Based on my research and competitor analysis, we created a Feature Roadmap. This helped us determine which features to develop first. We assessed the effect, impact, priority, and total effort points to make our decisions.

Having a prototype allowed us to conduct quick research and obtain a more accurate development estimate. Based on the new timeline, the team decided to exclude the Map section from the MVP.

Since the deadlines were running out and it was already clear what should be in the application, I decided to move on to the final design phase.

I analyzed competitor applications and logos of popular pet-related companies, realizing that orange and purple would be excellent colors for our application. 

These colors are triadic, complementing each other well. I proposed using a vibrant orange as the primary color and purple as the secondary color.

I reviewed numerous references and selected minimalist ones. I adopted a 4-pixel spacing system and created styles and components (atoms and molecules) to accelerate design changes and facilitate future scalability.

I asked our graphic designer to create warm, cozy illustrations, as pets bring happiness and comfort to homes, and the illustrations needed to reflect that. After several iterations and sketches, we chose the main style.

The graphic designer then created the final images, which we used to launch the application. I really liked the cute and kind style of the illustrations, it suited the pet theme well.

Updated UI and illustrations without changing the UX. Consists of three steps highlighting the app’s main features: training, health, and chats with a dog trainer and vet.

On the Main Screen, as well as onboarding, I updated UI and illustrations. We started collaborating with an insurance company, replacing the reminders for pills and medical documents with an insurance policy feature.

On the Courses I updated both UI and UX and we partnered with a Dog Handler and Film Crew who created lessons. I designed the course page and the lessons themselves. We tested the lessons in a qualitative study and received positive feedback and people’s desire to buy them.

In the Health section I added pet insurance and subscription options with three tiers. Used visual gradation based on dog size to clearly differentiate the tiers.

Additionally, I made some minor improvements to the Chat section. I felt it was important to inform users if their questions wouldn’t be answered immediately, rather than making them wait until morning to ask. This way, users know upfront that their inquiries will be addressed later, ensuring better communication and user experience.

We launched the application in this version and collected data over the course of a month. During this period, I periodically added new features and fixed emerging issues. Analyzing the initial results from analytics, feedback, and surveys, I discussed everything with the team and received several new tasks:

• We needed to potentially increase DAU and MAU, so we brainstormed ways to retain users in the app beyond the courses.
• Preliminary usability testing revealed three user comprehension issues that needed urgent fixing.
• To meet the launch deadline, we needed to purchase a boxed chat version lacking some features, which required removing some functions from the design.

Noticing that we lacked sufficient knowledge about our users, I rethought the registration process. Instead of a standard three-screen onboarding, I created a more extended version. I hypothesized that users would willingly share information about their pets while learning about the app’s offerings. I was right; the new version brought us 2.5 times more registrations than the previous one, as confirmed by A/B testing.

Changes were also made to the home screen. To increase DAU and MAU, we hired two editors to write helpful articles about pets and create engaging podcasts that users could listen to directly in the app. I designed an intuitive and minimalist player for these podcasts, which was well-received by both users and developers. These innovations increased MAU by 61%, and course subscriptions also grew by 7%.

In the courses section, we lagged behind our subscription sales targets. Respondents in our research noted that the dog trainer’s methodology seemed straightforward and expressed willingness to subscribe. However, I suspected that users didn’t find the video format of the courses compelling enough to pay for a subscription. According to the JBTD methodology, they needed to see the app’s benefits over its free competitor, YouTube.

Since re-filming the dog trainer’s videos was impractical, I proposed testing a more interactive learning format—breaking the video lessons into short GIF snippets, allowing users to learn step-by-step through loops. The results were astounding—83% of respondents preferred the new format, while only 9% favored the old one, with 8% indicating they wouldn’t subscribe at all.

We began updating the app based on insightful research findings and user feedback. However, in February 2022, Beeline, like many companies in Russia, decided to shut down non-core businesses, including our team. Consequently, we were unable to fully capitalise on the improvements and successes achieved.

1. Success Sometimes Takes Longer. Achieving desired results often requires trial and error, especially when not all inputs are available. For instance, I designed the app without the final dog training courses and couldn’t gauge user reactions without them. However, once the material was ready, I was able to efficiently convert the videos into valuable GIF snippets for users.

2. Remember Henry Ford: I love his quote, “If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.” This perfectly encapsulates the development of new products. It would also fit well coming from Steve Jobs before the launch of the first iPhone. It’s challenging to convey the experience of using a product without the product itself. This is why prototyping, which can simulate this experience to some extent, is so crucial.

To assess feature demand, I designed a landing page to gauge audience interest in various functionalities. Unfortunately, simulating behavior on a landing page was difficult, as creating the illusion of use there was challenging.

3. Remember Dr. House: Another great saying, more related to usability studies: “Everybody lies.” It’s important to take the question, “Would you use this app?” with a grain of salt, as respondents may, for various reasons, not be willing to admit that, despite wanting to train their dog, they aren’t actually ready to do so or pay for it.

“I liked the feed, there is nothing superfluous, clear instructions, everything else depends on me and the dog. It is clearly told and does not need to be revised!”

4. Don’t Build a Spaceship with a Small Team Too Quickly: This is perhaps the most important lesson I learned. In tight timeframes with a small team, it’s crucial to focus on one function, like courses, and leave additional features, like pet insurance, for later stages.

So, despite the app’s short tenure in the stores, we achieved 100k downloads, received excellent user reviews, and, most importantly, gained invaluable experience working in a startup-like rush.

Thanks

Main Homepage Redesign for Real Estate Search

Improved key indicators and easier transition to new styles. July 2024

Senior Product Designer

15M MAU

End-to-End Redesign

Growth Design

View Work