PROBLEM STATEMENT

Bird owners are pet enthusiasts who need a way to track and optimize their birds' nutrition because they lack proper tools to monitor dietary balance and ensure their birds receive the right nutrients.

GOAL SOLUTION

My goal is to create an intuitive nutrition-tracking app that enables bird owners to monitor and optimize their birds' diet, ensuring a healthier and well-balanced feeding routine.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Pet Bird Owners (Primary Users)
Bird Breeders & Aviary Owners
Bird Nutrition Experts
Bird Feed Manufacturers

THE APPROACH

I followed a user-centered design approach using the Design Thinking framework to develop an intuitive nutrition-tracking app for bird owners. My process began with understanding user needs, defining key challenges, and brainstorming potential solutions. I then created wireframes and prototypes in Figma and refined the designs through iterative usability testing. By prioritizing a structured and data-driven approach, I aimed to create a seamless experience that enables users to effectively monitor and optimize their birds' nutrition.

My role Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Design Strategy Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Problem Solution Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Information Architecture Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Empathy Mapping Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Usability Testing Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project User Flow Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Wireframes Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Competitive Analysis Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Visual Design Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project User Research Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project User Persona Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project
My role Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Design Strategy Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Problem Solution Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Information Architecture Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Empathy Mapping Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Usability Testing Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project User Flow Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Wireframes Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Competitive Analysis Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project Visual Design Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project User Research Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project User Persona Created by mbaluev from the Noun Project

EMPATHIZE PHASE

In the Empathize phase, I focused on understanding the users—their pain points, behaviors, and needs related to tracking bird nutrition. Since I am working alone, I gathered insights through various methods, including surveys, interviews, competitive analysis, secondary research, and AI-based tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming and refining user research questions. This approach ensured that I captured a comprehensive view of the challenges bird owners face.

Objectives

  • Understand how bird owners currently track their birds’ nutrition.
  • Identify challenges in providing a balanced diet.
  • Explore what features users expect in a nutrition tracking app.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research focuses on exploring and understanding user behaviors, experiences, motivations, and pain points. It involves collecting non-numerical data through open-ended, conversational methods, allowing you to dive deeper into why users behave the way they do.

Interview Questions

General Background
  • How many birds do you have, and what species are they?
  • How long have you been a bird owner?
  • What motivated you to start keeping birds as pets?
Current Feeding Practices
  • How do you currently feed your birds? (e.g., schedule, type of food, portions)
  • How do you decide what food to give your birds?
  • Do you follow any specific feeding guidelines or recommendations?
  • What challenges do you face when planning or tracking your birds’ diet?
Pain Points
  • Have you ever felt unsure if your birds are getting the right nutrition?
  • Do you think you overfeed or underfeed your birds at times? If yes, why?
  • Is it easy for you to remember your birds’ feeding schedules or portion sizes?
  • Have you encountered any health issues with your birds related to their diet?
Pain Points
  • Have you ever felt unsure if your birds are getting the right nutrition?
  • Do you think you overfeed or underfeed your birds at times? If yes, why?
  • Is it easy for you to remember your birds’ feeding schedules or portion sizes?
  • Have you encountered any health issues with your birds related to their diet?
Solutions and Expectations
  • What features would you find helpful in a bird nutrition tracking app?
  • Would you prefer personalized feeding recommendations based on your bird’s species?
  • How would you like the app to remind you about feeding or nutritional updates?
  • Are there any tracking apps or tools you’ve used in the past, and what did you like/dislike about them?
Open-Ended Feedback
  • What’s the most frustrating part of managing your birds’ diet?
  • If you could change anything about your current feeding process, what would it be?
  • Do you have any additional suggestions or concerns regarding bird nutrition management?

Key Insight Derived

Lack of Proper Nutrition Knowledge

Insight: Most bird owners rely on guesswork or general feeding advice found online, leading to uncertainty about whether their birds are receiving a balanced diet.

User Quote: "I don’t know if the food mix I give is sufficient. I try different things, but I’m never sure if it’s right."

Difficulty Tracking Feeding Schedules and Portion Sizes

Insight: Users struggle to remember feeding times and appropriate portion sizes, especially when they have multiple birds.

User Quote: "I feed my birds at random times depending on my schedule. I forget whether I’ve given them the right amount."

Desire for Personalized Recommendations

Insight: Bird owners want personalized feeding suggestions based on the species, age, and health of their birds.

User Quote: "Every bird species is different. It would be great if the app could guide me on the ideal diet based on my bird type."

Need for Health Monitoring Integration

Insight: Many users expressed interest in tracking not only nutrition but also their bird’s weight, behavior, and overall health to identify potential issues early.

User Quote: "If I could also track my bird’s weight and behavior alongside the diet, it would help spot problems before they get worse."

Frustration with Existing Tools or Manual Tracking

Insight: Most users currently rely on notebooks or phone reminders, which are inconvenient and lack detailed tracking capabilities.

User Quote: "I tried using a general pet tracker, but it wasn’t designed for birds, so I had to stop using it."

Competitive Audite

To evaluate existing pet care and bird-related apps to identify opportunities for designing a unique and user-friendly bird nutrition tracking app.