Case Study
Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County
Overview
FFSC’s goal is to alter at least 75% of unowned cats in targeted areas, reducing overpopulation more efficiently and preventing the unnecessary suffering and deaths of these animals. FFSC recognizes that in order to fulfill this goal, they must involve the public: encourage them to report, trap, and bring unowned cats to the clinic, and spread general awareness.
Client: Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County
My role: UX, UI
Time: 5 months
Year: 2024
Tools: Figma,
Timeline
UX research
Ideation
Prototype
User surveys
User flow
Lo-fi prototype
Hi-fi prototype
UX research
Connect with Client
With a topic as complex and sensitive as TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), our team needed to connect with our client to fully understand the outlined product requirements and stakes at hand. In addition, we needed to grasp how our product would be an extension of their current systems in place, instead of a replacement. FFSC’s primary goal is to increase community involvement in their efforts and equip them with the tools and resources necessary to do so. Our app will:
1- Engage with the public, by providing a form for locals to submit sightings of stray cats, view educational resources about TNR, and learn how to perform TNR themselves. By boosting participation in TNR and encouraging the public to become involved, we can accelerate FFSC’s efforts to their mission.
2 - Streamline TNR efforts by allowing forms submitted by the public to connect directly with the existing database to track and update cat and client information, providing a scheduling system to approve and track TNR appointments requested by the public, and more.
Surveys
To understand the people we are serving, we published 2 surveys targeting our primary and secondary users:
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Those completely new to TNR (Community members)
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Staff and volunteers of FFSC (admin team)
The results we received were incredibly effective when it came to shaping important aspects of our app, such as: the language/tone being used, the theme, and more. In addition, it informed decisions we were uncertain of when it came to specific features, and gamification aspects.
FFSC General Public Survey
On a scale of 1-5, how familiar are you with TNR (trap, neuter, and release)?
Would you ever consider reporting a cat in need of trapping for TNR?
What barriers prevent you from participating in or supporting a TNR program?
FFSC General Public Survey
How satisfied are you with the current tools and methods you use?
How often do you check for new TNR assignments or updates?
How do you currently keep track of cat sightings and TNR activities?
Some of the major insights we collected from our user research include:
1- Majority of our users identify as women and belong to the 65+ age group. This informed us that our app design needed to be clear and concise, for those who are unfamiliar with technology. It emphasized the need for accessibility, as visual and other impairments would be more common amongst this demographic.
2- Majority of those involved in TNR are motivated by their love for cats, amongst other various reasons. This fondness informed many design choices of our app. We wanted our theme to resemble this love, using cat/paw-print themed icons, photos and graphics of cats, and more, while still keeping the UI clean and simple (not overdoing it).
3- Those new to TNR, especially the younger generation, are open to the idea of participating. This was great news to hear, as it is FFSC’s goal to expand their client base to include the youth. This informs us that there is lucrative opportunity to educate them to become involved in FFSC’s mission.
User Flow
Once we had all of our features confirmed, we created a user flow/site map to outline how each feature would connect and emulate how a user would navigate from one place to another. We went through a couple iterations of the map to create something that felt natural and easy for our client to understand and navigate.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
These wireframes emphasized function and flow, using simple and clear visual elements showcasing how users would interact with each feature. Throughout the process, we held weekly meetings with our client to discuss, gather feedback, and continuously improve the overall product flow and user interface. We went through several iterations and each page was carefully designed to ensure clarity and ease of use.
Homepage
Registration
Education
Design System
Typography
Logo
Top Navigation Bar
Cards
Colour Guidance
Primary buttons
Switch
Full-width
Small
Default
Disabled
Secondary buttons
Full-width
Small
Default
Disabled
Radio
High Fidelity Design
High fidelity wireframes were created to bring life into our lo-fi designs. We incorporated colors from our client’s branding guide, cat images, and more, and spent a couple weeks fine-tuning different aspects of our design.
High fidelity wireframes were created to bring life into our lo-fi designs. We incorporated colors from our client’s branding guide, cat images, and more, and spent a couple weeks fine-tuning different aspects of our design.
In the “Impact Reporting” feature we revised our filter system switching from an icon-based interaction to a slider that visually showed the different years available. This change was to ensure that our users would be able to easily recognize their ability to change to a different year and do so easily. In addition, we also tried to limit the number of words appearing on the screen and increase icons to make the content easier to quickly view.
In the registration section, we refined the "Tell us what you are interested in" page by consolidating and reducing the number of icons from 9 to a more manageable 6, ensuring each icon's meaning is clear and focused. Additionally, we added a tooltip pop-up feature, allowing users to click and view detailed information about each feature, selecting the feature they’d like to explore more.
App impact
Our product is the first of its kind. The first mobile application to create engaging and interactive experiences for those involved with TNR. With our app, TNR is not just a way to spay/neuter cats. It is an experience that allows you to chat and connect with like-minded individuals, be part of a strong community, and be excited about the impact you are contributing to. FFSC staff will be able to cultivate a passionate group of people, bonded together by their love for cats, sense of community, and care for the environment. All of these aspects are transformative towards FFSC’s goal of altering 75+% of the cats in Sonoma County.
We were able to accomplish this with 8+ fully functioning and well thought-out features, all multi-faceted depending on the user’s role. Our designs are simple, yet fun, employing a subtle cat theme, and welcoming language and clear typography. Colors and themes are authentic to FFSC’s existing brand identity.
When our app officially launches, our client hopes that it will inspire other TNR organizations to create something similar of their own.
