prevent the inconsistencies I noticed during onboarding, I developed UX principles based on my learnings so far. After confirming them with my team, I used these principles as a rubric for user interaction decisions.

Speed

No other apps on Android or iOS specifically cater to disaster care.

Learnability

Users share data more freely on pet apps, but privacy concerns are risng.

Security

Users share data more freely on pet apps, but privacy concerns are risng.

Develop: Early Validation Testing

Rapid Wireframing and Prototyping: Create, Test, Iterate

To kick off the UI redesign, I restructured the app's existing information architecture using sticky notes to accommodate constant, quick changes. I then created mid-fidelity wireframes for key user flows and prototyped them for eight testers. My approach was simple: create, test, iterate—repeating this process for two cycles within two weeks. Below is an example of a crucial user flow that was tested: requesting pet help from contacts in the app

To kick off the UI redesign, I restructured the app's existing information architecture using sticky notes to accommodate constant, quick changes. I then created mid-fidelity wireframes for key user flows and prototyped them for eight testers. My approach was simple: create, test, iterate—repeating this process for two cycles within two weeks. Below is an example of a crucial user flow that was tested: requesting pet help from contacts in the app

Iteration 1: Step-by-Step Pet Help Request (Left-to-Right)

Relatively low cognitive load

Instructions are relatively clear

Too much manual selection

UX writing is not clear: "What is a blast?"

Improve on preset option for user clarity

Expects message visibility, immediately

Iteration 2: Full Page, Scroll Pet Rescue Request (Left-to-Right)

Pre-selected items, lower cognitive load

Instructions and language clear

Message display is more intuitive

Scrolling can be taxing (esp. with field expansions)

User information may not be necessary on sender's side

The second iteration was carefully crafted based on user input, UI standards, and developer collaboration. It received positive feedback, so I adjusted the flow for the final deliverables (high-fidelity designs).

The second iteration was carefully crafted based on user input, UI standards, and developer collaboration. It received positive feedback, so I adjusted the flow for the final deliverables (high-fidelity designs).

Deliver: Handoff-to-Development

Stepping in as Product Manager

Without a formal product manager, I created a Kanban board and worked closely with developers to initiate design tickets, document changes, and convert UI fixes into development tasks. This streamlined our process, reducing the design-to-development cycle time by over 40% through a clear, timed routine.

Without a formal product manager, I created a Kanban board and worked closely with developers to initiate design tickets, document changes, and convert UI fixes into development tasks. This streamlined our process, reducing the design-to-development cycle time by over 40% through a clear, timed routine.

Deliver: Beta Testing

Leading User Testing Efforts

While development began their work, I created a robust test plan using Notion and Google Sheets. I collaborated with several users across different device sizes and types and conducted multiple rounds of moderated and unmoderated usability testing. Although we didn’t have formal QA tools, I made the most of what we had and created a QA testing sheet for internal testers to use.

Solution: Testimonials

Hear From Some Of Our Users

Kiana Freeman

Recovery & Resilience Manager City of Louisville, CO

The Pet Help & Rescue application is such a benefit to our community. Keeping our pets safe is a priority. PHaR provides a service that allows neighbors to support each other like never before when disasters threaten and strike.

Leslie Irvine

Director, Animals and Society Certificate Program

With disasters increasing in frequency and severity, the PHaR app promises to save thousands of lives of our beloved animal companions.

Casara Andre

DVM Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps

As a veterinarian working in the disaster space, I am grateful to see this app come online. PHaR will save lives. And it arrives at a crucial time, as disaster preparedness, response, and recovery increasingly encompass pets and other animals. Neighbors helping neighbors can help keep all our pets safe.

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