☆VIVIAN CHEN

Hi, I’m Vivian
Los Angeles based Product Designer,
Available for work

About Me

Resume
LinkedIn






Calderon Bulldogs Website 

Overview
A family-owned bulldog breeding business based in Santa Ana approached our team to modernize their outdated static website and elevate their online presence. Their goals were to establish greater trust with prospective buyers, streamline the puppy shopping experience, and gain full control over their content without relying on third-party tools. We collaborated with developers to transform the site into a CMS-driven, full-stack web application, equipping the breeder with tools to manage available puppies, publish blog content, and track customer activity through a custom admin dashboard. As product designers, our role was to craft a user-friendly, visually appealing experience that balanced functionality and warmth—ensuring users could easily browse, purchase, and learn more about the breeder’s services. The redesign also included a rebranding effort, where we developed moodboards and visual direction to better reflect the client’s values of quality, trust, and family-focused care.

View Website Here






Role
I collaborated with a team of designers and developers throughout the full design process—from moodboarding and wireframes to polishing UI and developer handoff.

My contributions included:
  • Creating moodboards and design direction for the brand refresh
  • Designing the Home Page, Available Puppies Page, Checkout Page, About Me Page, Stud Services Page, and Contact/FAQ Page. 
  • Designing a custom Admin Dashboard for easier site management
  • Collaborating in design reviews and ensuring our designs aligned with both user and client goals
  • Working closely with developers to ensure proper implementation and responsive design across devices

Research
To understand how we could better serve both the business and its potential customers, our team conducted a heuristic evaluation of the existing website as well as a user survey targeting both past clients and prospective puppy buyers.Heuristic Evaluation
We began by auditing the original site using Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics. This helped us identify several usability issues, including:
  • Confusing navigation and unclear information hierarchy
  • Lack of clear calls to action for inquiries or purchases
  • Limited trust-building elements (e.g., no testimonials or breeder background info)
  • Outdated visuals and inconsistent branding
  • No clear way to manage listings or content from the client side

These insights gave us a foundational understanding of what needed improvement from a UX and UI perspective.
User Survey
To supplement our heuristic findings with real user feedback, we designed and distributed a detailed survey. We reached out to individuals who had either previously purchased from the breeder or were actively considering adding a dog to their home.

Our survey asked about:
  • Past experiences purchasing pets
  • Preferred browsing devices (mobile vs. desktop)
  • Key features they look for on breeder websites
  • Trust-building elements (e.g., testimonials, certifications)
  • Pain points and missing features in past experiences
  • Desired content before making a decision (e.g., parent info, health records, videos)
  • Importance of contact and communication tools
Key Findings & Patterns
We synthesized the results into an affinity map to identify recurring themes and user needs. From this analysis, we uncovered several key insights:
  • Users want detailed individual profiles for each puppy, including pricing, health information, and parent backgrounds.
  • Trust is built through elements like testimonials, high-quality visuals, and breeder transparency.
  • Many users struggled with poor contact options and wanted to communicate directly through the website.
  • Features like puppy availability, appointment scheduling, and the ability to reserve or purchase directly were highly requested.
  • Users were split evenly between mobile and desktop use, reinforcing the need for a fully responsive design.

This research directly informed our design goals and helped us prioritize new features and structural changes in the redesign.



Discovery & Moodboarding
We conducted a structured interview with the client to better understand their business, current pain points, and future goals for the website. This phase was foundational to aligning our design direction with their vision. The client emphasized a desire for the site to communicate professionalism, trustworthiness, and warmth.

To define the new visual direction, our design team created multiple moodboards exploring various branding styles. After review and feedback, we aligned on a direction that used a combination of elements from all our moodboards.

Different iterations of the home page we sent to the client for feedback and review
Goals
After speaking with our client and conducting user interviews, we identified several key objectives to guide the redesign:
  • Improve branding: Make the site feel warm, professional, and trustworthy to better reflect the breeder’s values.
  • Increase usability: Create a smoother, more intuitive experience for prospective puppy buyers.
  • Enable self-management: Equip the client with tools to easily update content, add new puppy listings, and manage site information independently.
  • Drive conversions: Simplify the puppy inquiry and checkout process to encourage more leads and purchases.
  • Expand features based on user needs: Introduce functionality users had been asking for—such as built-in contact forms, detailed individual profiles for each puppy, and added information about each puppy’s parents.
  • Design for flexibility: Ensure the site works seamlessly across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Design
With a clear understanding of the client’s goals and a unified visual direction shaped by our moodboarding process, we moved into the design phase. Collaborating closely with a cross-functional team of designers and developers, we focused on reimagining the site’s core pages to enhance usability, trust, and conversion.

To improve the overall user experience, we implemented streamlined navigation, simplified scroll behavior, and a clearer information hierarchy—making it easy for visitors to quickly explore available puppies, learn about stud services, and connect with the breeder.

One of the most impactful redesigns was the "Available Puppies" page. While retaining the card-based layout the client appreciated, we enhanced it with:
  • Dynamic status tags (“Available,” “Reserved,” “Sold”)
  • Clear pricing and puppy details
  • Integrated e-commerce functionality that allows users to reserve, purchase, or opt into a payment plan—all directly on the site

Informed by competitor research, we also introduced trust-building elements such as a testimonials section, helping position the breeder as both professional and caring.

Throughout the process, we maintained a transparent and collaborative workflow with the client, sharing progress in Figma and gathering feedback through consistent review sessions and comments. This iterative design approach ensured the final product stayed aligned with the client’s vision every step of the way.
 Conclusion

The redesigned website successfully launched with a sleek new look, modern branding, and full e-commerce and admin functionality—all aligned with the client's vision of a trustworthy, professional, and friendly online presence.

Key Points:
  • 1,200+ users have visited the site since launch, with the majority engaging via mobile—validating our mobile-first design approach. 
  • The breeder now independently manages their own puppies, gallery, and blog posts without needing third-party apps or tools. 
  • The checkout and reservation system created a smoother path to purchase, allowing customers to reserve puppies directly from the website. 
  • The visual-first design, with larger imagery, gallery support, and embedded videos, helped highlight the personal care behind each puppy and created a stronger emotional connection with visitors.
© 2025 Vivian Chen