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Pet owners lacked a single, purpose-built space that combined social connection, community support, and commerce, without feeling noisy or impersonal.
Grampets is a social media platform built exclusively for pet owners (“pawrents”). Unlike traditional social platforms where pets are secondary to human profiles, Grampets puts pets at the center, allowing users to create dedicated pet profiles, share photos and videos, connect with other pawrents, participate in pet-focused communities, and access a marketplace for pet accessories and services.
Context
Social Networking Platform
2024 October - December
Role
Product Designer
Platform
Mobile
(01)
The Problem
Pet owners already share pet content on mainstream social platforms, but these platforms weren’t designed for pet-centric interactions.
Users match.They chat.The chat drags.Momentum dies.No date happens.
(02)
Challenge
How do you design a social platform that feels like a community, not just another feed?
Designing Grampets came with a few key challenges:
- Balancing social networking with utility (forums + marketplace).
- Making pet profiles feel playful without losing credibility.
- Preventing feature overload while still supporting diverse user needs.
- Designing interactions that encourage genuine connection—not passive scrolling.
(03)
Approach & Design Framework
Community-Centered Design
For Grampets, I adopted a Community-Centered Design approach, guided by principles from Social Network Design and Progressive Disclosure.
Instead of designing isolated features, the focus was on how people form connections, build trust, and sustain engagement within a niche community.
The approach was anchored on three core questions:
- How do pet owners discover and connect with people like them?
- What encourages meaningful interaction beyond posting content?
- How can utility (forums and marketplace) coexist with social engagement without overwhelming users?
Key Design Principles Applied:
- Identity First: Pets, not humans, are the primary social entities, this shaped profiles, feeds, and interactions.
- Community Before Virality: Features were designed to encourage conversations and shared experiences, not just likes and views.
- Progressive Complexity: Advanced features like forums and marketplace were introduced gradually to avoid cognitive overload.
- Trust by Design: Reviews, context, and community signals were emphasized to build confidence, especially within the marketplace.
(03)
Research and Insights
Through competitive analysis, informal interviews with pet owners, and observation of pet communities online, a few patterns emerged:
Key Insights
- Pet owners treat pets as family and want spaces that reflect that emotional bond.
- Users enjoy sharing pet content, but value interaction more than likes.
- Forums work best when they feel moderated, safe, and expertise-driven.
- Pet owners are more likely to buy products or services recommended by fellow pawrents.
- Marketplace trust increases when services are contextual (location, pet type, reviews).
(04)
Design Solution
The design reshaped the system to reward action over hesitation.
Key Design Outcomes:
- Structured interaction flow that naturally leads toward a date
- Intent signaling early (availability, comfort level, purpose)
- Behavioral nudges that suggest meeting when mutual interest is detected
- Reduced chat dependency by limiting open-ended conversations
- Clear exits and controls to maintain safety and autonomy
Instead of forcing users to go on dates, the system makes meeting the easiest next step.
Home
The home screen solves the problem of content discovery and easy navigation for pet owners.
The Grampets home screen appears is a social media feed designed specifically for pet owners and animal lovers. The interface showcases posts from users sharing photos and updates about their pets, complete with engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares. .
Search
The search screen solves the problem of finding specific content, people, or products within the pet community quickly and efficiently.
It addresses the challenge users face when they want to discover particular pets, connect with specific pet owners, find vendors selling pet products, or search for relevant hashtags and topics without endlessly scrolling through their feed. The categorized filter buttons (Pets, Pet owners, Vendors) allow users to narrow their search scope immediately, while the visual grid layout presents results in an easily scannable format. This targeted search functionality saves users time and frustration by helping them locate exactly what they're looking for.
Posts
The posts screen of Grampets solves the problem of content creation barriers that often prevent pet owners from sharing their pets' moments with the community.
The feature allows users to browse profiles of people actively seeking dates in their area, with filters for age range, distance, and online availability to ensure they're finding realistic options. When no matches are available based on current filters, the app offers clear next steps, either plan a date yourself or adjust your search criteria, preventing the frustration of empty search results. The interface also includes a thoughtful compliment feature with suggested conversation starters, solving the problem of awkward first messages or not knowing how to break the ice.
