Hoppity App Design, A Rabbit App

Hoppity: An App for Rabbit Friends

Overview

Hoppity started out as a school project but has since then turned into a side project. Therefore, I am working an app for rabbit owners.

Problem Statement

There is a lot of information online that isn’t vetted and a lot of misconceptions about the proper care of rabbits. Given that there is no app on the market for rabbit owners (although lots for dog and cat owners), I believe that an app to help rabbit owners find reliable information fast is crucial to rabbit care. There are lots of websites for rabbit owners but not all of the information is reliable.

Current Solutions

There are websites like rabbit.org and myhouserabbit.com for owners to find information on. But these websites have a lot of information on them and can be confusing for the first time rabbit owner.

Rabbit owners can also call their vet or ask breeders or other pet professionals for advice.

Users and stakeholders

The users for this product are first time rabbit owners- young adults, parents of young kids, or teenagers who want to show their rabbits for 4H.

For example, Maria, 23, might have recused a rabbit she saw on a recuse Instagram page but doesn’t know how to care for one. She finds a lot of information but doesn’t know what to trust as there is a lot of conflicting advice.

Roles and Responsibility

I was the sole designer on this project.

I conducted research remotely and in person. Then designed the app based on research.

I called vets to ask for their opinions and interviewed owners in person.

Scope and Constraints

There is no timeline for this project but it has a small budget. The scope changed at first from being a community app to being an informational, health focused app. I conducted research in person and online.

My Inspiration

He enjoyed stealing my chair when I was not out there.

My Process

Survey Rabbit Owners
Interview vets and rabbit owners
Create User Journey Map
Create Personas
Create first round sketches and wireframes
Create first round prototype
Test prototype
Redesign based on feedback

The Research

Due to the many differing opinions about how to take care of a rabbit, I've been reaching out online to rabbit owners to discover how they take care of their rabbit, if they too would find an app useful, and other statistics about their rabbits. My goal is to narrow down the number of pages to get to the bottom of useful information.

Note this is a small sample of my data. If you would like to participate in my survey, please click here.

Survey Results (Google Surveys)

In-person Interviews and phone calls

I conducted interviews as well with rabbit owners and with veterinarians to get their opinion as well. I reached out to students in 4H clubs, families, and single young professionals with rabbits. Most of my rabbit owners kept theirs indoors.

I found most of my information online from rabbit.org when I was researching rabbits. I showed my rabbit at 4H a couple of years so I was a bit more concerned about his care compared to I think most people.
I keep my rabbit in his own room but he also has a run outside as well. We have other animals in the house but they don’t interact. I feed mine mostly hay, pellets, and some variety of fruit and veggies as treats.
I think and app would be exciting because I could keep track of my rabbit’s health and quickly look up information when I have a question. I think it would be good to connect with other people with rabbits. I think mine would like a friend eventually.
Jake, 17, owner of Carrots

My daughter saw some rabbits at the state fair and really wanted one cause we know another family with rabbits. I didn’t know how much care rabbits require and all the different care and problems they can have when we got Peppers from a local breeder.
Peppers is a small rabbit with floppy ears. We have a cage for him with a little house inside, some toys, pellets, and a water bottle. We keep him in my daughters’ room and clean his cage daily. I don’t like for my daughter to let him out though because it’s hard for us to get him back in. We give him some hay blocks to chew on but he makes quite a mess.
I have done some research since getting Peppers but there is a lot out there and it can be confusing on what to look at. We usually call our vet when we have big questions.
Hannah, 32, mother of Peppers

I got Princess and Diana when I went to college because I wanted an easy pet to take care of. I couldn’t get a cat because I’m allergic to them. I always thought rabbits were cute and I enjoy following rabbit pages on Instagram and Twitter.
I thought I knew enough about rabbits from following those accounts, but I didn’t realize until afterwards that some of the information I thought was correct wasn’t. One of my rabbits developed some conditions that were life threatening and I wish I had known about them beforehand. It was really scary for us.
Princess and Diana have a hutch I keep in the livingroom and I let them have free reign of the home when I’m at home. I have hidden my cables and tried to rabbit proof the house as much as possible. My kitchen chair legs are the primary goal to attack when I’m not looking. I guess they’re evil. Maybe they’re cursed.
Bri, 22, Owner of Princess and Diana

Research Conclusions + Pain Points

Conclusions

Owners need a fast, reliable source of information
They are primarily interested in information about the health and well being of their rabbits
The majority of rabbit owners feed their rabbits a mix of hay and pellets
The majority of rabbit owners have an Iphone
The majority of rabbit owners keep theirs indoors

Pain Points

There is a lot of conflicting information online
Rabbit owners need reliable information about their pets
They have trouble navigating well known websites and finding information

Flow chart & User Journey Map

Personas

The Original Prototype

The Prototype is an old design and I am currently redesigning it to reflect recent research and user surveys.

In my original design, I used a lot of infographics I found on the internet and would like to include my own research from interviewing experts and science papers. I would also like to design my own infographics as I think they are a great way of illustrating information in an easier to digest format.

I also also enjoy using more illustration in my new design. I want the app to be welcoming and friendly to all types of users.