The Collar Virtual Fence and Dog Tracking App
SpotOn Project is a virtual containments for dogs monitoring that runs via the tracking app that is designed as a software part of the dog collar hardware and aims to make dog owners' life easier. Within the app users can configure collars, create virtual fences and manage maps, train dogs to stay in the fence, track dogs location and receive alerts. The complex tech background is hidden behind a simple architecture and thoughtful design.
Client
Services
Year
Background
SpotOn
UI/UX, Research & Analytic, Product Maintenance & Scaling, Hardware/Software Experience Testing.
2021-2023
As part of the Whitespectre team, I’ve been working on developing and maintaining cross-platform software to support customers' experience of using client's hardware products. Leading research, design, and testing on the edge of hardware-software combination.
Client
Services
Year
Background
SpotOn
UI/UX, Research & Analytic, Product Maintenance & Scaling, Hardware/Software Experience Testing.
2021-2023
As part of the Whitespectre team, I’ve been working on developing and maintaining cross-platform software to support customers' experience of using client's hardware products. Leading research, design, and testing on the edge of hardware-software combination.
Client
Services
Year
Background
SpotOn
UI/UX, Research & Analytic, Product Maintenance & Scaling, Hardware/Software Experience Testing.
2021-2023
As part of the Whitespectre team, I’ve been working on developing and maintaining cross-platform software to support customers' experience of using client's hardware products. Leading research, design, and testing on the edge of hardware-software combination.
Challenge
The biggest challenge was to rehaul an advanced military technology with multiple functions and configurations, choosing the essentials and cutting away all redundant into an intuitive and seamless everyday dog control experience via an app connected to the collar. The initial design process started alongside the hardware development, without the ability to test software on the real product, relying only on assumptions and limited emulator test results. An additional challenge was the older audience without much experience in using this kind of mobile application in its majority, which lead us to focus on the clarity of each action, no matter how complex it is from the tech perspective.
Approach
Having as a starting point the Gen 1 collar and app version founded by experts in virtual fence technology for the military with obvious issues in user experience, the goal was to rebuild the app and backend platform for the new Gen 2 collar from scratch. Take into account all previous backgrounds and build a new best possible experience for users and the SpotOn team.
We’ve gathered all possible data about the previous collar and app version, collected users' feedback and expectations, conducted comprehensive competitive research and set the initial functionality and roadmap for product development.
Since the software development is heavily dependent on the hardware which at the moment was also in the inception state, we’ve developed an iterative strategy for implementing functionality through testing and improving the product.
The design goal was to develop a unified experience for cross-platform development based on React Native, taking into account the specifics of each platform.
Approach
Having as a starting point the Gen 1 collar and app version founded by experts in virtual fence technology for the military with obvious issues in user experience, the goal was to rebuild the app and backend platform for the new Gen 2 collar from scratch. Take into account all previous backgrounds and build a new best possible experience for users and the SpotOn team.
We’ve gathered all possible data about the previous collar and app version, collected users' feedback and expectations, conducted comprehensive competitive research and set the initial functionality and roadmap for product development.
Since the software development is heavily dependent on the hardware which at the moment was also in the inception state, we’ve developed an iterative strategy for implementing functionality through testing and improving the product.
The design goal was to develop a unified experience for a cross-platform development based on React Native, taking into account the specifics of each platform.
Hardware vs Software
The key idea of the SpotOn product lies in between the hardware product - the dog's collar that provides the ability to track the dog's location with ground-breaking accuracy, and the software - a mobile app for simple control and settings of the dog's behavior based on receiving data from the collar via Bluetooth or Cellular connections. Although the SpotOn Project relay on collar GPS technology the key role in providing users with all process controls was delegated to the mobile app giving users (and their dogs) a more independent and rewarding experience. This placed the ultimate responsibility for the product's success on the product and app development teams.
Fence Creation
In order to help users ensure the safety of their pets SpotOn provides the GPS fence creation functionality. The virtual contaminants mark the safe zone in which the dog can play unleashed with no need to be physically monitored by the owner. With the proper training by using vibrations and sounds the dogs will learn the boundaries, they can’t cross. Based on our studies we’ve developed a seamless step-by-step on-field fence creation experience. For that, the dog owners need to connect the collar to the phone and simply walk the desired perimeter. Once it’s done follow instructions to test the fence boundaries and finally train the dog to stay inside the virtual fence.
The on-field fence creation gave us the opportunity to test and improve the quality of the collar to collect and provide the data, but also it provided us valuable information on users' and dogs' behavior, their difficulties, and expectations.
Hardware vs Software
The key idea of the SpotOn product lies in between the hardware product - the dog's collar that provides the ability to track the dog's location with ground-breaking accuracy, and the software - a mobile app for simple control and settings of the dog's behavior based on receiving data from the collar via Bluetooth or Cellular connections. Although the SpotOn Project relay on collar GPS technology the key role in providing users with all process controls was delegated to the mobile app giving users (and their dogs) a more independent and rewarding experience. This placed the ultimate responsibility for the product's success on the product and app development teams.
