CareFinder - Product Design
CareFinder is an innovative app designed to ease the process of finding and managing daycare applications and waitlists for parents. Catering to the needs of tech-savvy, busy parents, this app stands as a centralized solution to a widespread challenge.
Project Overview
TIMELINE
10 weeks
Project Type
Capstone final project
My Role
UX RESEARCHER, DESIGN STRATEGY, UX/UI DESIGNER
Designed For
iOS & Android mobile
Tools
Figma, Otter AI
How it began…
Like many parents, I've faced the common challenge of finding and managing daycare options—a process that can often be frustrating and overwhelming. This widespread struggle inspired me to develop a solution that could help not just myself, but countless other parents as well. CareFinder aims to simplify the daycare search and application process, making it more manageable and less daunting for everyone involved.
Childcare Challenges
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Limited childcare spaces in Vancouver ignite a race among parents, making daycare availability a pressing concern.
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Lengthy waitlists add layers of stress, with families in limbo, awaiting a spot for their child. This problem was further emphasized by parents putting their unborn children on daycare waiting lists, as one parent did as early as her eight-week ultrasound.
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Assessing the quality of available options is like navigating a maze due to a lack of transparent metrics.
Secondary Research
conducting disk research helped me empathize more with my target users. Here are some of the challenges parents face today…
79%
of daycares in British Columbia maintained a waitlist.
46%
A 2018 Statistics Canada survey highlighted that 46.5% of B.C. families with kids 5 or under had difficulty accessing childcare.
1000
some waiting lists in Vancouver stretched to one thousand and ten names long.
Primary research
USER INTERVIEWS
I conducted 3 user interviews with parents to understand their current experience and pain points in finding and managing daycare applications.
Three key themes emerged:
Complex Navigation of Options: Parents often find it difficult to sort through the many daycare choices and their varied application procedures.
“I contacted daycares one by one—some directed to their website, others took my information on the phone, and some invited me to visit in person.”
01.
Information Overload and Management: Parents face challenges managing and accessing the vast amount of information about daycares and application updates.
“I feel frustrated from the lack of transparency regarding waitlist status and the need to manually contact each daycare, which makes it unclear where we stand or how long the wait might be.”
02.
Desire for Timely Updates: Parents expressed frustration over the lack of communication regarding application statuses and waitlist positions.
“I desperately needed childcare, So when communicating via phone calls or emails didn't work I will visit them in person which was so inconvenient and frustrating.”
03.
Problem Statement:
From extensive desktop research and in-depth interviews with parents, a significant challenge became evident: The journey to find suitable daycare is often overwhelming. Parents consistently reported frustration with scattered information, inconsistent quality standards, and complex administrative processes. These findings highlighted a clear need for a more streamlined and accessible approach to navigating daycare options, emphasizing the real struggles and urgency faced by parents.
Project Scope and Stakeholder Focus
While developing the CareFinder app, it became evident that the project involves multiple stakeholders, including government bodies, daycare providers, and parents. Each group has distinct needs and expectations from the platform. Given the constraints of time and the scope of this project, I decided to primarily focus on the needs of parents. This decision was driven by the urgent need to address the difficulties parents face in navigating daycare options effectively and efficiently. By concentrating on this demographic, I aimed to create a user-centered solution that could make an immediate impact, setting a foundation for future enhancements that could incorporate the needs of other critical stakeholders.
The question that guided my design process
How might we provide parents with a streamlined, user-friendly tool that simplifies the daycare search and application process, while keeping them informed and in control?
Persona
Developing a persona was so important to keep my users in the centre of my design.
Thinking like a user…
I visualized my ideas for CareFinder by sketching, first through exploratory sketches, then, transforming my sketches into Mid-Fidelity prototype.
Medium fidelity prototype
Usability Testing
The testing involved ten participants over two rounds, one round each day. Each round consisted of five participants.
Feedback and insights from the first round were incorporated into the second prototype iteration and from the second tests to the final prototype.
Usability Testing Insights
Usability testing confirmed successful task completion, yet it also revealed important design opportunities.The session revealed some UI elements like the map icons and apply button could benefit from further clarity or design improvement to enhance user understanding and interaction.Testers expressed a desire for a confirmation prompt post-application submission for better user feedback.Refining language on waitlist & application screen, and making minor cosmetic adjustments.
Based on the design prioritisation matrix I deemed the changes to be low-effort, high-impact & I implemented all the changes.For more detailed findings, refer to the full test report [link to report].
Final Designs
This app can help solve the endless forms, confusing waitlists, and contact follow-ups for parents. Streamlines the process, offering a centralized solution for finding, applying, and tracking daycare options to embrace clarity and convenience.
Effortless Search
A user-friendly map to help parents find and locate their nearest daycare with a user-friendly map.
Transparent details
Parents can check the daycare details with ease without the need of constant phone calls to acquire basic information. 
One-Stop application management system
Parents can apply to multiple daycares and track all their applications in one place.Transparent Waitlist Tracking
Parents can stay informed about their waitlist status which reduces the frustration and the ambiguity of the process. 
RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN
I designed a marketing website for CareFinder to highlight the app's key features, optimized for both desktop and mobile displays.
Key Learnings
Clear storytelling throughout the process
Throughout the course and specifically this project, I learned many things. Looking back, I’ve grown a lot as a UX Designer. My knowledge evolved from basic understanding to confidently executing the entire UX design process.Ask many questions
I learned that by asking questions early in the process, I can align decisions with my users needs and reduce later revisions.
Don't come into the project with a solution in mind
I've learned to enter projects with an open mind rather than fixed solutions. Initially, I often envisioned the app one way, but user feedback frequently steered the project in unexpected directions. This experience taught me the value of flexibility and adapting my designs to truly meet user needs.
Overall, I absolutely loved every bit of the design process. It's been an eye-opener about what it really means to craft solutions that put people first. I'm excited to keep learning and growing in my future projects!
What’s Next?
As for what’s next for CareFinder, I’m excited to dive deeper into the needs of both parents and daycare providers. The plan is to make the CareFinder app even easier to use—think clearer navigation and more intuitive interactions. I’ll be actively seeking feedback from my users to pinpoint exactly what works and what could be better. This direct input will be crucial as I think about small, impactful updates that keep the app user-friendly and effective. I am also considering ways to improve how parents and providers communicate through the app, aiming to make coordinating care as smooth as possible.