Purrfect Choice
Let the Cat Decide: A Fun Solution for Indecisive Minds
Purrfect Choice
Let the Cat Decide:
A Fun Solution for Indecisive Minds
Duration: Nov 2024 – Jan 2025
Role: UX Researcher & Designer
Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Canva, Adobe After Effects, Procreate, Miro
Scope: Solo project focused on designing a decision-making app from inspiration to research and final design.
Duration: Nov 2024 – Jan 2025
Role: UX Researcher & Designer
Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Canva, Adobe After Effects, Procreate, Miro
Scope: Solo project focused on designing a decision-making app from inspiration to research and final design.
Project Overview
Project Overview
Purrfect Choice is a decision-making app designed for individuals struggling with choices. The app combines a fun approach with utility by featuring a cat companion that helps users make decisions through a Random Pick feature or community voting. Users can personalize their experience by selecting and dressing up their cat avatar, creating polls, and interacting with a supportive community.
Purrfect Choice is a decision-making app designed for individuals struggling with choices. The app combines a fun approach with utility by featuring a cat companion that helps users make decisions through a Random Pick feature or community voting. Users can personalize their experience by selecting and dressing up their cat avatar, creating polls, and interacting with a supportive community.
Product Overview
Product Overview
Key Features
Many people face decision fatigue or struggle to make everyday choices. Existing solutions lack personalization, gamification, or community-driven support. Purrfect Choice addresses these gaps by making decision-making enjoyable and interactive.
Many people face decision fatigue or struggle to make everyday choices. Existing solutions lack personalization, gamification, or community-driven support. Purrfect Choice addresses these gaps by making decision-making enjoyable and interactive.
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Young adults aged 18-35 who often struggle with decision-making, enjoy gamification, and are active on social platforms.
Target Audience
Target Audience
Young adults aged 18-35 who often struggle with decision-making, enjoy gamification, and are active on social platforms.
Research & Discovery
Key Features
Research & Discovery
User Interviews
User Interviews
📒 Key Insights from interviews
1. Prevalence of Decision Fatigue:
• 77.8% of users reported experiencing decision fatigue regularly.
• Common triggers included:
• Too many options: For example, navigating complex restaurant menus or shopping for outfits.
• Conflicting opinions: Many users struggled when coordinating group decisions, such as deciding where to eat with friends.
2. Different Decision Contexts:
• For low-stakes decisions (e.g., “What to eat for lunch”), users preferred quick and playful methods like flipping a coin or rock-paper-scissors.
• For high-stakes decisions (e.g., “What to wear for an interview”), users often sought external opinions, such as asking friends or family.
3. Preference for Tools:
• Randomization tools were favored for simplifying quick decisions.
• Community-based input was valued for decisions requiring reassurance or diverse perspectives.
To gain a deeper understanding of decision-making challenges, interviews were conducted with 9 users, including two close friends. Participants came from various backgrounds to ensure diverse perspectives, ranging from students to working professionals.
To gain a deeper understanding of decision-making challenges, interviews were conducted with 9 users, including two close friends. Participants came from various backgrounds to ensure diverse perspectives, ranging from students to working professionals.
Key Insights
1. Prevalence of Decision Fatigue:
• 77.8% of users reported experiencing decision fatigue regularly.
• Common triggers included:
• Too many options: For example, navigating complex restaurant menus or shopping for outfits.
• Conflicting opinions: Many users struggled when coordinating group decisions, such as deciding where to eat with friends.
2. Different Decision Contexts:
• For low-stakes decisions (e.g., “What to eat for lunch”), users preferred quick and playful methods like flipping a coin or rock-paper-scissors.
• For high-stakes decisions (e.g., “What to wear for an interview”), users often sought external opinions, such as asking friends or family.
3. Preference for Tools:
• Randomization tools were favored for simplifying quick decisions.
• Community-based input was valued for decisions requiring reassurance or diverse perspectives.
