StrayCare App
StrayCare App
Empowering Communities for Animal Welfare
Empowering Communities for Animal Welfare
Summary
Summary
StrayCare is a rescue coordination app designed to reduce inefficiencies in animal rescue workflows. By working with volunteers and leadership, I helped shape an MVP that streamlined communication and strengthened community engagement
StrayCare is a rescue coordination app designed to reduce inefficiencies in animal rescue workflows. By working with volunteers and leadership, I helped shape an MVP that streamlined communication and strengthened community engagement
Team
Team
UX Designer - Me
Product Manager
Developer
UX Designer - Me
Product Manager
Developer
Timeline
Timeline
8 months
8 months
StrayCare was designed to cut rescue coordination delays by up to 30% based on validated prototypes and user testing with 10 volunteers.
StrayCare was designed to cut rescue coordination delays by up to 30% based on validated prototypes and user testing with 10 volunteers.
Users can quickly report sightings of stray animals in distress, complete with location details, ensuring immediate attention from rescue teams.
Users can quickly report sightings of stray animals in distress, complete with location details, ensuring immediate attention from rescue teams.
Platform for users and organisation to participate actively in rescue operations, fostering a network of community-driven support for animal welfare.
Platform for users and organisation to participate actively in rescue operations, fostering a network of community-driven support for animal welfare.
The app enables faster reporting, clearer task allocation, and community-driven support, laying a foundation for scaling in future.
The app enables faster reporting, clearer task allocation, and community-driven support, laying a foundation for scaling in future.
Overview
Overview
What is StrayCare Organization?
What is StrayCare Organization?
What is StrayCare Organization?
StrayCare is a community-driven organization in Belgaum India that connects volunteers to rescue, care for, and protect stray animals in need.
StrayCare is a community-driven organization in Belgaum India that connects volunteers to rescue, care for, and protect stray animals in need.
StrayCare is a community-driven organization in Belgaum India that connects volunteers to rescue, care for, and protect stray animals in need.
The Challenge
Rescue volunteers often work independently. Reports get lost, multiple people respond to the same case, and there’s no central way to track progress. This meant wasted time, missed opportunities, and unnecessary suffering for the animals.
Rescue volunteers often work independently. Reports get lost, multiple people respond to the same case, and there’s no central way to track progress. This meant wasted time, missed opportunities, and unnecessary suffering for the animals.
Lack of coordination delays rescue efforts.
Many strays cases go without timely help.
Research
Research
User Research
We held 1-on-1 interviews with the with 20 volunteers, and 15 community members to thoroughly grasp the problems faced by them engaged in saving and handling homeless animals.
We held 1-on-1 interviews with the with 20 volunteers, and 15 community members to thoroughly grasp the problems faced by them engaged in saving and handling homeless animals.
We held 1-on-1 interviews with the with 20 volunteers, and 15 community members to thoroughly grasp the problems faced by them engaged in saving and handling homeless animals.
What I learnt from the research
Rescue volunteers expressed frustration with the absence of real-time updates during a rescue process.
Rescue volunteers expressed frustration with the absence of real-time updates during a rescue process.
of volunteers reported frequent scheduling conflicts
and miscommunication
of volunteers reported frequent scheduling conflicts
and miscommunication
65 %
65 %
of volunteers reported frequent scheduling conflicts
and miscommunication
75 %
75 %
80 %
80 %
Volunteers
Community members
Community members
Volunteers
Rescue Delays
Rescue Delays
Inefficiencies
Inefficiencies
25%
50%
Expressed frustration with the absence of real-time updates during a rescue process.
Expressed frustration with the absence of real-time updates during a rescue process.
To validate the design, I ran a series of early user tests with volunteers. These confirmed the need for real-time updates and clearer task ownership.
To validate the design, I ran a series of early user tests with volunteers. These confirmed the need for real-time updates and clearer task ownership.
Feature Prioritization
A structured case management system to reduce confusion.
Real-time volunteer assignment to track who is handling each rescue.
A follow-up tracking system to ensure rescued animals get the care they need.
A structured case management system to reduce confusion.
Real-time volunteer assignment to track who is handling each rescue.
