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Responsive Web
Redesign
NYC Pet Services
Redesigning with purpose: a responsive web experience for a dog daycare website struggling with branding, navigation, and missing online booking.
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Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
6 weeks
Tools
Figma, Maze, Miro
Platform
Responsive Web
Team
Solo designer
The Problem
The NYC Pet Services website struggled with multiple critical issues: branding inconsistencies with inconsistent logos and colors that disrupted visual hierarchy, poor information architecture that hindered user experience, no online booking system which limited user convenience and business growth, and inaccessible testimonials that required clicking through each review individually.
The Goal
Redesign the website as a responsive, trust-driven experience — fixing the branding, simplifying navigation, adding an online booking system, and making testimonials and social proof easily accessible to build confidence for new and returning customers.
Reviewing the Existing Website
Before designing anything new, I conducted a thorough audit of the current NYC Pet Services website to understand what was working, what was broken, and where users were struggling most.
Key Issues Identified
Branding Inconsistencies
Inconsistent logos and colors disrupted visual hierarchy. Excessive color usage and readability problems made the site feel unprofessional and untrustworthy.
Poor Information Architecture
Inefficient layout and structure hindered user experience. Navigation was confusing, with misaligned buttons and text throughout the site.
No Online Booking
Users had to call or email to make reservations, leading to longer wait times and inconvenience — especially for after-hours bookings when the business was closed.
Inaccessible Testimonials
The testimonials page required clicking through each review individually, reducing engagement. No testimonials were displayed on the homepage where they could build trust.
Competitor Analysis
I analyzed direct and indirect competitors to identify common patterns, usability gaps, and differentiation opportunities in the NYC pet care market.
Dogma
Strengths
Strong brand identity with consistent visual design
Clear service descriptions with transparent pricing
Testimonials prominently displayed on homepage
Weaknesses
No online booking — requires phone or email to schedule
Limited mobile responsiveness across key pages
Pups Pet Club
Strengths
Engaging visual content with facility photos and videos
Active social media presence building community trust
Well-organized service categories
Weaknesses
Unclear CTAs — booking and contact actions are buried
Pricing information not easily accessible
Animal Loving Care
Strengths
Simple, straightforward navigation structure
Detailed service pages with clear information
Established local reputation with loyal customer base
Weaknesses
Outdated visual design that undermines credibility
Reviews and testimonials difficult to find
Key Findings
01
Brand visibility drives trust
Competitors with clear branding, testimonials, and social proof immediately felt more credible. Consistent visual identity was a key differentiator.
02
Navigation simple but incomplete
Most websites were easy to navigate, yet key functionality — booking, contact forms — was often missing or buried deep in the site.
03
Social proof inconsistently surfaced
Reviews and testimonials exist but placement and emphasis vary widely, reducing their impact on building user trust and confidence.
Opportunities Identified
Streamlined booking experience
Replace offline scheduling with a user-friendly online booking system that allows 24/7 reservations — eliminating the need to call or email.
Guided, trust-driven experience
Instead of expecting users to evaluate options independently, lead them through a trust-building journey with testimonials, staff info, and facility details upfront.
Clearer information prioritization
Reduce cognitive load during decision-making by surfacing pricing, services, and reviews in a clear hierarchy — not scattered across multiple pages.
User Research
I conducted remote interviews with 5 target users — frequent travelers and active pet owners — about their pet care routines, challenges, and priorities when selecting daycare services.
Pain Points
01
Absence of online booking
Users must call or email to make reservations, leading to longer wait times and inconvenience - especially for after-hours bookings. An online booking system allowing 24/7 reservations would solve this.
02
Unclear pricing information
Unclear pricing on the website makes users hesitant. Hidden fees are a concern. Users compare prices between multiple daycare options and may leave for competitors with more transparent pricing.
03
Hard-to-access reviews
Reviews are difficult to find and engage with. Users rely heavily on social proof from other pet owners - testimonials, ratings, and photos - but these need to be easily accessible on the homepage.
Key Research Findings
From the research, I developed two user personas and mapped the core user flow to ensure the design addresses real needs and behaviors.
User Personas
Two primary personas emerged representing NYC pet owners with different needs and priorities.
Rachel, 28
Marketing Manager, Manhattan
"I need to book quickly and know my dog is in good hands without spending hours researching."
Goals
Quick and easy online booking. Transparent pricing. Access to reviews and staff info before committing.
