PRODUCT DESIGN · MOBILE EXPERIENCE

Biscuit Beacon

Biscuit Beacon is a community-driven app that helps dog owners discover trusted, nearby walking resources such as water bowls, treat stations, dog parks, and safety alerts, making daily walks safer, more convenient, and more engaging.

To address low engagement and motivation, we introduced Routes and a goal and distance tracker to create structured, repeatable walking journeys.

Timeline: 4 Months

Role:

UX Research, UX/UI Design, Storytelling

Team:

Linh Ly - UX/UI Designer,

Christina Tran - UX/UI Designer,

Harshini Kandagaddala - UX/UI Designer

Tools:
Figma, Figjam

OVERVIEW

What is Biscuit Beacon?

OUTCOMES

Boosted Routes adoption by 10%, driving stronger engagement.

Built a component library that sped up design iterations by 25%.

Accelerated cross-functional delivery through rapid prototyping and testing.

At the start of the project, my UX team and I conducted user observations and surveys to gain a foundational understanding of existing app behaviors, engagement gaps, and opportunities for improvement.

DISCOVER

Once we validated our core concepts, we developed a high-fidelity prototype supported by detailed design rationale, ensuring every element was intentionally crafted to address user needs and engagement challenges.

DELIVER

To explore multiple solution paths before committing to high-fidelity designs, my team and I spent three weeks rapidly iterating low and mid fidelity sketches, allowing us to test ideas, refine flows, and align on the most effective user experience.

DEVELOP

When onboarding onto this project, my team and I recognized the need for deeper user context, which led us to conduct an in-depth interview with long-time dog owners in Austin, TX to better understand real walking habits, pain points, and motivations.

DEFINE

DISCOVER

DELIVER

DEVELOP

DEFINE

DESIGN PROCESS

The Story

Since we didn’t have much research before joining session 4, we immediately began our research process. We had about 8 weeks to finish to conduct our research before creating our low and high-fidelity prototypes

PROBLEM BREAKDOWN

Why Engagement Was Low?

The concept is great, I mean… walking your dog and collecting items sounds like a great way to bond with my dog, however that got boring pretty quickly.

Repeated collecting became predictable, so the experience needed a stronger reason to return.

Progress needed to feel visible through milestones, feedback, and meaningful route completion.

Social and personalized moments could turn a utility into a habit users wanted to revisit.

Key Research Insights

84%

Walk Tracking

Want to track walk time and distance

76%

Route Discovery

Explore new and interesting walking paths

60%

Health & Safety

Care about weather alerts and dog fitness

40%

Best Walk Times

Appreciate suggestions for ideal walk hours

72%

Lack Motivation

Struggle with time or low motivation

68%

Behavior Management

Face difficulty handling dogs during walks

56%

Community & Rewards

Enjoy challenges but prefer purposeful engagement

44%

Core Experience First

Don’t see a clear reason to use the app

We received 20+ responses from various people on a survey asking their dog walking experience which led into what they would find useful in a pet walking app. Our insights were…

Collecting coins feels tedious without meaningful motivation.

Needs incentives/purpose for users to use the app

There isn't enough to motivate users to return to the app consistently

A user finds the app interface "simple"

Users have limited options when it comes to engaging with the social features of the app

To understand the problem, we began to use different research methods such as surveys, questionnaires, and user testing conduct some observations about the app to dive in deeper on the root cause.

Making General Observations

Research signals

67%

62%

Of users were looking to complete tasks and challenges

Of users wanted to reach milestones

After conducting my user interviews. I provided some insights on what he believed would be necessary to address the problem for Biscuit Beacon

Recognizing User Needs

“I want the app to feel fun and welcoming so I enjoy using it, not just when I’m in a rush.”

“I want a clear reason to come back to the app regularly, not just use it once when I need a place.”

“I want to quickly find pet-friendly places without having to search through too much information.”

“I want to discover nearby places instantly when I’m already out with my pet.”

“I want recommendations that feel personalized to my pet’s needs instead of generic results.”

“I want to trust that the places I’m seeing are actually pet-friendly and recommended by other users.”

Company Milestones

Over 100 Million users

Contributes to an estimate of $6-8 Billion in annual app-attributed revenue for Nike

Over 185 Million users across 185 countries

$500 Million in Annual recurring revenue in 2025

Over 100 Million users worldwide

Generated over $8 Billion since 2016

COMPETITVE ANALYSIS

I was inspired by the Nike Run app’s progress tracking and post-run summaries, we designed Routes to provide real-time walk feedback and meaningful activity insights, transforming dog walks into trackable, engaging experiences that promote consistency and healthier routines.

The Nike Run App

Strava’s social engagement model showed how shared progress fuels motivation, which inspired Routes to incorporate community-driven route discovery and activity sharing to encourage repeat usage and sustained engagement.

Strava

Pokémon Go is highly popular, but its success goes beyond brand recognition. Through guided exploration, progress milestones, and reward-based discovery, the app transforms walking into a motivating experience that drives repeat engagement.

Pokemon GO

Over 100 million users

$6–8 billion in annual app-attributed revenue

185 million users across 185 countries

$500 million in annual recurring revenue in 2025

Over 100 million users worldwide

Generated over $8 billion since 2016

FINAL PRODUCT

Biscuit Beacon’s New Features

Through iterative ideation and prototyping, we developed the Routes feature with built-in distance and time tracking to encourage consistent exploration and activity. This solution improved engagement and drove a 10% increase in feature adoption.

ROUTES

There will be given directions for the route so you won't get lost with your dog.

GOAL TRACKER

SUMMMARY PAGE

MY REFLECTION

The people made this project unforgettable.

I had the best time working with the company and the three other designers. It was an experience I can never forget.

Key Learnings & Takeaways

Usability testing revealed needs that weren’t obvious at first, like clearer navigation, more meaningful rewards, and better ways to connect with the community. These insights helped shape stronger, user-centered decisions.

Trying to address every pain point at once made the initial direction feel scattered. Narrowing the focus to the walk experience, and enhancing the current experience created a far more cohesive design.

Feedback consistently highlighted users desire for connection like profiles, the shared moments, and a richer community hub. These will play a major role in future iterations of Biscuit Beacon.

Integrating monetization through coupons, expanding map categories and improving engagement systems all lay the groundwork for a more sustainable, long-term product roadmap.

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