Redesigning with purpose: a responsive web experience for a dog daycare struggling with branding, navigation, and a missing online booking system.
The Problem
The site had inconsistent logos and colors that disrupted visual hierarchy, poor information architecture, no online booking system, and testimonials buried on a separate page that required clicking through each review individually.
The Goal
Redesign the site as a responsive, trust-driven experience - fixing the branding, simplifying navigation, adding online booking, and making testimonials and social proof easy to find for new and returning customers.
Reviewing the Existing Website
I studied what was working, what was broken, and where users were struggling most - so the redesign could fix the right problems.
01
Inconsistent logos and excessive color usage disrupted hierarchy and made the site feel unprofessional and untrustworthy.
02
Inefficient layout, confusing navigation, and misaligned buttons and text throughout the site.
03
Users had to call or email to reserve - inconvenient, especially for after-hours bookings when the business was closed.
04
Reviews required clicking through one at a time, and none appeared on the homepage where they could build trust.
Competitor Analysis
Dogma, Pups Pet Club, and Animal Loving Care each do something well - but each leaves clear gaps in booking, pricing, or social proof.
Key Findings
01
Competitors with clear branding, testimonials, and social proof immediately felt more credible. Consistent visual identity was a key differentiator.
02
Most sites were easy to navigate, yet key functionality - booking and contact forms - was often missing or buried deep in the site.
03
Reviews and testimonials exist, but placement and emphasis vary widely, reducing their impact on building user confidence.
User Research · 5 interviews
I ran remote interviews with five target users - frequent travelers and active pet owners - about their pet-care routines, challenges, and priorities when choosing a daycare.
01
Users had to call or email to make reservations, leading to longer wait times and inconvenience - especially for after-hours bookings. A 24/7 online booking system would solve this.
02
Unclear pricing made users hesitant, and hidden fees were a concern. They compare prices across daycares and leave for competitors with more transparent pricing.
03
Reviews were difficult to find and engage with. Users rely heavily on social proof - testimonials, ratings, and photos - but these need to be easy to reach on the homepage.
Personas
"I need to book quickly and know my dog is in good hands without spending hours researching."
"I want to feel confident the daycare is safe and reputable before I leave my pet there."
User Flow
I mapped out the steps dog owners would take to discover and engage with services - making sure the process was simple, intuitive, and seamless from the first visit to a confirmed booking.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
I created initial wireframes focusing on layout and functionality for the key screens - homepage, service pages, and the booking flow - to validate the information architecture before moving on to visual design.
Why the Website Needed a Redesign
A thorough review revealed problems across layout, color, typography, and accessibility - issues that made the brand feel unprofessional before users even read the content.
01
A disorganized layout with misaligned buttons and text. Content was scattered without a clear visual hierarchy, making it hard for users to scan and find information.
02
Excessive, inconsistent color usage disrupted the visual hierarchy. Inconsistent logos and clashing palettes made the brand feel unprofessional and untrustworthy.
03
Inconsistent fonts, small text sizes, and tight line heights made content hard to read - especially on mobile devices.
04
Insufficient color contrast, missing alt text, and no keyboard navigation support limited usability for visitors with different needs.
Branding
#452C8C#E5E500Purple represents trust, professionalism, and calm; yellow symbolizes happiness, warmth, and energy.
Paytone One - a bold, friendly display face for headlines and the refreshed logo.
Clear, high-contrast button styling to make the primary action unmissable.
Usability Testing · 15 participants
I ran remote usability testing with 15 participants, focusing on the booking experience and the overall visual design.
Key Insight
The rebrand and surfaced social proof did the heavy lifting - participants trusted the redesigned site far more than the original, even before they reached the booking step.
Final UI Adjustments
Most participants gravitated straight to the CTA, so I created an additional dedicated page for it. I also redesigned the homepage to improve spacing and updated the card components.
The prototype walks the full flow - from landing on the homepage through service discovery to completing a booking - on both desktop and mobile.
Desktop prototype
Mobile prototype
Learnings
01
Unifying logos, colors, and type had an outsized impact on credibility - even before users engaged with content.
02
Moving testimonials from a buried subpage to the homepage dramatically increased confidence. Placement matters as much as content.
03
Users expected 24/7 booking. Its absence didn't just inconvenience - it made the business feel outdated.
04
With a properly responsive site, users explored more services. Removing mobile friction unlocked demand that was being lost.