Online Survey
Analysis
1. High Demand and Widespread Decision Fatigue:
The survey reveals that decision fatigue is a common issue, with 73% of participants experiencing it at least once a week. This highlights a significant demand for tools that can alleviate the stress of making choices.
2. Combining Randomization and Social Features for Engagement:
The results show a split in current strategies: 52% prefer random tools for quick decisions, while 30% rely on social media for validation. An app that integrates both methods would not only address diverse user needs but also enhance user engagement and retention.
Competitive Analysis
Spin the Wheel Apps
👍 Strengths:
• Simple and intuitive randomization tool.
• Customizable wheels with different colors and weights.
• Fun animations and sound effects during spins and results.
😔 Weaknesses:
• Only three pre-made wheels; Relies on users to set up their own wheels, which can be time-consuming.
• The app feels monotonous, risking users uninstalling after a few uses.
📒 Takeaway: Purrfect Choice adds variety with gamification, customizable cat avatars, and social features, making the app more engaging and less repetitive.
Reddit/Xiaohongshu Polls
👍 Strengths:
• Wide audience for feedback, combining quantitative votes and qualitative comments.
• Easy to set up with multiple-choice options.
😔 Weaknesses:
• Low Visibility: Voting posts can easily get buried under more popular or trending content, making it difficult for users to notice or engage with them.
• No rewards or playful features to encourage participation.
📒 Takeaway: To boost participation, Purrfect Choice uses a fishbone reward system, motivating users to engage by unlocking outfits for their cats, creating a playful and rewarding experience.
Online Survey
Analysis
1. High Demand and Widespread Decision Fatigue:
The survey reveals that decision fatigue is a common issue, with 73% of participants experiencing it at least once a week. This highlights a significant demand for tools that can alleviate the stress of making choices.
2. Combining Randomization and Social Features for Engagement:
The results show a split in current strategies: 52% prefer random tools for quick decisions, while 30% rely on social media for validation. An app that integrates both methods would not only address diverse user needs but also enhance user engagement and retention.
Competitive Analysis
Spin the Wheel Apps
👍 Strengths:
• Simple and intuitive randomization tool.
• Customizable wheels with different colors and weights.
• Fun animations and sound effects during spins and results.
😔 Weaknesses:
• Only three pre-made wheels; Relies on users to set up their own wheels, which can be time-consuming.
• The app feels monotonous, risking users uninstalling after a few uses.
📒 Takeaway: Purrfect Choice adds variety with gamification, customizable cat avatars, and social features, making the app more engaging and less repetitive.
Reddit/Xiaohongshu Polls
👍 Strengths:
• Wide audience for feedback, combining quantitative votes and qualitative comments.
• Easy to set up with multiple-choice options.
😔 Weaknesses:
• Low Visibility: Voting posts can easily get buried under more popular or trending content, making it difficult for users to notice or engage with them.
• No rewards or playful features to encourage participation.
📒 Takeaway: To boost participation, Purrfect Choice uses a fishbone reward system, motivating users to engage by unlocking outfits for their cats, creating a playful and rewarding experience.
Ideate
Ideate
HMW Questions
Three core functions were mapped out:
1. Random Pick: A roulette where the cat runs and selects an option.
2. Community Polls: A feed for creating and voting on polls.
3. Profile & Customization: Rewards-based cat customization.
HMW questions
Initial Concept Sketches
Three core functions were mapped out:
1. Random Pick: A roulette where the cat runs and selects an option.
2. Community Polls: A feed for creating and voting on polls.
3. Profile & Customization: Rewards-based cat customization.
Design Process
Design Process
Design Evolution
Design Evolution
paper wireframe
low-fi prototype
hi-fi prototype
low-fi prototype
hi-fi prototype
paper wireframe
Final Solution
Final Solution
Click here to explore my final prototype for Purrfect Choice!
Click here to explore my final prototype for Purrfect Choice!
Looking Forward
Looking Forward
Opportunities Remain
Opportunities Remain
1. Advanced Gamification Features
• Achievement Trophies: Introduce a virtual trophy case where users can unlock and collect achievements (e.g., “100 Decisions Made,” “Top Poll Creator”).
