Product · Brand
2025
PawsGo
A service that helps dog owners find trusted walkers, book and pay securely, and follow each walk in real time.
Project overview
In busy cities, trust is the hardest thing to book.
Background
Busy people—professionals, students and travelers—want more than a walk: a trusting relationship with someone who understands dogs are family. PawsGo prioritizes animal welfare and human peace of mind through rigorous verification, real-time tracking and ongoing support.
Problem
Delegating care causes anxiety. Lack of transparency about a walker’s experience, cumbersome verification and reviews alone are not enough—owners have no real-time proof that the service delivers what it promises.
Direction
Triple verification—identity, experience and affinity—transparent profiles, quick bookings with secure payments, live GPS with a care log, integrated chat, community reviews and proactive support.
Creative process
A focused view of how the work took shape.
The product was developed from user research through to a tested high-fidelity prototype. Every decision focused on making safety visible while keeping the service warm, direct and easy to navigate.
- 01
Empathy
- Competitor analysis
- Empathy mapping
- Questionnaires
- 02
Define
- Persona
- Jobs to be Done (JTBD)
- Priority according to MoSCoW
- 03
Ideate
- User Flow
- Sketches
- 04
Prototype
- Low fidelity
- Visual design
- Design system
- High fidelity
- 05
Testing
- Functional
- Usability
- Performance
Creative direction
A friendly system that makes safety visible.
- Identity, app and service experience developed as one system
- Trust cues placed at the points where users make decisions
- Natural imagery and minimal interface chrome support a welcoming tone
Competitor analysis
Trust, safety and tracking—where competitors fall short.
We analyzed competitor features, audiences and offers, focusing on trust and safety, availability, booking, payments, in-app communication and walk tracking.
| Feature | Rover | PetBacker | Gudog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal services | Dog walking, boarding, daycare, house sitting and drop-ins. | Dog walking, boarding, sitting, daycare, taxi and grooming. | Dog walking, boarding and daycare. |
| Target audience | Owners seeking reliable local caregivers, particularly in cities. | Owners comparing quotes and multiservice availability. | Owners prioritising family-like care and veterinary coverage. |
| Verification / vetting | Profiles, reviews and background information promoted by the brand. | Marketplace ratings and reviews; limited public detail about background checks. | Strict vetting, with meet-and-greet recommended before booking. |
| Trust and coverage | Rover Guarantee, protected booking and 24/7 support. | Injury insurance, support and escrow payments. | Veterinary coverage, secure payments and booking guarantees. |
| Reservation & payment | In-app booking and secure payment. | Request, receive quotes, pay a deposit, meet and complete escrow payment. | Messaging and payment through Gudog. |
| Messages | In-app messages and photos. | In-app messaging. | Messaging and daily photo updates. |
| Walk tracking | Route map through the Rover Card; not positioned as live tracking. | Walk monitoring with a map and activity events. | No public promise of live tracking; photo updates are provided. |
| Post-walk report | Times, distance, activity, photos and notes. | Times, distance, activity, photos and notes. | Updates and photos through the app. |
| Meet & greet | Recommended before booking. | Book to Meet with a deposit. | Recommended before booking. |
| Cancellation | Protected reservation; policy varies by service and country. | Refund route when the service is not completed satisfactorily. | Free cancellation and money-back guarantee. |
| Coverage (DE/EU) | Multilingual product with European presence. | Multinational operation with German coverage. | Available in Germany and now part of Rover. |
| Support | 24/7 support. | Global support team. | Support from the Gudog team. |
| Community / social | No social feed; individual reviews lead trust. | No social feed; matching and quotes lead the experience. | No social feed; focus on one-to-one relationships. |
Empathy map
Seeing the walk from the owner’s side.
Sees & Hears
- Opinions from friends using similar apps.
- Advice from veterinarians and pet communities.
- App promotions on Instagram or YouTube.
- User comments about reliability or service issues.
- Posts from other pet owners on social media.
- Many options, but little real-time tracking.
- First-walk-free promotions.
Says & Does
- Talks to friends when help is needed.
- Compares apps and local services.
- Writes reviews after excellent or poor experiences.
- Looks for recommendations in social networks and community groups.
Thinks & Feels
- Wants the best for the dog despite having limited time.
- Worries about leaving a pet with a stranger.
- Feels guilty about not providing enough walks.
- Values a walker who is reliable, caring and punctual.
Pains & Gains
- No walkers nearby or available.
- Little verified experience information.
- Uncertainty about safety during the walk.
- Poor communication or last-minute cancellations.
- A happy, active and well-cared-for dog.
- Time saved without neglecting the pet.
- Complete trust in the walker.
- Notifications and real-time tracking.
Persona
Two people PawsGo had to earn the trust of.
