CONTEXT
Making care more connected.
Reimagining everyday care for pets and plants through playful, tech-driven interactions.
Caring for pets and plants can be rewarding, but also overwhelming. People often miss subtle signs of stress or illness, especially with busy schedules and limited knowledge.
Insights and opportunities
I interviewed 3 pet-owning friends to better understand the emotional and practical challenges of daily care. While informal, these conversations revealed recurring themes in how people relate to and care for their pets.
I interviewed 3 pet-owning friends to better understand the emotional and practical challenges of daily care. While informal, these conversations revealed recurring themes in how people relate to and care for their pets.
Why AR?
I started by brainstorming a range of opportunity areas from simple care reminders to wellness tracking, and AR scanning. After narrowing down my scope, I focused on designing something that felt more engaging than a typical mobile app.
Sketching the main flows
I first quickly sketched out what that experience might look like and the core concepts.
IDEATION
Brainstorming and exploring possibilities
Defining the problem
Many people struggle to recognize early signs of stress in their pets or plants. Without clear feedback or guidance, care can feel reactive rather than proactive.
“I usually don’t notice something’s wrong until it’s too obvious.”
Pet Owner
HMW STATEMENT
How might we help pet owners monitor their pets’ health in real time, so that they can catch potential issues early and reduce unnecessary stress for both themselves and their pets?
Combining AR and gamification
After narrowing down key ideas, I chose to combine AR scanning with a gamified system. AR helps track real-time well-being, while gamification adds motivation and emotional connection, making the experience both useful and enjoyable.
Goal priority circle
Medium comparisons
Moodboard inspiration
Our moodboard set the tone for a cozy, playful experience. The visual direction combines soft pastel colors with friendly, character-based elements to encourage routine wellness check-ins without pressure.
Moodboard
03
AR Scanning
02
Dashboard
01
Onboarding
Previews
Here is a preview of what’s to come!
JUMP TO FINAL
PETOPIA
A gamified AR design concept that enables pet owners to monitor their pets’ and plants’ wellbeing through real-time, AI-driven scanning and personalized insights.
Overview
Personal
Project
Team
Spring 2024
4 weeks
Duration
Procreate
Illustrator
Figma
Tools
RESEARCH
Design objective
How can we use AR and gamification to support the daily wellbeing of pets and plants, and help users feel more connected to their care routines?
Why do you care for your pets or plants?
To guide our design direction, I began with contextual research exploring how users approach care, build emotional connections, and manage wellness routines for their animals and greenery.
Top five words participants used to describe caring for pets/plants:
“Love, Calm, Routine, Growth, Responsibility.”
Survey
Q: What keeps you motivated to care for your pets or plants consistently?
“They bring life to my space and I feel grounded when I take care of them.”
“If something’s off, I want to catch it early. It’s about being attentive.”
Interview
“What’s a moment that made you feel especially connected to your pet or plant?”
Common themes included:
– Trust-building: “He started waiting by the door after I got home once.”
– Small victories: “I saved my plant after almost giving up, now it’s thriving.”
– Silent signals: “She didn’t need to bark — I just knew something was off.”
Touchpoints
Care is deeply emotional
All participants described their pets as family members. Care routines were not just tasks, but ways to show love, build trust, and feel grounded in their daily lives.
Subtle issues are easy to overlook
Each person shared moments when they missed early signs that something was wrong. This often led to feelings of guilt or anxiety.
They want more intuitive support
Participants expressed a desire for accessible tools to help them check in with their pets' wellbeing.
FINAL DESIGN
Caring for your pet, made simple and playful
No more second-guessing how your pet feels, stay informed and engaged through an interactive experience.
Track your pet’s wellness, explore helpful tips, and build a bond through an AR-powered journey designed to bring pet care to life.
Key takeaways
Petopia was a rewarding balance of play and problem-solving. The most exciting part was crafting a playful, customizable experience, while the toughest was refining a broad idea into something focused and doable.
BACK TO TOP
PROTOTYPE
From vision to experience
Designing with play and purpose
With core features and flows in place, we began shaping the visual identity and playful interactions that would define the experience.
01
Onboarding
02
Dashboard
03
AR Scanning & Insights
Creation of the logo and characters
One of the most enjoyable parts of this project was drawing the illustrated characters and UI elements. I wanted the app to feel warm and playful, and designing these custom visuals helped build that personality into the experience.
Key user flows
View the full video demo