A follow-up tracking system to ensure rescued animals get the care they need.
Design Process
Design Process
User Flows & Wireframes
User Flows & Wireframes
Created clear pathways for users to log cases, claim tasks, and track outcomes.
Created clear pathways for users to log cases, claim tasks, and track outcomes.
Design Iteration
Iteration 1 – Toggles
Status tracked with switches, but it is slow and does not allow detail control.
Iteration 2 – Step Indicators
Clearer task order, yet no urgency signal and no clear current status.
Iteration 3 – Action Cards (Final)
Simplified flow with timeline to show current status, cutting reporting time to under 1 minute.
Iteration 1 – Case Status Overview
Clear categorization, but volunteers found it cluttered and struggled to prioritize urgent rescues.
Iteration 2 – Case & Volunteer Counts
Improved visibility, but required too much scrolling and detail was buried.
Iteration 3 – Simplified Case List (Final)
Volunteers could now scan and prioritize faster, reducing coordination overhead for coordinators.
The Solution
The Solution
The final MVP design introduced a streamlined flow for rescues:
The final MVP design introduced a streamlined flow for rescues:
Easy to report cases and view details about updates on the case
Easy to report cases and view details about updates on the case
Outcomes
Outcomes
User Testing
User testing revealed confusion in the reporting form, which I simplified to make it faster and more intuitive.
User testing revealed confusion in the reporting form, which I simplified to make it faster and more intuitive.
Goal: Measure efficiency + task success.
Goal: Measure efficiency + task success.
Key Results:
Reporting time dropped from 3–5 minutes → under 1 minute by participants.
7 out of 10 volunteers said they felt confident their reports wouldn’t be missed.
Coordinators noted the dashboard would “save multiple confirmation calls per case.”
Key Results:
Reporting time dropped from 3–5 minutes → under 1 minute by participants.
7 out of 10 volunteers said they felt confident their reports wouldn’t be missed.
Coordinators noted the dashboard would “save multiple confirmation calls per case.”
Current State
Current State
Rescue help messages are lost in the chats.
Volunteers are not certain who is going to attend.
Rescue help messages are lost in the chats.
Volunteers are not certain who is going to attend.
Proposed Solution
Proposed Solution
Volunteers are notified of a new case. Volunteers can assign themself to the case and is visible to others.
Volunteers are notified of a new case. Volunteers can assign themself to the case and is visible to others.
Reduces miscommunication and scheduling conflict
Reduces miscommunication and scheduling conflict
Aligned leadership and volunteers around a clear MVP scope.
Improved confidence in coordination among early testers.
Provided a foundation for future development, with opportunities to expand into shelter integration and regional scaling.
Aligned leadership and volunteers around a clear MVP scope.
Improved confidence in coordination among early testers.
Provided a foundation for future development, with opportunities to expand into shelter integration and regional scaling.
Learnings
Learnings
User-Centered Approach: Deep understanding of our users shaped meaningful, need-driven solutions.
Feedback-Driven Design: Continuous user input refined our product, ensuring strong user resonance.
Collaborative Innovation: Multidisciplinary teamwork enriched our solution with diverse expertise.
Purposeful Design: Impactful design goes beyond aesthetics—it solves real-world challenges.
User-Centered Approach: Deep understanding of our users shaped meaningful, need-driven solutions.
Feedback-Driven Design: Continuous user input refined our product, ensuring strong user resonance.
Collaborative Innovation: Multidisciplinary teamwork enriched our solution with diverse expertise.
Purposeful Design: Impactful design goes beyond aesthetics—it solves real-world challenges.
Next Steps
Next Steps
If developed, StrayCare could expand to include:
GPS-based live tracking of rescues.
Emergency vet and shelter integration.
Community recognition systems to motivate volunteers.
If developed, StrayCare could expand to include:
GPS-based live tracking of rescues.
Emergency vet and shelter integration.
Community recognition systems to motivate volunteers.
Let’s Connect
To collaborate and solve bigger problems
Contact me
Let’s Connect
To collaborate and solve bigger problems
Contact me
Let’s Connect
To collaborate and solve bigger problems
Contact me