Introduction

While working through a UX design certification, I created Attis, an application that helps users locate, pin, and request dog waste bag stations, waste bins, and water fountains in their local municipalities.

Approach & Challenge

I go on a lot of walks with my dog. We've made our way through countless trails and city streets. When you have a dog, you’re inevitably going to be cleaning up after them...a lot. I've carried refuse bags for far too long in city centers and found myself dreaming of strategically placed waste stations alongside roads, parks and intersections.

I’ve experienced how inadequate city services degrade community health and urban ecosystems. The lack of waste stations and signage forces people to consider alternatives like littering or leaving pet refuse behind, negatively affectioning other people. It also puts citizens and pets in physical danger (dehydration, litter/fecal contamination) as temperatures in densely populated cities continue to rise.

So, how could we promote community health and engagement through location-based technology?

Key Considerations

Mapping

Designing an intuitive mapping system for users to pin and locate waste stations.

Civic Participation

Creating a crowd-sourced system for requesting and reporting waste and water stations.

Environment

Providing a space for people to help improve their own communities.

Branding

Using color and typography to complement a range of natural and architectural contexts.

Research & Descovery

I looked at popular mapping and pet applications, paying close attention to workflows and common features.

Map Applications

Analyzed common route planning workflows, favorite locations, user-generated pins, photo uploads, and more.

Top view of sushi platter with edamame, miso soup, assorted sushi rolls, and a bowl of grilled eel with cucumbers on an orange background.

Grubhub menu page showing sushi sashimi entree options including Sushi Deluxe, Sashimi Deluxe, Sushi and Sashimi Combo, and Chirashi Deluxe with images of sushi dishes.

Online menu screenshot showing featured items: Crispy Rice Lunch Box with sushi and tea, Happy Life Lunch Box with assorted sushi, and Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna rolls.

Pet Applications

Reviewed content design and linguistic tone to understand how pet owners engage with services, communicate about their pets, and seek support in pet-related platforms.

Two white geese holding stolen objects stand on various clutter including a dartboard, pumpkins, and a wooden crate, with the title 'Untitled Goose Game by House House' on a blue background.

Pixel art style character with blue skin and brown pants standing on a sidewalk next to a colorful sign reading 'STEPPY PANTS'.

Colorful cartoon scene from Overcooked 2 featuring chefs on top of a food truck surrounded by zombie-like creatures in a forest.

Findings & Insights

High-rise building facade with multiple balconies and teal glass doors, some with chairs and one person sitting.

Motivation

When people have a channel for input, they're more likely to take collective action and invest in their communities.

Interior view of a modern building ceiling with layered wooden slats and a skylight.

Ecosystem

Complementary features allow users to access essential tools without switching between multiple applications.

Person adjusting colorful illuminated pegs on a large interactive light pegboard.

Approachability

Using a direct and casual tone builds trust and invites participation from more people.

Design Decisions & Rationale

Product Solution

A mobile application allows users to locate waste and water stations, add and confirm locations on the interactive map, place station request markers, and partner with municipalities by creating Attis stations at highly requested locations.

Five smartphones showing screens of a navigation app with location services prompt, map with local recommendations, directions to Carosse Park, route guidance, and turn-by-turn instructions.

Series of five smartphone screens showing a location pinning app workflow: selecting stops on map, taking a photo of a station bench, choosing pin type, adding photo and comment, and confirmation of pin submission for approval.

Responsive Landing Page

The landing page welcomes users and provides a brief introduction to the ways Attis can improve their commute and community well-being.

Branding

Attis needed to feel like an inviting oasis, whether that relief came through the mobile application or future Attis stations. The Phrygian deity, Attis, was the god of vegetation. In his death and resurrection, he represented the fruits of the earth, which die in winter only to rise again in the spring.

While many environmentally-focused brands favor green in their color schemes, I wanted to rewind from the land of secondary colors to that of the primary. What two factors allow life to flourish on our planet? Sunshine and rain; yellow and blue, a harmonious combination that provides both rejuvenation and tranquility.

A balance between a traditional serif and modern sans serif echoes the same dynamic found between the historic and contemporary architecture that fills our world today.