Modernization of the Proprietary Application PetFriends

Have you opened the app and seen photos of acquaintances from their latest walk with hashtags about locations? No more need to use third-party software to search for suitable places, call friends asking to send geo-tags, and so on. Simply browse the built-in map, find points of interest, add your own, and share them within the community.

Just a few gestures — and your whole group knows when and where to meet, where to find cheaper pet food, services, and goods.

Want more details? Check out the following parts of the case!

We understand that using several systems at once can be an inconvenient task. Therefore, we decided to integrate a number of critical user functions into the PetFriends app. In particular, this concerns simplifying navigation and improving interaction with the app’s UI, which now allows performing several operations without leaving the product.

The problem was as follows: the platform’s social functionality was sufficiently developed, but some actions had to be performed in third-party applications. For example, marking recreation zones in conditional Google/Apple Maps, creating notes about promising places, planning meetings with friends, and so on. In other words, it was necessary to use several tools at once.

Currently, the app has received an update that allows doing all the above within a single space. Found an interesting location? Simply mark it on the built-in map — a pet-friendly cafe, store, pharmacy, or walking area. Not only points with descriptions but also the ability to share them with your group or show them to individual friends from the contact list.

We agree, the idea is not new, but since PetFriends was developed as an MVP, some features were included in the roadmap but not added at launch. Integration with Google Maps is one of them.

Why this navigation tool in particular? It is the most convenient and widely used among the app’s audience. Moreover, it integrates better with the technology stack and offers truly useful and effective functionality.

So, regarding the platform, it is clear:

• google_maps_flutter for direct integration of the map into the app and its interface;
• geolocator for determining the user’s current location and their device.

As for the functionality that appeared in the app, it is as follows:

• Monitoring and independently adding points on the map, specifically:
• pet-friendly establishments;
• services such as clinics, pharmacies, groomers, etc.;
• walking and active recreation areas;
• locations visited with a pet and marking a place if the pet got lost.
• Descriptions and a rating system to expand the social component.
• Sharing personal and public points among community members.

Does it look not too complicated or innovative? Maybe, but first, it is truly useful functionality, and second, its implementation is quite complex both technically and conceptually.

If the issues of pet owners became the main catalyst for implementing the described features in the app, then the technical implementation immediately caused a number of problems. Not critical, but ones that required time and effort to mitigate. Specifically, these were:

• Visual presentation of new features, their design in a style that corresponds to the app’s design. Not the most difficult task, but still requires time for refinement.
• Logical and intuitive map control. Slides, taps, gestures for zooming, and so on. Yes, through the API, but with adjustment of certain parameters.
• Interactive UI, or more precisely UX, for interaction with points such as navigation, viewing descriptions, editing, and adding locations on the map.

Again, these were not exactly critical problems that are hard to solve, but still difficulties that require skill, understanding, and time to implement. And believe me, the result justified the effort.

The result is an updated iteration of the app, which has recently gathered plenty of positive feedback from the audience. Not only because users expected and awaited the functionality, but also because of its high level of implementation. The new features brought back the audience, attracted new pet owners, and increased the number of downloads and the time spent in the app. Since work on the product continues, it is planned to improve the solution’s success metrics with the next iterations. And believe us, we will be able to surprise you.

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