OVERVIEW
Led the strategic transformation of an unfounded startup concept into a validated MVP. Conducted market research, defined personas, and built a functional prototype that reached 1,000 early adopters and informed future product roadmap.
Project: PetSocial | Year: 2014 | Role: Product Strategy Lead, UX Designer |
Type: Startup Launch from Concept
CONTEXT: WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS TODAY
While this project is from 2014, it demonstrates core Product Design competencies critical for UX roles:
✓ Translating founder vision into user-centered strategy
✓ Conducting original market research (qualitative + quantitative)
✓ Creating evidence-based personas
✓ Designing scalable product architecture
✓ Iterating based on real user feedback
✓ Handling constraints (budget, timeline, team)
These principles remain relevant to modern UX challenges.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Founder's Brief: "Create a social network exclusively for pet owners" Initial Problem: Founder-centric thinking, not user-centric design
Early-stage gaps identified:
❌ No understanding of digital business fundamentals
❌ No clear target audience definition
❌ No project governance or team structure
❌ Brand positioning unclear
❌ MVP scope undefined
RESEARCH PHASE: VALIDATING THE CONCEPT
Rather than building immediately, I proposed a 3-phase research approach:
🔍 PHASE 1: Emotional Connection Research
Question: "Does the pet-owner emotional bond translate to digital community?"
Method: Ethnographic interviews + social listening.
Finding: Strong emotional attachment exists; opportunity for community
🔍 PHASE 2: Market Sizing
Question: "Is there a large enough audience + viable business model?"
Methods:
Analyzed existing pet platforms (Petfinder, Instagram pet accounts)
Surveyed potential users: 450+ respondents
Quantified market size: ~2.3M active pet owners in target region
Identified service/product revenue opportunities
🔍 PHASE 3: Competitive Landscape
Question: "What gaps exist in current pet community platforms?"
Findings:
Existing platforms fragmented (Instagram, general forums)
No centralized pet identity/health records
Pet health records dispersed across vets/pharmacies
No trusted marketplace for pet services
USER PERSONAS (Evidence-Based)
Created 2 primary personas through research:
PERSONA 1: Maria Clara, 34 (Urban Pet Parent)
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Profile: Marketing professional, single parent, newly adopted dog
Goals:
• Find trustworthy pet care providers
• Share pet moments with like-minded owners
• Quick access to training/health tips
Pain Points:
• Difficulty finding reliable groomers/vets
• Scattered pet health information
• Time-intensive research for pet products
Opportunity: Curated marketplace + trusted reviews
PERSONA 2: Lucas, 22 (Enthusiast/Expert)
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Profile: Veterinary student, passionate about exotic animals
Goals:
• Access specialized content (exotic pets)
• Share expertise with community
• Connect with local pet events
Pain Points:
• Information overload/unreliable sources
• No dedicated platform for exotic pets
• Isolation from local community with same interests
Opportunity: Expert-curated content + local networking
STRATEGIC DIRECTION: 3 SOLUTIONS TESTED
After research, presented stakeholders with three possible directions:
❌ OPTION 1: Generic Social Network
"Another Instagram for pets"—too crowded, no differentiation
❌ OPTION 2: Pure Content Hub
Valuable but no engagement loop, unsustainable
✅ OPTION 3: Pet Identity + Community Marketplace (CHOSEN)
"Digital pet passport + trusted services directory"
Core Features:
• Unified pet profile (medical records, vaccinations, microchip data)
• Pet genealogy/pedigree tracking
• Digital vaccination certificate
• Health history integration
• Personalized menu for each pet
• Marketplace for services (grooming, boarding, vet)
• Community connection layer (local groups)
MVP ROADMAP & FEATURE PRIORITIZATION
Built using MoSCoW method:
MUST HAVE:
✓ User authentication
✓ Pet profile creation (basic)
✓ Feed/sharing functionality
✓ Search for local pet services
SHOULD HAVE:
✓ Pet health records
✓ Vaccination tracking
✓ Local event discovery
COULD HAVE:
✓ Advanced pedigree tracking
✓ Integrated marketplace
✓ Breed-specific communities
WON'T HAVE (v1):
✗ Advanced analytics
✗ AI-powered recommendations
✗ Native mobile app (web-first)
PROTOTYPING & VALIDATION
Built MVP using open-source tools (cost-effective for startup):
• Open-source CMS for core platform
• Simplified interface (low-fidelity prototype)
• Focused on validating core concept, not polish
Launch: Soft launch to 1,000 early adopters (friends + organic growth)
Feedback Loop:
✓ Session recordings to understand user behavior
✓ In-app surveys for feature prioritization
✓ Weekly user interviews (10 users/week)
KEY LEARNINGS FROM USERS
✅ Pet genealogy resonated strongly—unexpected high engagement
✅ Health records needed to be simpler than initially designed
✅ Users wanted community moderation (safety concern)
✅ Service marketplace needed trust signals (verified providers)
MONETIZATION HYPOTHESIS
Three revenue streams explored:
FREEMIUM MODEL
Free: Pet profiles + basic health records
Premium
Property Notice
All images used in this case are for illustrative purposes only. In accordance with property agreements, all screens, research, and other materials mentioned are the exclusive property of the client.
