Type: Self-initiated UX audit · Role: Senior UX designer (solo) · Duration: ~4 hours · Tools: Figma, Notion
Dierenbescherming is the largest animal welfare organization in the Netherlands. Their website is the primary channel connecting animals with potential adopters.
The adoption landing page presents itself as a browsing experience: scroll, find an animal, proceed. But the process requires account registration and screening before any adoption can move forward. Visitors only discover this after they've already chosen an animal they want.
This audit identifies structural friction points within the conversion funnel, demonstrating that the optimal solution is not removing regulatory barriers, but managing user expectations from the first click.
Registration isn't the problem. Its invisibility is.
Adopting a pet is a long-term commitment. Some people decide emotionally and later regret it - which is harmful to the animal. Dierenbescherming's screening process exists to prevent this. That's the right policy.
The UX failure is that the page hides this. When a motivated visitor finally hits the registration wall, the surprise erodes trust rather than building it. Framed early and honestly - "we ask you to register because we care about the right fit" - registration becomes a trust signal, not a bureaucratic obstacle.
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The hero delays orientation "Ben jij mijn nieuwe baasje?" is emotionally effective but can be improved. The hero image dominates above the fold; category navigation and any next action require scrolling.
Fix: Compress the hero to ~55% viewport height. Consider A/B testing the headline, Introduce clear CTA.
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Hero section: annotated
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Two near-identical carousels confuse the hierarchy "Dieren in het zonnetje" and "De buitenbeentjes" share the same card layout with no clear explanation of the difference. Visitors have no mental model for which to prioritize.
Fix: Consolidate with a filter toggle (urgent / featured / all). If both sections stay, add one explanatory sentence under each heading.
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Animal cards are missing the two questions adopters ask first Location and availability status aren't shown - only name, photo, gender, and date.
Fix: Add shelter city and a status pill ("beschikbaar", "in behandeling") to each card. Low effort, high decision-support value.
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Carousels: annotated