Catzone (Copy) — DORISWANG

Product Design / UX Design

CATZONE🐱

Assist residents in connecting with their neighborhood cats.

Work Type

Individual

Time Frame

3 Months

Tools Used

Figma/ Adobe Premiere/ Procreate

Skills Used

UX Research/ Product Design/ Prototyping

Overview

For my thesis project, which took place in the spring of 2024 at the California College of the Arts, I used design solutions to develop an app which would help people know more about the street cats in their community and collectively take care of them. The installation includes:

✨ a poster

✨ an animated intro video

✨ a brochure that outlines key functions of app

✨ a virtual walk-thru of the mobile app, accessed through QR code

Problem

My Story

I’m a cat person. I love to interact with cats. I noticed that there’re so many street cats in my neighborhood.

I know lots of neighbors have the same interest as me. However, we don’t know these street cats well.

One lovely street cat in my community

I looked up “street cats” online. I found In many neighborhoods across the United States, street cats are a common presence, often roaming the streets in search of food and shelter. Addressing the issue involves not only ensuring the welfare of the cats themselves but also navigating the potential impacts on the community.

Finding1. 🚀— Location of Street Cats

Objectives

Street cats are nearly ubiquitous, often perceived as wild creatures without human companionship.

With the populous states of California, Florida, Texas, and New York drawing commensurately high levels of participation of street cats.

1. Understand respondents about their concerns regarding street cats.

User Interview📖

check the full interview summary here

From the conversations, I extracted three main concerns & rationale behind them

Research Insight Summary

Insight 1 : People desire engagement with street cats

Insight 2: People want to know more details about street cats

Result

2. Inquired about individuals' experiences and concerns regarding the presence of street cats in their local area.

These platforms serve as beacons of hope, providing opportunities for both cats in need of loving homes and compassionate individuals seeking feline companionship to find each other in a harmonious union of care and companionship.

However, some of the street cats are essential wild animals and they typically don’t adjust to a life with human companions. they are not appropriate for shelter intake or adoption.

Social cohesion, compassion and animal welfare

Keywords to summary:

People feel a natural compassion towards animals, including street cats. They recognize that these cats are often without adequate shelter, food, or healthcare and may face dangers from traffic and human cruelty. Helping street cats can be seen as a humane duty to improve the welfare of vulnerable animals.

Finding2. 🚀— Attitude towards street cats

With gentle curiosity and compassion, people seek out opportunities to engage with these street cats, recognizing the joy and comfort they bring to their surroundings.

This positive shift not only enriches the lives of residents but also signifies a growing appreciation for the beauty and companionship found in these free-spirited felines.

How might we understand why rescue organizations typically do not adopt street cats and explore the relationships between these cats and the community?