Follow Me
Email me
mciappa.art@gmail.com
©2026
Lights.
Camera.
Zoomies.
Here's the experience in motion.
What Stuck (Besides Cat Hair)
Building PawSquad reminded me how much I enjoy combining structure with creativity. Designing the experience from concept to prototype strengthened my confidence, encouraged curiosity, and reinforced the value of designing with empathy.
Good design isn't just functional, it's emotional.
Designed with paws, patience, and a lot of heart.
What Guided the Work
Each decision in Paw Squad was guided by a few clear goals that shaped how I approached the design process, from structure and interaction patterns to how it should make people feel.
01
Strengthen mobile UX and accessibility
Design for clarity and ease so every action feels effortless.
02
Learn to collaborate with AI tools
Use AI as a creative partner to explore ideas and iterate faster.
03
Develop a cohesive design system
Build consistency and flexibility through reusable components.
04
Blend illustration and micro-animation
Bring warmth and personality into functional moments.
05
Prototype a joyful, usable experience
Balance structure and play to make interactions feel rewarding.
Building the Visual Language
Every asset was intentionally designed to reinforce the brand, support usability, and create a cohesive experience.
Branding
- Logo
- App icon
- Mascot illustrations
- Brand graphics
Rewards & Celebration
- Achievement badges
- Reward icons
- Success illustrations
- Celebration moments
Icon Library
- Navigation
- Actions
- Events
- Avatars
Illustrations in Product
- Onboarding & welcome
- Empty states
- Success & error states
- Moments of delight
Hero illustration
A friendly welcome that sets the tone and creates an immediate connection.
Reusable UI
Shared UI elements create a consistent experience across every screen.
Badge system
Custom badges celebrate milestones and encourage continued participation.
Personalized Welcome
Personalized greetings paired with custom illustrations make returning volunteers feel recognized and welcomed.
Motivation Through Rewards
Progress reminders encourage continued participation without interrupting the experience
Navigation icons
Illustrated icons create a consistent, approachable experience.
Illustration as UX
A visual language with purpose.
Illustration wasn't decoration. Every icon, mascot, badge, and graphic was designed to reinforce the brand, guide interactions, and create moments of delight.
What Makes It Pawesome
Designed to support the entire volunteer journey, from signing up for an event to celebrating milestones and redeeming rewards.
Event Sign up and Check-In
Quick, intuitive event registration and check-in.
Personalized Dashboard
Everything volunteers need in one place.
Progress Badges
Celebrate milestones and encourage continued participation.
Shop & Redeem
Reward volunteer hours with fun incentives.
Gamification
Small moments of delight that keep volunteers engaged.
Designing a Friendlier Way to Volunteer
PawSquad began as a Daily UI experiment exploring AI as a creative partner. It grew into a complete volunteer app through UX strategy, visual design, AI-assisted ideation, and interactive prototyping in Figma Make.
Illustrations were designed alongside the user experience to reinforce the brand, guide interactions, and add personality throughout the app.
AI-assisted ideation
- Evolved Daily UI prompts into working features, including event sign-up, check-in, and rewards.
- Created a cohesive design system with approachable, cheerful branding.
- Used AI to explore user flows and refine UX patterns.
- Prototyped in Figma Make to explore motion and interactivity.
The result is PawSquad, a volunteer app that blends structure and heart, making volunteering easier, friendlier, and more rewarding.
PawSquad
Where UX meets heart and every paw print tells a story.
choppa.design
Where whimsy meets wireframes.
Follow Me
Email me
mciappa.art@gmail.com
©2026
Lights.
Camera.
Zoomies.
Here's the experience in motion.
What Stuck (Besides Cat Hair)
Building PawSquad reminded me how much I enjoy combining structure with creativity. Designing the experience from concept to prototype strengthened my confidence, encouraged curiosity, and reinforced the value of designing with empathy.
Good design isn't just functional, it's emotional.
Designed with paws, patience, and a lot of heart.
Guiding Principles
Five principles guided every design decision, from interaction patterns to the overall experience.
01
Strengthen mobile UX and accessibility
Design for clarity and ease so every action feels effortless.
02
Collaborate with AI as a creative partner
Use AI as a creative partner to explore ideas and iterate faster.
03
Build a cohesive design system
Build consistency and flexibility through reusable components.
04
Blend illustration with micro-animations
Bring warmth and personality into functional moments.
05
Prototype a joyful, usable experience
Balance structure and play to make interactions feel rewarding.
Illustration as UX
A visual language with purpose.
Illustration wasn't decoration. Every icon, mascot, badge, and graphic was designed to reinforce the brand, guide interactions, and create moments of delight.
What Makes It Pawesome
Designed to support the entire volunteer journey, from signing up for an event to celebrating milestones and redeeming rewards.
Event Sign up and Check-In
Quick, intuitive event registration and check-in.
Personalized Dashboard
Everything volunteers need in one place.
Progress Badges
Celebrate milestones and encourage continued participation.
Shop & Redeem
Reward volunteer hours with fun incentives.
Gamification
Small moments of delight that keep volunteers engaged.