Forum
The forum feature solve the problem of accessing reliable, community-driven knowledge and support for pet-related questions and concerns
Pet owners often struggle to find trustworthy answers to their specific questions about pet behavior, health, care, and training without resorting to generic Google searches or expensive vet visits for minor concerns. The forum provides a dedicated space where users can ask questions and receive thoughtful, experience-based answers from fellow pet owners and enthusiasts in the community.
By organizing content into posts and questions, allowing users to follow specific contributors, and enabling detailed responses with engagement metrics (likes, shares, answers), the forum creates a valuable knowledge repository.
Users can browse existing discussions, contribute their expertise, and build meaningful connections around shared challenges, transforming isolated pet ownership experiences into a collaborative learning environment where everyone benefits from the collective wisdom of the community.
Marketplace
The marketplace solve the problem of fragmented pet commerce by creating a centralized, trusted platform where pet owners can buy and sell pet-related products and services within their community
Instead of navigating between multiple e-commerce sites, generic marketplaces like Craigslist, or unreliable sellers on social media, users have access to a curated marketplace specifically designed for pet needs. The seller dashboard provides transparency and control, showing metrics like active listings, chats to answer, performance analytics, and seller ratings, which builds trust between buyers and sellers. The location-based filtering, and category organization make it easy for users to find exactly what they need locally, while the "Create listing" feature enables anyone to monetize their pet-related items or services. This integrated marketplace transforms Grampets from just a social platform into a complete ecosystem where pet owners can connect, learn, share, and commerce all in one place.
Profile
The user profile solve the problem of identity management and multi-account organization for pet owners who may have multiple pets or manage accounts for different purposes.
These profiles serve as personalized hubs where users can showcase their pet's personality through cover photos, bio statements, location, breed information, and demographic details, while displaying their social metrics (followings, followers, likes) to establish credibility within the community.
The "View all accounts" feature addresses the common challenge of managing multiple pet profiles, allowing users to easily switch between different pets or even toggle to their personal profile, without logging in and out repeatedly.
This is particularly valuable for breeders, multi-pet households, or users who want to maintain separate identities for different pets with distinct audiences.
The profile also acts as a portfolio, displaying all posts in a gallery format, enabling visitors to quickly browse a pet's content history and decide whether to follow, making it easier to build genuine connections based on shared interests or specific pet breeds.
Lesson
- Systems shape behavior more than features do
- Engagement metrics can hide real user failure
- Structure reduces anxiety in social experiences
- Good design doesn’t remove choice—it clarifies it
- Designing for real-world outcomes requires ethical restraint
This project highlighted the importance of designing systems that respect human hesitation while still enabling progress.
Next Project
You4me
Pet owners lacked a single, purpose-built space that combined social connection, community support, and commerce, without feeling noisy or impersonal.
Grampets is a social media platform built exclusively for pet owners (“pawrents”). Unlike traditional social platforms where pets are secondary to human profiles, Grampets puts pets at the center, allowing users to create dedicated pet profiles, share photos and videos, connect with other pawrents, participate in pet-focused communities, and access a marketplace for pet accessories and services.
Context
Social Networking Platform
2024 October - December
Role
Product Designer
Platform
Mobile
(01)
The Problem
Pet owners already share pet content on mainstream social platforms, but these platforms weren’t designed for pet-centric interactions.
Users match.They chat.The chat drags.Momentum dies.No date happens.
This creates several problems:
- Pets don’t have identities of their own, content is buried under human profiles.
- Pet owners struggle to find relevant communities, advice, or local services.
- Trust is low when discovering pet services through generic marketplaces.
- Conversations around pet care are scattered across multiple platforms.
(02)
Challenge
How do you design a social platform that feels like a community, not just another feed?
Designing Grampets came with a few key challenges:
- Balancing social networking with utility (forums + marketplace).
- Making pet profiles feel playful without losing credibility.
- Preventing feature overload while still supporting diverse user needs.
- Designing interactions that encourage genuine connection—not passive scrolling.
(03)
Approach & Design Framework
Community-Centered Design
For Grampets, I adopted a Community-Centered Design approach, guided by principles from Social Network Design and Progressive Disclosure.
Instead of designing isolated features, the focus was on how people form connections, build trust, and sustain engagement within a niche community.