Sarah Miller
Save time during the week without compromising Luna’s wellbeing.
- Age
- 32
- Location
- Berlin
- Work
- Marketing manager at a start-up
- Pets
- Luna · Golden Retriever · 3 years
Goals
- Ensure Luna gets enough exercise.
- Maintain a stable routine during business trips.
- Find reliable care for short and long periods.
- Spend less time searching and managing.
Frustrations
- No real-time transparency during walks.
- Profiles with little verified information.
- Inconsistent communication after the service.
- Difficulty booking the same walker repeatedly.
Needs
- Certified background checks.
- Detailed real-time GPS routes.
- Photos, videos and proactive updates.
- Fast responses and punctuality.
- Last-minute flexibility.
Ahmed Karaca
My dog is family. I need to know he’s in good hands.
- Age
- 29
- Location
- Berlin
- Work
- Financial advisor
- Pets
- Tobi · French Bulldog · 4 years
Goals
- Establish a dependable walking routine.
- Save time without compromising Tobi’s wellbeing.
- Book spontaneous walks around unexpected appointments.
Frustrations
- Unclear walker availability nearby.
- Slow booking flows with no fast-walk option.
Needs
- Fast, automated booking.
- Instant local availability.
- Clear ratings and nearby walker locations.
Key user needs
The task the user “hires” PawsGo for.
Using Jobs-to-be-Done, we identified the progress each user is trying to make—not simply the action of booking a walk.
Booking a dog walker
WhenI need someone to walk my dog unexpectedly.
I wantFind a trusted dog walker nearby and book within minutes.
So I canKeep my schedule without worrying about my pet.
Choosing the right caregiver
WhenI’m comparing different dog walkers.
I wantSee verified profiles, reviews and availability.
So I canBook someone I genuinely trust.
Following the service
WhenThe walk has started.
I wantSee live tracking, photos and activity updates.
So I canFeel reassured without constantly checking in.
Feature prioritization
MoSCoW: what shipped first, and what waited.
The framework prioritized the features that delivered the greatest value while keeping the MVP focused and achievable.
| MoSCoW | Requirement | Acceptance criteria (BDD) | Metric / objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| MUST | Final price with no surprises | At checkout, the service, tax, optional tip and final total are visible before payment. | — |
| MUST | Secure escrow payment | Confirmation creates a pre-authorisation that is captured when the walk ends. | Payment failure ≤ 2% |
| MUST | SCA / 3DS and instant receipt | Bank verification stays in the flow and confirmation arrives in under 10 seconds. | Payment success ≥ 98% |
| MUST | Clear cancellation policy | Charges by time window and practical examples are visible before payment. | Unexpected-charge tickets −30% |
| SHOULD | PayPal / SEPA plus card | Users can choose a locally relevant payment method when available. | Alternative methods ≥ 25% |
| SHOULD | Pre-confirmation summary | Date, time, walker and estimated route can be reviewed and edited. | Post-payment errors −20% |
| COULD | Coupons and referrals | A valid code recalculates the total without breaking escrow. | Conversion +3–5% |
| WON’T (v1) | Wallet and split payment | Postponed until recurring use is validated. | — |
User flow
From open app to confirmed, paid booking.
We mapped registration, login, search, profiles, booking, payment and confirmation to identify and remove friction at every stage.
Registration
Create an owner and dog profile with email or social login.
Long forms caused early drop-off.
Two-field signup and one-tap social authentication.
Login
Return securely without creating friction for frequent users.
Repeated credentials slowed re-entry.
Persistent sessions with clear recovery options.
Search & Filtering
Find nearby walkers by time, distance and availability.
Too many options made comparison difficult.
Progressive filters and availability-first results.
Profiles & Availability
Compare verified experience, ratings, location and open slots.
Reviews alone did not establish trust.
Verification status and live availability placed first.
Booking
Select the dog, walk duration, date and preferred caregiver.
Too many steps interrupted spontaneous bookings.
A short, reviewable booking sequence.
Secure Payment
Review the complete price and pay through a protected flow.
Unclear totals created hesitation.
Transparent breakdown, escrow and local methods.
Confirmation
Receive the booking state, next actions and direct chat access.
Owners were unsure what happened next.
Immediate confirmation with timeline and notifications.
Design system
A mark friendly enough for a dog to trust.
Clear typography, pleasant colors and consistent elements support unambiguous navigation—from the logo and brand marks to the complete component system.
Wireframes
Paper first, structure second, pixels last.
We organized the information architecture around user needs, beginning with paper sketches before defining simple, intuitive low-fidelity wireframes.
High fidelity
Natural tones, minimal chrome, one clear voice.
Easy-to-read imagery, natural tones and a minimalist interface create a welcoming, community-oriented experience. Each screen leads with diversity, accessibility and connection.
