THE CHALLENGE

Animal rescue transport volunteers are responsible for safely moving a surrendered or shelter dog to its foster home, whether that be across town or several states. Communication between transport coordinators, drivers, and foster homes is crucial and helps minimize stress for a dog that might already be traumatized.

Transport coordinators tap a geographically dispersed group of volunteer drivers to set up transports ranging from one leg to as many as 10 or more covering hundreds of miles. Delays such as traffic, weather, road conditions, and difficulty loading a dog into a vehicle are inevitable.

MY ROLE

UX architect, UX writer

THE SOLUTION

Rather than relying on phone calls and text strings to communicate a dog’s condition and ever-changing ETAs, I proposed and designed an app that leverages the following mobile device tools to provide accurate transport status and updates:

• contacts
• calling and messaging
• notifications
• maps and location
• weather and traffic
• accelerometer

For example, drivers can access a list of their upcoming transport assignments (listed by the dog’s name and ID number) and then tap into a detail screen containing the dog’s information and a list of the transport legs.

Tapping a particular leg provides up-to-the-minute status and easy access to relevant maps, weather, and traffic.

Notifications alert drivers of changing ETAs, and volunteers can easily contact other transport drivers if needed.

A new database and website that launched in 2017 can provide the feed of transport team contact details and dog profiles, including behavioral and health information. Development of the app is pending financial support.