The approach was anchored on three core questions:
- How do pet owners discover and connect with people like them?
- What encourages meaningful interaction beyond posting content?
- How can utility (forums and marketplace) coexist with social engagement without overwhelming users?
Key Design Principles Applied:
- Identity First: Pets, not humans, are the primary social entities, this shaped profiles, feeds, and interactions.
- Community Before Virality: Features were designed to encourage conversations and shared experiences, not just likes and views.
- Progressive Complexity: Advanced features like forums and marketplace were introduced gradually to avoid cognitive overload.
- Trust by Design: Reviews, context, and community signals were emphasized to build confidence, especially within the marketplace.
(03)
Research and Insights
Through competitive analysis, informal interviews with pet owners, and observation of pet communities online, a few patterns emerged:
Key Insights
- Pet owners treat pets as family and want spaces that reflect that emotional bond.
- Users enjoy sharing pet content, but value interaction more than likes.
- Forums work best when they feel moderated, safe, and expertise-driven.
- Pet owners are more likely to buy products or services recommended by fellow pawrents.
- Marketplace trust increases when services are contextual (location, pet type, reviews).
(04)
Design Solution
The design reshaped the system to reward action over hesitation.
Key Design Outcomes:
- Structured interaction flow that naturally leads toward a date
- Intent signaling early (availability, comfort level, purpose)
- Behavioral nudges that suggest meeting when mutual interest is detected
- Reduced chat dependency by limiting open-ended conversations
- Clear exits and controls to maintain safety and autonomy
Instead of forcing users to go on dates, the system makes meeting the easiest next step.
Home
The home screen solves the problem of content discovery and easy navigation for pet owners.
The Grampets home screen appears is a social media feed designed specifically for pet owners and animal lovers. The interface showcases posts from users sharing photos and updates about their pets, complete with engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares. .
Search
The search screen solves the problem of finding specific content, people, or products within the pet community quickly and efficiently.
It addresses the challenge users face when they want to discover particular pets, connect with specific pet owners, find vendors selling pet products, or search for relevant hashtags and topics without endlessly scrolling through their feed. The categorized filter buttons (Pets, Pet owners, Vendors) allow users to narrow their search scope immediately, while the visual grid layout presents results in an easily scannable format. This targeted search functionality saves users time and frustration by helping them locate exactly what they're looking for.
Posts
The posts screen of Grampets solves the problem of content creation barriers that often prevent pet owners from sharing their pets' moments with the community.
The feature allows users to browse profiles of people actively seeking dates in their area, with filters for age range, distance, and online availability to ensure they're finding realistic options. When no matches are available based on current filters, the app offers clear next steps, either plan a date yourself or adjust your search criteria, preventing the frustration of empty search results. The interface also includes a thoughtful compliment feature with suggested conversation starters, solving the problem of awkward first messages or not knowing how to break the ice.
Forum
The forum feature solve the problem of accessing reliable, community-driven knowledge and support for pet-related questions and concerns
Pet owners often struggle to find trustworthy answers to their specific questions about pet behavior, health, care, and training without resorting to generic Google searches or expensive vet visits for minor concerns. The forum provides a dedicated space where users can ask questions and receive thoughtful, experience-based answers from fellow pet owners and enthusiasts in the community.
By organizing content into posts and questions, allowing users to follow specific contributors, and enabling detailed responses with engagement metrics (likes, shares, answers), the forum creates a valuable knowledge repository.
Users can browse existing discussions, contribute their expertise, and build meaningful connections around shared challenges, transforming isolated pet ownership experiences into a collaborative learning environment where everyone benefits from the collective wisdom of the community.
Marketplace
The marketplace solve the problem of fragmented pet commerce by creating a centralized, trusted platform where pet owners can buy and sell pet-related products and services within their community
Instead of navigating between multiple e-commerce sites, generic marketplaces like Craigslist, or unreliable sellers on social media, users have access to a curated marketplace specifically designed for pet needs. The seller dashboard provides transparency and control, showing metrics like active listings, chats to answer, performance analytics, and seller ratings, which builds trust between buyers and sellers. The location-based filtering, and category organization make it easy for users to find exactly what they need locally, while the "Create listing" feature enables anyone to monetize their pet-related items or services. This integrated marketplace transforms Grampets from just a social platform into a complete ecosystem where pet owners can connect, learn, share, and commerce all in one place.
