By Hannah Mystic Sayer
Overview
DogGo is an app tailored to the large community of dog-lovers. It allows people to keep track of the dogs they've met, logging their name, breed, and the date. DogGo also provides information about each dog breed to help people learn more about them. This IOS app functions on all Apple operating systems and never forgets a pup.
What is DogGo?
- Encourages interaction to learn about each dog you meet! Find out their name and breed
- Should make each dog encounter a memorable experience
- Can serve as a game -- How many dogs can you find? How many can you meet in one day? Can you spot every breed?
- Can also provide the fond experience of a scrapbook, for cataloging happy experiences and looking back on them later
- Great for remembering the names and breeds of dogs in your neighborhood!
App Goals
- Clear, simple, upbeat app that can be readable and accessible to people of all technological abilities
- Contain an easy to navigate list of each dog breed, with the ability to search and sort
- Two additional screens: A screen to learn about a specific dog breed, and a screen personalized with all the dogs a person has met
- Ability to "check" a dog breed once spotted, and log their name and the date they were found
- Include a photo and information about each dog breed featured
Context and challenge
The entire procedure for developing this app began in September 2018, with the first version completed in March 2019. From September through the end of the year, the process consited of gathering information, designing the app, and using JavaScript to build a prototype as a web app. From January through March, I used Apple's Xcode software to build the app in Swift.
Gathering Materials
The source for dog breeds is the American Kennel Club. I chose to use their information because they have been tracking dog breeds since 1878. They currently recognize 193 breeds, with a careful log of information and history on each one.
Photos are a litte trickier to obtain, because unlike quotes, one should have specific permission to use a photograph. Knowiing it was unlikely for me to get in contact with the AKC so early in my process, I used this part of the app to start bringing the community into DogGo. I am an avid listener of a podcast entitled "Can I Pet Your Dog". The hosts opened up a Facebook group for listeners and dog-lovers to post and talk to each other, mostly about Dogs. I explained to the group the project I was starting, and asked if they'd be willing to share some photos of their dogs to be breed representatives in the app. Suddenly, I was getting comments every hour! Over 100 people sent in photos of their dogs, volunteering to be featured in DogGo. It was a joy to look through so many photos, and I hope to include all of them in the app eventually.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
I researched companies and images that relate to dogs, and found the first color scheme featured below to give off a doggie feeling, somehow. The off-white was supposed to be a bone color. However, the color scheme that eventually won over was this play on primary colors, which feel simple, cheerful, and youthful. Darkening the colors subdued them so that the dog photos can ultimately take the stage.
The layout of the app also took a lot of work to figure out. My first wireframes for the app are available here. Through the first prototype, it was a two column grid, with each dog having their name and two buttons underneath their photo. From the beginning,the available actions for each dog breed were "Learn More" and "Found it!" -- Seeing more information about the breed, or adding the breed to your list of found dogs.
Most of the popular apps we are used to today store information in a system of rows, instead of in a grid. To keep the app looking current, I eventually changed the information to be displayed this way. Initially, the dog photo stood in its own columnn, each one still having its two corresponding buttons (see below). But eventually, the buttons were abandoned for swipe actions instead. Swiping is a more active motion, and allows the user to feel more involved. It benefits design too, shifting the focus entirely to the centered dog photos.
Results
DogGo stands before you as a fairly simple app, with three main screens. However, most of my work process reflected the saying "You don't get anything clean without getting something else dirty." My initial mistakes in color schemes were easy to clean up, but the same could not be said for all of my coding screw-ups.
This project was my first serious expedition into Swift, so I felt I had to learn each part of the coding process twice: How it worked as a concept and how to write it in the new language. Guided by the noble pursuit of showing off dog pictures, I learned about build an app's structure in XCode, incorporating arrays and databases, storing user-entered information, and creating a search to filter the data.
This was my most ambitious project to date, and I'm still shocked at all that I managed to do. I can't believe this app really works!
What's Next?
This is the most ambitious project I have ever completed, and I am so happy with the result. By my initial plans and intention for DogGo were much bigger and more involved that what you see, and I would like to continue developing the app as I learn how to make all of these additions.
Most obviously, right now there are only 4 breeds listed. I did this so I could focus on the functions of the app, but now that it works, it's time to get everyone included!
Having so many dog breeds will require more options for sorting them. Along with the search bar, I am working to include sorting methods, such as sorting in alphabetical order, sorting by breed popularity, and having the dogs you most frequently see at the top.
Finally, there should be space for more personalized information. For each dog named, there should be the option to upload a photo from your camera or gallery, so you can look at the dog you know. Additionally, there should be a space for notes on each dog.