BALANCED PAWS

Balanced Paws is a pet food formulation tool originally built in Excel with macros, designed for pet owners, veterinarians, and animal nutritionists to evaluate and create balanced recipes for dogs and cats.

The next phase of the project aims to transform the Excel tool into a free, open-access website, making science-driven pet nutrition accessible to everyone.

View Prototype →

📌 Project Highlights

Excel-based tool with macros for nutrient analysis
Database integrated from USDA, NRC, FEDIAF, and AAFCO
Users can input pet details + custom ingredients
Conditional formatting for real-time nutrient feedback
Future goal: website transformation for open access

Excel Macros Nutrient Database Figma UX Research Prototyping Accessibility (AODA) Privacy (PIPEDA) Compliance (CASL)

⚡ The Challenge

The original BalancePaws tool was a complex Excel macro system that worked well for experts but was overwhelming for pet owners.

Key challenges included:

Translating complex nutritional calculations into a simple UI.
Ensuring accuracy and reliability of nutrient data.
Designing for non-technical users like everyday pet owners.
Allowing users to add custom ingredients not in the database.
Building a system that remains updated with USDA data.

🔍 Research & Insights

Through early testing and feedback, we found that:

Pet owners valued ease of use more than advanced features.
Researchers and vets needed accurate, science-backed data.
The Excel format was a barrier for many users, limiting accessibility.

These insights shaped the decision to move from Excel to a web-based application with a clean, intuitive interface.

🛠️ Process

Research: Gathered requirements from pet owners, vets, and animal nutritionists.

Design: Mapped workflows from Excel, created paper prototypes, and iterated in Figma.

Testing: Conducted live user testing with sample use cases, refining based on usability and feedback.

Compliance: Considered AODA (accessibility), PIPEDA (data privacy), and CASL (communication compliance).

✨ Solution

The reimagined BalancePaws tool:

Provides a web-based, open-access platform for all users.
Offers nutrient analysis + real-time feedback in a simple UI.
Enables custom ingredient entry for flexibility.
Plans for automatic nutrient retrieval from USDA databases.

📈 Impact & Results

While still in development, the redesigned prototype already shows potential to:

Reduce confusion for pet owners with clearer diet guidance.
Streamline workflows for vets and researchers.
Make science-based nutrition freely accessible to all.

💭 Reflection

This project allowed me to blend UX design, data accuracy, and compliance awareness. I learned how to translate technical workflows into accessible solutions and the importance of balancing scientific rigor with user-friendly design.