Profile
The user profile solve the problem of identity management and multi-account organization for pet owners who may have multiple pets or manage accounts for different purposes.
These profiles serve as personalized hubs where users can showcase their pet's personality through cover photos, bio statements, location, breed information, and demographic details, while displaying their social metrics (followings, followers, likes) to establish credibility within the community.
The "View all accounts" feature addresses the common challenge of managing multiple pet profiles, allowing users to easily switch between different pets or even toggle to their personal profile, without logging in and out repeatedly.
This is particularly valuable for breeders, multi-pet households, or users who want to maintain separate identities for different pets with distinct audiences.
The profile also acts as a portfolio, displaying all posts in a gallery format, enabling visitors to quickly browse a pet's content history and decide whether to follow, making it easier to build genuine connections based on shared interests or specific pet breeds.
Lesson
- Systems shape behavior more than features do
- Engagement metrics can hide real user failure
- Structure reduces anxiety in social experiences
- Good design doesn’t remove choice—it clarifies it
- Designing for real-world outcomes requires ethical restraint
This project highlighted the importance of designing systems that respect human hesitation while still enabling progress.
Next Project
You4me
Pet owners lacked a single, purpose-built space that combined social connection, community support, and commerce, without feeling noisy or impersonal.
Grampets is a social media platform built exclusively for pet owners (“pawrents”). Unlike traditional social platforms where pets are secondary to human profiles, Grampets puts pets at the center, allowing users to create dedicated pet profiles, share photos and videos, connect with other pawrents, participate in pet-focused communities, and access a marketplace for pet accessories and services.
Context
Social Networking Platform
2024 October - December
Role
Product Designer
Platform
Mobile
(01)
The Problem
Pet owners already share pet content on mainstream social platforms, but these platforms weren’t designed for pet-centric interactions.
Users match.They chat.The chat drags.Momentum dies.No date happens.
This creates several problems:
This creates several problems:
- Pets don’t have identities of their own, content is buried under human profiles.
- Pet owners struggle to find relevant communities, advice, or local services.
- Trust is low when discovering pet services through generic marketplaces.
- Conversations around pet care are scattered across multiple platforms.
(02)
Challenge
How do you design a social platform that feels like a community, not just another feed?
Designing Grampets came with a few key challenges:
- Balancing social networking with utility (forums + marketplace).
- Making pet profiles feel playful without losing credibility.
- Preventing feature overload while still supporting diverse user needs.
- Designing interactions that encourage genuine connection—not passive scrolling.
(03)
Approach & Design Framework
Community-Centered Design
For Grampets, I adopted a Community-Centered Design approach, guided by principles from Social Network Design and Progressive Disclosure.
Instead of designing isolated features, the focus was on how people form connections, build trust, and sustain engagement within a niche community.
The approach was anchored on three core questions:
- How do pet owners discover and connect with people like them?
- What encourages meaningful interaction beyond posting content?
- How can utility (forums and marketplace) coexist with social engagement without overwhelming users?
Key Design Principles Applied:
- Identity First: Pets, not humans, are the primary social entities, this shaped profiles, feeds, and interactions.
- Community Before Virality: Features were designed to encourage conversations and shared experiences, not just likes and views.
- Progressive Complexity: Advanced features like forums and marketplace were introduced gradually to avoid cognitive overload.
- Trust by Design: Reviews, context, and community signals were emphasized to build confidence, especially within the marketplace.
(03)
Research and Insights
Through competitive analysis, informal interviews with pet owners, and observation of pet communities online, a few patterns emerged:
Key Insights
- Pet owners treat pets as family and want spaces that reflect that emotional bond.
- Users enjoy sharing pet content, but value interaction more than likes.
- Forums work best when they feel moderated, safe, and expertise-driven.
- Pet owners are more likely to buy products or services recommended by fellow pawrents.
- Marketplace trust increases when services are contextual (location, pet type, reviews).
(04)
Design Solution
The design reshaped the system to reward action over hesitation.