Fence Creation
In order to help users ensure the safety of their pets SpotOn provides the GPS fence creation functionality. The virtual contaminants mark the safe zone in which the dog can play unleashed with no need to be physically monitored by the owner. With the proper training by using vibrations and sounds the dogs will learn the boundaries, they can’t cross. Based on our studies we’ve developed a seamless step-by-step on-field fence creation experience. For that, the dog owners need to connect the collar to the phone and simply walk the desired perimeter. Once it’s done follow instructions to test the fence boundaries and finally train the dog to stay inside the virtual fence.
The on-field fence creation gave us the opportunity to test and improve the quality of the collar to collect and provide the data, but also it provided us valuable information on users' and dogs' behavior, their difficulties, and expectations.
In-App Drawing
During the research and testing, we found that due to the high quality of the GPS monitoring system, a lot of our users appeared to be from rural areas owning huge lands that were difficult to walk around to create the fence. Or that there may be places inside the virtual fences where users would like to restrict their dogs from entering, and safe zones where the dog does not need to bee monitored.
This prompted us to work on the second iteration to improve and enhance the fence creation experience.
To make the process more seamless and non-requireable of walking the users' properties, we’ve launched the In-App fence drawing feature that can be performed in any location and even without the connection to the collar.
Fence Zones
Additionally, we've added the ability to add zones inside the fence containment. The Home Zone indicates a safe area for dogs where they don’t need to be monitored by the app. The Keep-out Zone is where dogs are prohibited to enter.
With clear guidelines and an intuitive gesture-based flow, the new functionality boosted the usability of the fence creation and put SpotOn at the highest level of competition with other similar products on the market.
With clear guidelines and an intuitive gesture-based flow, the new functionality boosted the usability of the fence creation and put SpotOn at the highest level of competition with other similar products on the market.
Dogs Management and Tracking
Of course, the Virtual contaminants are the initial entity to provide users with the best possible functionality for managing their pets. However, the SpotOn app provides many other versatile options for dog management and tracking that support and complement virtual fences.
Thus, there is the possibility to add and work with multiple dogs. Select and use different levels of monitoring and warnings. Manage and edit fences, activate or deactivate them, create permanent custom or quick temporary circular fences.
Once the fence is created, and the dogs are trained, the users can see the dog's location within the fence on the map while doing their own business. If the dog approaches the fence boundaries or crosses it - the users will be notified. If despite the training, vibration, and sound warnings, the dog escapes - the tracking mode will be activated automatically, and the dog owner will be able to see the pet's movements on the map supported by the breadcrumbs that aim to help follow the dog and find him.
Dogs Management and Tracking
Of course, the Virtual contaminants are the initial entity to provide users with the best possible functionality for managing their pets. However, the SpotOn app provides many other versatile options for dog management and tracking that support and complement virtual fences.
Thus, there is the possibility to add and work with multiple dogs. Select and use different levels of monitoring and warnings. Manage and edit fences, activate or deactivate them, create permanent custom or quick temporary circular fences.
Once the fence is created, and the dogs are trained, the users can see the dog's location within the fence on the map while doing their own business. If the dog approaches the fence boundaries or crosses it - the users will be notified. If despite the training, vibration, and sound warnings, the dog escapes - the tracking mode will be activated automatically, and the dog owner will be able to see the pet's movements on the map supported by the breadcrumbs that aim to help follow the dog and find him.
Sophisticated Onboarding Network
The SpotOn works in the edge of the app, the backend, and the collar, covering many complex backend processes for simultaneous communication between the collar and the app. With all the UX work that has been done to hide the complexity and provide as much as possible seamless experience, the variety of actions created a need for a good and consistent educational part in the app.
With that in mind, we’ve developed a dynamic context-based network of guides that through the visual elements and clear communication help users to learn how to use the app in the most efficient way. Alongside that, we’ve developed the Planform with all possible comprehensive information, tutorials, articles, and the option to chat with customer support that users can access directly from the mobile app or in the desktop browser.
Constant Improvements
Alongside planned big features development, we constantly review the app performance, communicate with customers in order to maintain and improve the overall app experience. We fix even small issues, update minor UI elements, polish styling, etc. Through the years, we added many invisible for users improvements that step by step changed many interfaces and enhanced usability.
Website Development
While developing the mobile app was the primary challenge, we also helped SpotOn to design and build their website that meets all their marketing goals and showcase all the benefits of the SpotOn collar and app to potential customers in a clear and engaging way. Stay tuned for a separate SpotOn web project case study.
Results
When we started work, the project had a Gen 1 version where the tremendous military virtual fence technology got a lot of interest from the public and experts, but the weak UX of the mobile app received low marks from users. We took the best of the technology and for 2 years rebuilt from the ground up the mobile app, the backend platform, and the website for the SpotOn second generation to deliver the user experience users wanted. Since its successful launch in April 2022, the SpotOn has been used by tens of thousands of happy dog owners across the United States and Canada. The Collar & Mobile App has continuously gathered positive feedback from users in the Stores with an overall rating of 4.8 across both platforms.
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