Observed. Understood. Supported.
Conversations of Care
AASRA (Assurance and Adoptive Support for Reliable Adopters) is an immersive adoption preparation system designed to provide prospective adoptive parents with a realistic understanding of the challenges they may face post-adoption. By simulating various real-life scenarios and offering in-depth insights, AASRA helps create a more informed, empathetic, and resilient approach to adoption. The system aims to bridge the gap between idealized perceptions and the practical realities of raising an adopted child, supporting both parents and adoption centers in ensuring better outcomes for all parties involved.
Roles
UX Research
UX Design
Teams
Isha Deosthali
Chahat Premprakashi
Interaction Design
Duration
5 weeks
Project Roadmap
01. Discover
Desk Study
Contextual Inquiry
Interviews & Surveys
Competitive Analysis
02. Define
Persona
Problem Statement
03. Design
Ideations
Final Concept
Moodboard, Logo
Information Architecture
04. Develop
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Style Guide
High Fidelity Wireframes
05. Deliver
User Testing
Future Scope
Discover
How prepared are prospective parents for the emotional and practical realities of adoption?
As adoption in India becomes more open and accepted, more families are beginning this journey; yet many still navigate it with limited guidance. This phase focused on understanding their experiences, challenges, expectations, and unmet needs. We explored the cultural, emotional, and procedural landscape of adoption in India to identify key barriers in awareness, readiness, and support.
We spoke to
17
Adoptive and prospective parents
Interviews
Many parents entered the process with limited guidance, resulting in uncertain decisions and preference-based choices; highlighting the need for emotional support and informed preparation.
05
Adoption
agencies
Contextual Inquiry
Through observation and environment-based inquiry, we mapped the adoption ecosystem from the perspective of prospective parents; including roles, systems, emotions, and decision points.
04
Adoption
counsellors
Competitive Analysis
We analysed existing tools and platforms and found that most offer information, but few enable true readiness, reflection, or behavioural change.
Define
How do we help parents shift from wanting a child to being ready for one?
The research showed a clear gap between intention and preparedness. Parents needed more than information; they needed support to reflect, build confidence, and understand the emotional transitions that come with adoption.
Who is our key audience?
First-Time Adoptive Parents
Prospective Adoptive Parents (Age 28–40)
(Individuals preparing to adopt and seeking clarity, emotional readiness, and guidance throughout the process.)
Parents who have completed the adoption process and are navigating early bonding, care, and adjustment with their child.
Adoption Support Stakeholders
Counsellors, agencies, and professionals who guide parents, offer resources, and address emotional and procedural needs.
Key Insights
Lack of Preparation
Parents received little to no structured guidance, leading to uncertainty and emotional unpreparedness during the adoption process.
Rising Adjustment Challenges
Increasing cases of post-adoption disruption highlighted the need for better awareness, expectation-setting, and emotional readiness.
Limited Support Network
Parents struggled to access counselling or connect with experienced adoptive families, resulting in isolation and unanswered questions.
Problem Statement
To design an adoption preparation system that reduces the number of adoption disruptions and enhances the efficiency of adoption preparation for parents.
Design
How do we design for belonging, readiness, and trust?
We explored concepts through ideation, experience mapping, and visual development, aiming to create a solution that feels supportive, intuitive, and grounded in real needs. This phase refined how the system would educate, guide, and engage users meaningfully.
We explored solutions ranging from a connected resource platform and a tool for social workers to more interactive ideas like a readiness game and immersive VR scenarios. These helped us assess which format best supports preparedness, reflection, and engagement for adoptive parents.
Develop
‘AASRA - Assurance and Adoptive Support for Reliable Adopters’, an immersive adoption preparation system
that attempts to provide parents with a more realistic experience of challenges post-adoption.
ONBOARDING SCREENS
Onboarding screens help in welcoming the users to the Aasra app and explaining the basic features of the application so that users are familiar and can
easily discover and navigate the features.
LOGIN
Aasra, the app would only be
accessible to registered parents
GAME
The game on the mobile app
would include a simple interface
indicating the situation with
questions and lifelines
HOME
The home page consists of quick
resources like links and videos to
keep you update
CONNECT
The app helps you connect with
all entities in the domain of
adoption from the agencies to the support groups
PREPARATION
Preparation page allows parents to see your score on the leader-board and continue playing the game to enhance your score
REMINDERS
Forgetting about important deadlines has been a recurring issue in the process. The app provides you with a proper calendar with set reminder
Deliver
What changes are needed to make the solution practical and usable from day one?
User testing revealed strong interest in the solution, especially the immersive and interactive elements. Parents appreciated features like reminders, support group access, and preparation tools, noting these would have eased past challenges. While the VR experience was well-received conceptually, some users expressed hesitation due to unfamiliarity with the technology. Based on this feedback, the final direction prioritizes launching the mobile app first, with VR integrated later as familiarity grows.
Future Scope
Purpose of the VR Experience
The VR simulation allows parents to engage with realistic adoption scenarios during the Home Study, helping assess and strengthen emotional and practical readiness.
Learning Through Immersion
By answering scenario-based questions in context, parents gain confidence, autonomy, and deeper understanding—making the experience more impactful and memorable.
Feasibility & Next Steps
While access to advanced VR equipment may be limited, the solution can begin with Cardboard VR. The next step is broader testing to validate effectiveness and scalability.
Synthesis & Reflection
AASRA is aimed at designing support for parents not just in adopting a child, but in feeling truly ready for the journey ahead; emotionally, mentally, and practically.
We believe AASRA can help parents better understand the realities that may follow adoption while offering a more independent preparation path—ensuring every parent receives essential support without placing additional strain on agencies.
Research Sensitivity Matters
Working within a sensitive domain required trust-building and patience. Engaging with parents, agencies, and counsellors helped us gather meaningful insights through careful, empathetic inquiry.
Technological Integration
While emerging tools like VR hold promise, adoption readiness varies. Designing flexible pathways, from simple mobile access to immersive experiences, proved essential.
Gratitude and Collaboration
Collaboration with real stakeholders shaped the concept meaningfully. Their feedback ensured the solution remained grounded in lived experience, not assumptions.