Frustrations
Having to call to book. Unclear pricing. No way to see facility photos or read reviews easily.
Behavior
Books daycare regularly. Compares options on phone during commute. Values convenience and trust signals.
James, 34
Software Engineer, Brooklyn
"I want to feel confident that the daycare is safe and reputable before I leave my pet there."
Goals
Find a trustworthy daycare with strong reviews. See the facility and staff. Understand all costs upfront.
Frustrations
No facility photos or staff info. Hidden fees. Testimonials buried deep in the site.
Behavior
First-time user researching options. Reads every review. Needs flexibility in schedule. Will visit before committing.
User Flow
Mapping out the steps dog owners would take to discover and engage with services, ensuring the process was simple, intuitive, and seamless.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
I created initial wireframes focusing on layout and functionality for key screens — homepage, service pages, and the booking flow — to validate the information architecture before moving to visuals.
Why the Website Needed a Redesign
Beyond the UX issues, the existing visual design undermined trust and professionalism. A thorough review revealed problems across layout, color, typography, and accessibility.
01
Inefficient layout and structure
The site had a disorganized layout with misaligned buttons and text. Content was scattered without a clear visual hierarchy, making it difficult for users to scan and find information.
02
Too many colors
Excessive and inconsistent color usage across pages disrupted the visual hierarchy. Inconsistent logos and clashing palettes made the brand feel unprofessional and untrustworthy.
03
Readability issues
Poor typography choices with inconsistent font usage, small text sizes, and tight line heights made content hard to read - especially on mobile devices.
04
Lack of accessibility
The design lacked sufficient attention to accessibility - insufficient color contrast, missing alt text, and no keyboard navigation support limited usability for visitors with different needs.
Branding
I developed a cohesive visual identity that reflects the brand values of care, trust, and energy — replacing the inconsistent original design with a unified system.
Color Palette
Purple
#452C8C
Yellow
#E5E500
Purple represents trust, professionalism, and calmness. Yellow symbolizes happiness, warmth, and energy.
Typography
NYC Pet Services
Paytone one
Buttons
BOOK NOW
BOOK NOW
Usability Testing
I conducted remote usability testing with 15 participants to evaluate the website redesign, focusing on the booking experience and overall visual design.
87%
Booking success
13 out of 15 participants found the booking process simple and straightforward, completing it without assistance.
93%
Visual appeal
14 out of 15 participants found the website visually great, well-made, bright, and fun — a significant improvement over the original.
15
Participants tested
Remote usability testing with a diverse group of pet owners to validate the redesigned experience across different user segments.
Final UI Adjustments
The majority of participants wanted to click on the CTA button, so based on their feedback, I created an additional page.
Redesigned the homepage to improve spacing and updated card components.
Before
After
Final Design & Prototype
The final responsive design addresses all identified pain points — consistent branding, streamlined booking, transparent pricing, and accessible testimonials across desktop and mobile.
Interactive Prototype
The prototype demonstrates the full user flow — from landing on the homepage through service discovery to completing a booking — with responsive layouts for both desktop and mobile.
Learnings & Opportunities
This project reinforced several key principles and revealed areas for future exploration.
What I Learned
01
Branding consistency builds trust
Unifying the visual identity — logos, colors, typography — had an outsized impact on how users perceived the business's credibility, even before they engaged with content.
02
Social proof needs prominence
Moving testimonials from a buried subpage to the homepage dramatically increased user confidence. Placement matters as much as content when it comes to trust signals.
03
Online booking is table stakes
Users expected 24/7 booking capability. The absence of online booking wasn't just inconvenient — it made the business feel outdated compared to competitors.
04
Responsive design changes behavior
With a properly responsive site, users engaged with more content and explored more services. Removing mobile friction unlocked existing demand that was previously lost.
Future Opportunities
Real-time chat with staff
Users asked about their pets during the day. A simple chat feature could replace phone calls and build the personal relationship that makes this local business special.
Live webcam access
Integrating a live webcam feed where owners can check in on their pets during daycare would be a strong trust builder and retention tool.
Loyalty rewards program
A simple points system could increase retention and encourage multi-service bookings — rewarding regulars while incentivizing new service discovery.
Results
87%
Booking task
completion rate
93%
Found design
visually appealing
15
Usability test
participants
100%
Responsive
across devices
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