Adoptio started as a practice project for the Google UX Design Certificate course. However, during my research, I realized the lack of adoption apps in developing countries. Inspired by this gap and my passion for design and social impact, I decided to turn Adoptio into a real project that I plan to bring to life in 2025. The UX design is now complete, featuring a user-centered approach that simplifies and enhances the pet adoption journey. With the potential to significantly increase adoption rates and improve animal welfare, the next step is to develop the app using React, ensuring a seamless and responsive experience for users. Adoptio is poised to become a transformative tool for connecting pets with their forever homes.

Case Study

Project Overview

The Problem

Many pet lovers in developing countries struggle to find reliable, accessible platforms to adopt pets, leaving countless animals in shelters or on the streets without homes.

The Goal

Design and develop an intuitive mobile application that simplifies the pet adoption process, making it accessible, engaging, and secure for users, while increasing adoption rates and improving animal welfare.

My Role

User Experience (UX) Designer and Developer.

Responsibilities

• Conduct user research

• Identify pain points

• Ideate solutions

• Create wireframes

• Conduct usability studies

• Develop prototypes

• Implement in React

User Research

Summary

User research revealed both the scale of the stray pet issue and the needs of potential adopters. Quantitative data highlighted the problem: Colombia has an estimated 900,000 stray dogs and cats, while Guatemala and Albania also face significant challenges with overpopulation of stray animals in urban areas. Surveys showed that 85% of respondents felt the lack of accessible adoption platforms was a barrier, and 70% indicated they would adopt more readily if the process were simpler and more transparent.

Qualitative insights from interviews provided deeper understanding. Participants expressed frustrations with delays in communication with adoption centers, insufficient information about pets (such as health and behavior), and a lack of real-time updates on availability. Many emphasized the importance of tools that encourage responsible pet ownership. These findings directly shaped Adoptio’s user-centered design, ensuring the app meets the needs of adopters while addressing the stray pet crisis in these regions.

Conclusion

Adoptio represents more than just a design project—it’s a tool that has the potential to transform lives by connecting pets with loving families, addressing a critical need in developing countries. You can see the complete case study here.

This experience taught me the value of combining user-centered design with social impact, and how thoughtful research and usability can drive meaningful change. If you'd like to discuss this project or future opportunities, feel free to contact me at hello@uxrodrigo.com.

Thank you very much!