Turning technology into an experience
The challenge
Pet ownership increased exponentially during the pandemic, with a total of 3.2 million households in the UK acquiring a pet since the start of 2020 . Developing a piece of technology that would give owners, farmers and vets access to more information about animals would tap into a popular and highly lucrative market.
Chordata had successfully created something that had never been seen before: a biometric chip that monitors an animal’s hormone levels, temperature, motion and other key health metrics. All this data was accessible via a dashboard and vets received an alert if levels become a concern.
The client had a name, idea, hardware and some research. The challenge now was to turn a piece of tech into a great experience for people – which is where YaYa came in.
The approach
With a wealth of research from Newcastle University already in existence, our first mission was to analyse this data and survey pet owners in Australia – where the product would be launched first.
From this extensive research, we identified three target personas for the tool:
- Country Bumpkins
- Cat People
- Professionals who are pet owners
By deeply understanding how each target user thinks, YaYa pinpointed professionals with pets as ‘early adopters’ for the product. This analysis also allowed us to map a user journey, information architecture, wireframes and screen designs.
We also worked out that these personas could be further broken down into subcategories, which meant the product needed multiple interfaces. For example, the needs of domestic vets were different to those of agricultural vets.
The results
Thanks to this product, much of the guesswork can be taken out of veterinary practice and farming using data-driven science. The platform has the potential to enhance the lives of animals around the world – giving the voiceless a voice.
At first glance, this project risked being too hardware driven.
But our approach gave the tool character and connected it with the beating heart of our precious pets.
In summary, we started by crafting a brand and will take this people-centered thinking right through to the creation of the product. Delving into the research and fully understanding the motivations of users ensured the client had the high adoption and supportive tools needed to secure further funding.
The next step is to manage the project roadmap and build an MVP product to demonstrate the full potential of this trail-blazing idea.
“ A technical developer probably would have dived straight into creating the product, but YaYa helped us to understand the importance of analysing the research and defining a brand first. This methodical approach means we’re set up for success with a much clearer view of who we are and what our users want.”
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at Chordata
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