• Exclusive Rewards for Milestones: Offer limited-edition cat outfits, accessories, or themed poll skins for reaching specific activity milestones.
• Seasonal Challenges: Add time-limited events (e.g., “Holiday Decision Quest”) with exclusive rewards for active participants.
2. Enhanced Personalization
• Cat Evolution: Allow users’ cats to “evolve” or gain unique traits as they achieve milestones, such as new animations, expressions, or titles (e.g., “Explorer Cat”).
• Interactive Cat Features: Add petting, feeding, or mini-adventures where users influence outcomes based on decisions made.
3. Community Expansion
• Team-Based Challenges: Create collaborative goals where users join teams to achieve milestones together, such as “Vote 1,000 times as a group.”
• Poll Collaboration: Allow co-creation of polls where friends or groups can design questions and options together.
1. Advanced Gamification Features
• Achievement Trophies: Introduce a virtual trophy case where users can unlock and collect achievements (e.g., “100 Decisions Made,” “Top Poll Creator”).
• Exclusive Rewards for Milestones: Offer limited-edition cat outfits, accessories, or themed poll skins for reaching specific activity milestones.
• Seasonal Challenges: Add time-limited events (e.g., “Holiday Decision Quest”) with exclusive rewards for active participants.
2. Enhanced Personalization
• Cat Evolution: Allow users’ cats to “evolve” or gain unique traits as they achieve milestones, such as new animations, expressions, or titles (e.g., “Explorer Cat”).
• Interactive Cat Features: Add petting, feeding, or mini-adventures where users influence outcomes based on decisions made.
3. Community Expansion
• Team-Based Challenges: Create collaborative goals where users join teams to achieve milestones together, such as “Vote 1,000 times as a group.”
• Poll Collaboration: Allow co-creation of polls where friends or groups can design questions and options together.
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
Create With Long-term Engagement in Mind
Create With Long-term Engagement in Mind
One of the key challenges was ensuring users would continue to engage with the app even after solving immediate decision-making needs. By introducing features like the fishbone reward system and gamified customization options, I created mechanisms that not only keep users coming back but also provide a sense of accomplishment and progress. This taught me the importance of designing for user retention, thinking beyond the product’s core functionality to create lasting value.
One of the key challenges was ensuring users would continue to engage with the app even after solving immediate decision-making needs. By introducing features like the fishbone reward system and gamified customization options, I created mechanisms that not only keep users coming back but also provide a sense of accomplishment and progress. This taught me the importance of designing for user retention, thinking beyond the product’s core functionality to create lasting value.
Learn From Competitors and Think Critically
Learn From Competitors and Think Critically
When designing the community voting interface, I studied and analyzed platforms like Reddit, Xiaohongshu(RED), Douban, and Instagram. By evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, I was able to incorporate the best elements while addressing their limitations, resulting in a more engaging and tailored experience.
When designing the community voting interface, I studied and analyzed platforms like Reddit, Xiaohongshu(RED), Douban, and Instagram. By evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, I was able to incorporate the best elements while addressing their limitations, resulting in a more engaging and tailored experience.
Embrace Divergent Thinking During Ideation
Embrace Divergent Thinking During Ideation
A major takeaway was the importance of being open-minded and explorative during the ideation phase. I pushed myself to generate a wide range of solutions, from simple to highly ambitious, without prematurely judging their feasibility. This helped me approach problems creatively, ensuring I explored diverse possibilities before narrowing down to the most practical and impactful solutions. It reinforced the value of curiosity and adaptability in the design process.
A major takeaway was the importance of being open-minded and explorative during the ideation phase. I pushed myself to generate a wide range of solutions, from simple to highly ambitious, without prematurely judging their feasibility. This helped me approach problems creatively, ensuring I explored diverse possibilities before narrowing down to the most practical and impactful solutions. It reinforced the value of curiosity and adaptability in the design process.
