About
Fuzz ATX, a local pet-sitting service in Austin, wanted to improve their website to better showcase their sitters and simplify the booking process. Before the redesign, there was no way to showcase sitters’ unique qualities or give pet owners the confidence to book.

I led every part of this project—research, design, and development—to create detailed sitter profiles and a user-friendly directory. The new design helped Fuzz ATX attract more bookings while building trust with pet owners through transparency and professionalism.

Role
Lead User Experience Designer
Lead Researcher

Category
Website Design
UX Research

Client
Fuzz ATX

Audience
Pet owners looking for reliable and experienced pet sitters in the Austin area.

Time Period
February 2024 - June 2024

Pet Owners Had No Way to Find or Trust Sitters

Before the new design, pet owners struggled to find information about the pet sitters:

• No Existing Information: There were no sitter profiles to share details about their experience, availability, or personality. Pet owners needed this information to feel confident in their choice.
• Lack of Trust: Without detailed profiles, pet owners found it hard to trust sitters, which discouraged bookings.
• No Advertising Avenue: The Fuzz ATX owners had no way to promote their sitters or highlight the personal care their small business offers

Creating a User-Friendly and Trustworthy Experience

Screenshot of final product example on mobile.

After understanding the challenges pet owners faced and the business goals of Fuzz ATX, my goals were focused on improving the overall experience while building trust and driving more bookings.

• Create detailed, engaging profiles to showcase each sitter’s experience, availability, and personality.
• Build a user-friendly directory where pet owners can easily browse, compare, and book sitters.
• Design a professional website that reflects Fuzz ATX’s values as a small, local business.
• Simplify the booking process to reduce frustration and encourage more reservations.

Learning What Pet Owners Want

I began by diving into Fuzz ATX’s vision and learning about the pain points of their current website. Through conversations with the team, I discovered they wanted profiles that not only showcased their sitters’ qualifications but also highlighted their personalities and love for pets. This helped establish the foundation for what the new profiles and directory needed to accomplish.

Activities:

• Team Meetings: I worked closely with the Fuzz ATX team to identify the gaps in their current website and understand their goals. We discussed how profiles could better reflect their sitters’ professionalism and care, while also making the booking process easier for pet owners.
• User Interviews and Requirements Gathering: I conducted interviews with pet owners to find out what they look for when choosing a sitter. These conversations revealed what information was most important to them and what features would make the booking process seamless.

Key Insights:

These insights shaped the foundation of the redesign, making sure the new profiles and directory would meet pet owners’ expectations while supporting Fuzz ATX’s goals.

Competitor Analysis: Learning from Industry Leaders

To make sure Fuzz ATX could stand out in a competitive market, I analyzed popular platforms like Rover, Wag!, and Care.com. These platforms are trusted by pet owners and set the standard for sitter profiles, directory navigation, and the overall booking experience.

What I Analyzed:

• Rover: Known for its detailed sitter profiles that include reviews, photos, availability, and personalized bios.
• Wag!: Focuses on convenience, with easy-to-navigate directories, real-time availability, and mobile-friendly features.
• Care.com: Offers detailed search filters and professional profiles for pet care, babysitting, and senior care, showcasing sitter qualifications and testimonials effectively.

What I Discovered:

• Profiles Must Build Trust: Platforms like Rover and Care.com emphasize detailed bios, reviews, and ratings to make users feel confident in their choice.
  
• Simple Navigation is Key: Wag! excels at providing clear and fast ways for users to browse, filter, and compare sitters.
  
• Mobile-Friendly Design is Essential: With so many users booking on their phones, a responsive design is critical for usability.
  
• Visuals Make an Impact: High-quality sitter photos and consistent layouts create a polished, professional look that users appreciate.

Design: Showcasing Sitters in a Personal and Professional Way

Sketches 

Initial sketches laid the groundwork for wireframes, helping visualize layout and flow.

Wireframes

Wireframes detailed the structure of profile and directory pages, focusing on key elements like sitter bios, photos, availability calendars, and reviews.

Prototype Design & Iterations After Feedback

High-fidelity prototypes brought the design to life, incorporating fonts, colors, and images for a realistic user experience. Feedback from clients and users led to refinements, enhancing usability and aesthetics.

Testing and Improving the Design

I tested the prototypes with pet owners to make sure the design worked well for them. These sessions helped me see what was working, gather feedback on the layout, content, and functionality, and find areas to improve.

What I Tested:

• Could pet owners easily navigate the site and find sitter profiles?
  
• Did the profiles give enough information for them to feel confident booking a sitter?
  
• Was the booking process simple and easy to follow?

What I Learned:

• Pet Owners Want Details: They prioritized profiles with information like experience, qualifications, availability, and photos.
• Clear Layouts Work Best: Most participants preferred a specific profile page layout, so I built the final design around that option.
• Professional Design Matters: They wanted the website to look polished and reflect the care and professionalism of the sitters.
• Easy Navigation is Key: A simple and intuitive booking process was important for a positive experience.

Final Design

Based on research findings, I made final improvements to the design which included:

• Detailed Profiles: I included everything pet owners wanted, like sitter bios, reviews, photos, availability calendars, and pricing.
• Simplified Booking: I made the booking button easy to find and added clear steps to complete the process quickly.
• Polished Layouts: I used the preferred layout from testing and made it visually appealing and easy to read.
• Better Navigation: I ensured the directory was simple to browse, so users could easily compare sitters.

The Results: A Website That Drives Engagement and Bookings

Achievements

• More Engagement: Visitors spent more time exploring sitter profiles, building trust and connection.
  

• Increased Bookings: The new booking process reduced friction, leading to more completed reservations.
  

• Improved Brand Image: The website presented Fuzz ATX as a professional, trustworthy small business, strengthening its connection with the community.

Lessons Learned

• Trust Drives Decisions: Pet owners want detailed, transparent information to feel confident about booking a sitter.
  
• Iterate for Success: Each round of testing revealed insights that improved the final design.
  
• Wearing Many Hats: As a new freelancer, I learned to balance research, design, and development to deliver a cohesive, polished product for my client.

This project taught me the value of creating designs that are both functional and personal. By understanding what pet owners and small business owners needed most, I built a website that connected users to the right sitter while helping Fuzz ATX grow their business.