Feline Informatics Reporting System
Role: UI Designer | Sept-Dec 2024 | SDLC Capstone Project
Gritty Kitties, an organization at UMBC, focuses on enhancing the welfare of community cats in Catonsville, particularly with their Trap Neuter Release initiative. Despite their noble mission, their reliance on informal tracking systems created challenges that hindered their impact. This case study delves into the user-centered approach to designing a mobile application aimed at addressing these challenges.
The Application
Problem Statement
Gritty Kitties relied on informal tools such as spreadsheets and Discord for managing feline-related information, resulting in disorganization, incomplete data, and inefficiencies. The organization needed a scalable, robust solution to streamline their operations and enable better data collection, reporting, and real-time tracking.
Proposed Solution
Our team designed a mobile application to replace the existing system, allowing users to upload feline profiles in real-time, document sightings, and manage data critical for identifying and aiding vulnerable felines. The solution prioritized user accessibility, effective data management, and a design consistent with modern app standards.
Primary Users
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Gritty Kitties Volunteers: Responsible for reporting feline sightings and updating profiles.
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Staff and Club Advisors: Manage and review detailed feline data.
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Veterinarians: Access health and medical records for timely interventions.
Low Fidelity Sketches
Reflection
This was my first time designing a product from start to finish for an actual client. Being there each step of the way through the SDLC helped immensely in conducting user research and defining the organization's needs from my team's proposed system. Working within the constraints of a course syllabus, lack of funding, and limited time presented some challenges in designing the product. However, I felt that these limits helped to narrow my focus on the aspects that I had control over, such as deciding the design principles and color scheme to implement. Overall, designing FIRS provided valuable insights into managing UX challenges in a resource constrained environment.