GÜAF!: Helping You Find the Best Food for Your Dog
Timeline: July 2023 – January 2024
Context: This project, part of the Google UX Design Certification, was inspired by the common struggles dog owners face when searching for the best food for their pets.
Challenge: Design a dedicated app that helps dog owners easily find the most suitable and healthy food options for their dogs.
Solution: I created GÜAF!, an app with a specialized search engine for dog food and a barcode scanner for pet products, simplifying the process of making informed and confident choices for their furry friends.
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The problem:
The vast variety of dog food options can be overwhelming for pet owners, making it difficult to choose the right one—especially when their dogs have specific health needs or dietary restrictions.
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Objective:
Create a mobile app that empowers pet owners to easily search for and identify the best food options for their dogs based on their unique needs.
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My role:
Motivated by my dog’s struggles with skin allergies and the challenge of finding suitable food, I led every phase of the project—from research and ideation to prototyping, testing, and final design.
Understanding the User
In-depth Interviews.
Persona.
General Storyboard.
User Flow.
In-depth Interviews
3 women and 1 man (ages 28 - 51, Costa Rica). 75% with special dietary needs dogs.
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"Some [clerks] have given me amazing recommendations, but others really lack knowledge on the subject."
Finding reliable and informed recommendations from store clerks about specific health conditions for dogs is often a challenge.
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"I don't have enough time to do the research it takes to find the best food for him."
Researching the best dog food is time-consuming, with information scattered across multiple sources and often difficult to understand.
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"The most important thing is to find food that meets my dog's requirements and is reasonably priced."
Whether it’s allergies, medical conditions, age, or taste preferences, dog owners prioritize finding the best food for their pets while staying within their budget.
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"The information on the market is confusing..."
Most interviewees expressed difficulty understanding nutritional tables or ingredient lists on dog food packages, making it harder to make informed decisions.
Persona
Hugo: Retired Dog Owner with a Passion for Research
Hugo, a 55-year-old retired marketing professional, spends most of his time caring for his four dogs of different ages and sizes. With plenty of time on his hands, Hugo is deeply invested in finding the best food for each of his pets, especially considering their unique health needs. However, he often feels frustrated by the lack of reliable recommendations or easily understandable information from store clerks.
😡 Main Frustration: Hugo struggles to find detailed and clear information about dog food for special health conditions and is often disappointed when the food he needs is out of stock.
General Storyboard
User flow
Task: Scan the barcode on a dog food product to read more about the ingredients.
Starting to Design
Paper Wireframes.
First Iteration: Low fidelity prototype.
Unmoderated Usability Study.
Design Iterations & Improvements.
Paper Wireframes
First Iteration: Low fidelity prototype
The Bar Code Scanner
The app’s main feature allows users to scan the barcode of dog food products in stores and instantly receive clear, easy-to-understand information about them.
The Search Engine
A series of user-centered filters were added to the search engine, allowing dog owners to easily research and find the best dog food, all in one convenient place.
My "Favorite" Lists
Users can save their favorite products into customizable lists, making it easy to organize and revisit their top choices.
Unmoderated Usability Study
The same 5 people from the in-depth interviews.
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The Barcode Scanner Is Difficult to Find
Most users expressed frustration with locating the scanner, as it’s hidden within the search engine filters.
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The Search Bar Is Super Useful for Research
Most participants appreciated the food search engine with filters, finding it helpful for conducting in-depth research from scratch. Most of them expressed it's more useful than the scanner.
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We Want to Understand the Ingredient List
Participants found it difficult to understand the language used on dog food ingredient lists. They expressed a desire for a simplified, "for dummies" version to make it clearer and more accessible.
Design Iterations & Improvements
Search Bar vs. Scanner Priority
The scanner has been integrated into the home screen for easy access. It is positioned next to the search bar, ensuring the search feature remains the primary focus while providing the scanner as a convenient secondary option.
Enhanced Search Engine for Better Research
The search engine is now more intuitive, with simpler filters and clearer text. A new filter shows where food can be purchased. Users value it for research at home or on-the-go.
Refining the Design
Final Prototype.
Final Prototype
Search Engine for Research
The search engine is accessible from the top of the home screen and the app menu. Its extensive filter system is effective only with a robust database.
Scanner for In-Store or At-Home Use
The scanner is designed for use when you're in front of a product, whether in a store or at home. It’s prominently placed in the center of the app menu for easy access.
Simplified Ingredient Insights
Each ingredient is accompanied by brief, easy-to-understand details and icons highlighting key information for quick reference.
For the Future.
Impact.
Key Takeaways and Future Improvements.
Impact
As this was an academic project, it was not publicly released, so no usage data is available.
“This app would help me a lot to find good food for Lola, because she is already old and has always been allergic.”
—Participant C
Key Takeaways and Future Improvements
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Usability Insights and Focus
I gained valuable experience in usability studies, learning how findings shape app changes. I also learned the importance of starting with a clear initial idea and focusing on one function at a time to avoid overwhelming the app with features.
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Expanding Research and Accessibility
Next time, I would interview more diverse users, including dog owners with different buying habits and professionals from vet clinics or pet stores. Additionally, I would prioritize accessibility improvements, such as voice search, better color contrast, and dictation options.
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Enhancing User Value and Partnerships
I would explore which filters create the most value for users and consider partnerships with points of sale to enable seamless food purchases directly from the app.