Key Design Outcomes:
- Structured interaction flow that naturally leads toward a date
- Intent signaling early (availability, comfort level, purpose)
- Behavioral nudges that suggest meeting when mutual interest is detected
- Reduced chat dependency by limiting open-ended conversations
- Clear exits and controls to maintain safety and autonomy
Instead of forcing users to go on dates, the system makes meeting the easiest next step.
Home
The home screen solves the problem of content discovery and easy navigation for pet owners.
The Grampets home screen appears is a social media feed designed specifically for pet owners and animal lovers. The interface showcases posts from users sharing photos and updates about their pets, complete with engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares. .
Search
The search screen solves the problem of finding specific content, people, or products within the pet community quickly and efficiently.
It addresses the challenge users face when they want to discover particular pets, connect with specific pet owners, find vendors selling pet products, or search for relevant hashtags and topics without endlessly scrolling through their feed. The categorized filter buttons (Pets, Pet owners, Vendors) allow users to narrow their search scope immediately, while the visual grid layout presents results in an easily scannable format. This targeted search functionality saves users time and frustration by helping them locate exactly what they're looking for.
Posts
The posts screen of Grampets solves the problem of content creation barriers that often prevent pet owners from sharing their pets' moments with the community.
The feature allows users to browse profiles of people actively seeking dates in their area, with filters for age range, distance, and online availability to ensure they're finding realistic options. When no matches are available based on current filters, the app offers clear next steps, either plan a date yourself or adjust your search criteria, preventing the frustration of empty search results. The interface also includes a thoughtful compliment feature with suggested conversation starters, solving the problem of awkward first messages or not knowing how to break the ice.
Forum
The forum feature solve the problem of accessing reliable, community-driven knowledge and support for pet-related questions and concerns
Pet owners often struggle to find trustworthy answers to their specific questions about pet behavior, health, care, and training without resorting to generic Google searches or expensive vet visits for minor concerns. The forum provides a dedicated space where users can ask questions and receive thoughtful, experience-based answers from fellow pet owners and enthusiasts in the community.
By organizing content into posts and questions, allowing users to follow specific contributors, and enabling detailed responses with engagement metrics (likes, shares, answers), the forum creates a valuable knowledge repository.
Users can browse existing discussions, contribute their expertise, and build meaningful connections around shared challenges, transforming isolated pet ownership experiences into a collaborative learning environment where everyone benefits from the collective wisdom of the community.
Marketplace
The marketplace solve the problem of fragmented pet commerce by creating a centralized, trusted platform where pet owners can buy and sell pet-related products and services within their community
Instead of navigating between multiple e-commerce sites, generic marketplaces like Craigslist, or unreliable sellers on social media, users have access to a curated marketplace specifically designed for pet needs. The seller dashboard provides transparency and control, showing metrics like active listings, chats to answer, performance analytics, and seller ratings, which builds trust between buyers and sellers. The location-based filtering, and category organization make it easy for users to find exactly what they need locally, while the "Create listing" feature enables anyone to monetize their pet-related items or services. This integrated marketplace transforms Grampets from just a social platform into a complete ecosystem where pet owners can connect, learn, share, and commerce all in one place.
Profile
The user profile solve the problem of identity management and multi-account organization for pet owners who may have multiple pets or manage accounts for different purposes.
These profiles serve as personalized hubs where users can showcase their pet's personality through cover photos, bio statements, location, breed information, and demographic details, while displaying their social metrics (followings, followers, likes) to establish credibility within the community.
The "View all accounts" feature addresses the common challenge of managing multiple pet profiles, allowing users to easily switch between different pets or even toggle to their personal profile, without logging in and out repeatedly.
This is particularly valuable for breeders, multi-pet households, or users who want to maintain separate identities for different pets with distinct audiences.
The profile also acts as a portfolio, displaying all posts in a gallery format, enabling visitors to quickly browse a pet's content history and decide whether to follow, making it easier to build genuine connections based on shared interests or specific pet breeds.
Lesson
- Systems shape behavior more than features do
- Engagement metrics can hide real user failure
- Structure reduces anxiety in social experiences
- Good design doesn’t remove choice—it clarifies it
- Designing for real-world outcomes requires ethical restraint
This project highlighted the importance of designing systems that respect human hesitation while still enabling progress.
Next Project
You4me