Designing a Friendlier Way to Volunteer
PawSquad began as a Daily UI experiment exploring AI as a creative partner. It grew into a complete volunteer app through UX strategy, visual design, AI-assisted ideation, and interactive prototyping in Figma Make.
Illustrations were designed alongside the user experience to reinforce the brand, guide interactions, and add personality throughout the app.
AI-assisted ideation
- Evolved Daily UI prompts into working features, including event sign-up, check-in, and rewards.
- Created a cohesive design system with approachable, cheerful branding.
- Used AI to explore user flows and refine UX patterns.
- Prototyped in Figma Make to explore motion and interactivity.
The result is PawSquad, a volunteer app that blends structure and heart, making volunteering easier, friendlier, and more rewarding.
PawSquad
Where UX meets heart and every paw print tells a story.
Building the Visual Language
Every asset was intentionally designed to reinforce the brand, support usability, and create a cohesive experience.
Branding
- Logo
- App icon
- Mascot illustrations
- Brand graphics
Rewards & Celebration
- Achievement badges
- Reward icons
- Success illustrations
- Celebration moments
Icon Library
- Navigation
- Actions
- Events
- Avatars
Illustrations in Product
- Onboarding & welcome
- Empty states
- Success & error states
- Moments of delight
choppa.design
Where whimsy meets wireframes.
Contact
Hero illustration
A friendly welcome that sets the tone and creates an immediate connection.
Reusable UI
Shared UI elements create a consistent experience across every screen.
Badge system
Custom badges celebrate milestones and encourage continued participation.
Personalized Welcome
Personalized greetings paired with custom illustrations make returning volunteers feel recognized and welcomed.
Motivation Through Rewards
Progress reminders encourage continued participation without interrupting the experience
Navigation icons
Illustrated icons create a consistent, approachable experience.
Follow Me
Email me
mciappa.art@gmail.com
©2026
Lights.
Camera.
Zoomies.
Here's the experience in motion.
What Stuck (Besides Cat Hair)
Building PawSquad reminded me how much I enjoy combining structure with creativity. Designing the experience from concept to prototype strengthened my confidence, encouraged curiosity, and reinforced the value of designing with empathy.
Good design isn't just functional, it's emotional.
Designed with paws, patience, and a lot of heart.
Guiding Principles
Five principles guided every design decision, from interaction patterns to the overall experience.
01
Strengthen mobile UX and accessibility
Design for clarity and ease so every action feels effortless.
02
Collaborate with AI as a creative partner
Use AI as a creative partner to explore ideas and iterate faster.
03
Build a cohesive design system
Build consistency and flexibility through reusable components.
04
Blend illustration with micro-animations
Bring warmth and personality into functional moments.
05
Prototype a joyful, usable experience
Balance structure and play to make interactions feel rewarding.
Illustration as UX
A visual language with purpose.
Illustration wasn't decoration. Every icon, mascot, badge, and graphic was designed to reinforce the brand, guide interactions, and create moments of delight.
What Makes It Pawesome
Designed to support the entire volunteer journey, from signing up for an event to celebrating milestones and redeeming rewards.
Event Sign up and Check-In
Quick, intuitive event registration and check-in.
Personalized Dashboard
Everything volunteers need in one place.
Progress Badges
Celebrate milestones and encourage continued participation.
Shop & Redeem
Reward volunteer hours with fun incentives.
Gamification
Small moments of delight that keep volunteers engaged.
Designing a Friendlier Way to Volunteer
PawSquad began as a Daily UI experiment exploring AI as a creative partner. It grew into a complete volunteer app through UX strategy, visual design, AI-assisted ideation, and interactive prototyping in Figma Make.
Illustrations were designed alongside the user experience to reinforce the brand, guide interactions, and add personality throughout the app.
AI-assisted ideation
- Evolved Daily UI prompts into working features, including event sign-up, check-in, and rewards.
- Created a cohesive design system with approachable, cheerful branding.
- Used AI to explore user flows and refine UX patterns.
- Prototyped in Figma Make to explore motion and interactivity.
The result is PawSquad, a volunteer app that blends structure and heart, making volunteering easier, friendlier, and more rewarding.
PawSquad
Where UX meets heart and every paw print tells a story.
Welcome back, Purrlina!
Thanks for lending a paw today!
Earn 20 Paw Points!
Volunteer Event:
Halloween Kitty Parade
Sat, Oct 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
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Navigation icons
Illustrated icons create a consistent, approachable experience.
Motivation Through Rewards
Progress reminders encourage continued participation without disrupting the experience.
Personalized Welcome
Personalized greetings and illustrations help returning volunteers feel recognized and welcomed.
Hero illustration
A friendly welcome that sets the tone and creates an immediate connection.
Reusable UI
Shared UI elements create a consistent experience across every screen.
Badge system
Custom badges celebrate milestones and encourage continued participation.
Building the Visual Language
Every asset was intentionally designed to reinforce the brand, support usability, and create a cohesive experience.
Branding
- Logo
- App icon
- Mascot illustrations
- Brand graphics
Rewards & Celebration
- Achievement badges
- Reward icons
- Success illustrations
- Celebration moments
Icon Library
- Navigation
- Actions
- Events
- Avatars
Illustrations in Product
- Onboarding & welcome
- Empty states
- Success & error states
- Moments of delight