PRD for PetSnuggle App

tl;dr

The PetSnuggle App connects business travelers longing for pet companionship with locals willing to share their pets for companionship and snuggles.

Goals

Business Goals

Create a community-driven platform that generates revenue through subscription and service fees.
Provide a solution for loneliness and missing pet companionship for frequent travelers.
Foster a new market of pet-friendly travel companionship services.

User Goals

Allow business travelers to experience pet companionship away from home.
Provide pet owners with a reliable and rewarding way to share their pets with others.

Non-Goals

Becoming a pet adoption or pet-sitting service.
Serving as a social network for pet enthusiasts.

User Stories

As a business traveler missing my pet, I want to find locals willing to let me hang out with their pet, so I can enjoy pet companionship while on the road.
As a pet owner, I want to offer my pet's company to travelers, so I can help others while possibly earning extra income.

User Experience - Step by Step Flow (Enhanced)

Personalized Onboarding: Users are greeted with a warm, visually appealing interface. Through a series of engaging questions (a bit like a quiz), the app captures their preferences—type of pets, activities they’d enjoy (e.g., walking, playing, snuggling), and any pet allergies. This helps in tailoring the app experience from the get-go.
Discovery and Inspiration: Similar to Airbnb's "Experiences," users can explore inspiring stories or "Featured Snuggles" highlighting unique and heartwarming past connections made through the app. This could include a photo diary of a traveler who spent an afternoon playing with a Siberian Husky in the snow or a quiet evening spent with a Siamese cat, watching the city lights from a high-rise apartment.
Intuitive Matching Interface: Drawing from Tinder’s swipe mechanism and Airbnb’s filtering options, travelers can swiftly browse through potential pet matches with easy-to-use filters (location, pet type, ratings). Each pet profile offers a rich gallery, pet characteristics, and owner notes to help travelers make informed decisions.
Interactive Planning Map: A dynamic map, similar to what Airbnb offers for accommodations, showcases available pets in the selected area. Pin drops reveal pets' photos and brief details—clicking through provides the full profile and the option to initiate a hangout request.
Seamless Communication and Scheduling: Once a match is approved, an in-app messaging system allows for easy communication to arrange the hangout details. A built-in calendar feature helps easily select and confirm available times, syncing with users' personal calendars if desired.
Social Proof and Trust Building: Each pet and owner profile includes a verification badge (after passing certain criteria) and a section for reviews from previous hangouts. This, alongside a social feed within the app showcasing recent matches and testimonials, builds credibility and community.
Post-Hangout Experience: After the hangout, users are prompted to share their story with photos or videos. A dual-rating system ensures feedback is given for both the pet and the owner, contributing to the community’s trustworthiness.
Ongoing Engagement: Users receive personalized recommendations for future hangouts, based on previous likes and reviews. Seasonal or region-specific highlights populate the app’s homepage, encouraging users to explore connections in different areas.

Narrative

Imagine John, a business consultant who's away from home over 200 days a year. John misses his Labrador, Max, terribly during trips. Enter PetSnuggle: an app that connects John with local pet owners like Sarah, who believes her Golden Retriever, Buddy, can spread love and joy to more than just her family. Through PetSnuggle, John meets Buddy, and for a couple of hours, the loneliness of travel subsides. This is not just an app; it's a remedy for loneliness, a slice of home away from home.

Success Metrics

Number of active users and repeat engagements per month.
Number of successful pet companionship sessions.
User satisfaction and app rating.
Growth in subscriber base.

Technical Considerations

The platform needs robust geolocation features.
Privacy and security for user data, especially contact information.
A rating and review system for trust and safety.
Payment processing capabilities for subscriptions or one-time service fees.

Milestones & Sequencing

Week 1-4: Market research and defining MVP features.
Week 5-12: MVP development focusing on key user experience features.
Week 13-16: Beta testing with a select user group for feedback.
Week 17-20: Iterate on feedback and launch officially.