User Needs and Benchmarking
Introduction
The purpose of this page is to identify user needs from benchmarking competitive devices and to integrate those needs into a weighted set of design goals. Our group is designing a Water Efficient Lawn Watering System project. Our aim to help homeowners, renters, and those who want to maintain healthy lawns and landscaping while being conscious of water usage, cost, and concern for the environmental.
Benchmarking Competitive Products
Product 1: Rachio Gen 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller (8-Zone)
Price: $199.00
Vendor: Amazon / Rachio Official
Description: DITCH THE DIAL – Upgrade to smart irrigation with the free Rachio app for precise, easy control.
AUTOMATIC WEATHER SKIPS – Patented Weather Intelligence skips watering for rain, wind, freeze & more.
SAVE WATER YEAR-ROUND – Adaptive schedules help your yard thrive in April showers & July heat.
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING – Create your own schedule or let Weather Intelligence adjust automatically; includes grow-in options.
CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE – Manage watering, run zones, view schedules & track estimated usage in the Rachio App.
FAST DIY INSTALL – Install in 30 min or less, compatible with 99% of existing sprinkler systems.
| Original Positive Review Quote | User Need Statement | Explicit/Latent |
|---|---|---|
| "Have been using this for several months, it was easy to install and run the wires. Phone has been very easy to use and with many options. Would recommend." | I need installation to be simple and wiring to be straightforward. | Explicit |
| "Makes managing the sprinklers and watering schedule so easy! What a great product!" | I need scheduling and management of sprinklers to be effortless. | Explicit |
| "I bought this to replace my ageing and... obsolete other brand... The Rachio on the other hand, YES, easy to install, easy to program, easy to update..." | I need installation, programming, and updates to be simple and frustration-free. | Explicit |
| "I bought this in 2018 and have used it ever since then. It was easy to install. Be sure and take detailed photos of your current controller... especially wiring." | I need long-term reliability and consistency from the product. | Explicit |
| "The Rachio 3 is very intuitive, once programmed from your phone... built-in weather intelligence function... skip watering right after it rains... adjust seasonally." | I need an intuitive interface to make programming easy. | Explicit |
| "I really love this controller and I just purchased another one for a step-son that just bought his first house and is unfamiliar with any type of lawn sprinkler system." | I need the product to be accessible for beginners with no prior sprinkler experience. | Explicit |
| "Excellent controllers. Versatile and great app. Add on applications and accessories are expensive and limited in use. Valve monitoring app only valid for 1 controller not per site." | I need the product to be versatile with a strong core app experience. | Explicit |
| "I purchased this controller after hearing a user praise it and wanting a panel I could remotely access. It was easy to install and configure and it is nice to have one that takes into consideration recent precipitation. I like the way it alternates between zones for better absorption and less runoff." | I need remote access to control the system from anywhere. | Explicit |
| Original Negative Review Quote | User Need Statement | Explicit/Latent |
|---|---|---|
| "After an 1\" of rain it I was notified that the cycle would be skipped but at 4 am another notification that it was going to run... Who is up at 4 am to override this..." | I need weather-based scheduling to be accurate and not contradict itself. | Explicit |
| "After several incidents like this, I called support which is overseas and the agents are difficult to understand..." | I need accessible, easy-to-understand customer support. | Explicit |
| "It still checks the weather but of the 10 lawn zones, only 8 ran one night. It didn't notify me, only told me it completed the schedule and how long it ran." | I need accurate execution and reporting of scheduled watering across all zones. | Explicit |
| "Power cycle the unit and the modem and router... Did Not Work" | I need troubleshooting steps that actually resolve connectivity issues. | Explicit |
| "Then I noticed our lawns all turning brown... watering them for five minutes every other day! In 95 degree weather no less." | I need watering schedules that adjust correctly for extreme heat to keep lawns healthy. | Explicit |
| "The intelligence isn't there, and Rachio is killing my lawn. Trying to figure out how to modify the schedule, by the way, is neither intuitive nor easy." | I need scheduling intelligence that protects my lawn, not harms it. | Explicit |
| "Early adopters... company has released technology with immature algorithms and unproven capabilities... 'community' is filled with concerns... support unanswered." | I need reliable, proven algorithms before release to ensure product quality. | Explicit |
| "Ok. This system was easy to install. I like that it’s app controlled, so my gardener can’t mess with it." | I need app-only control to prevent unauthorized changes. | Explicit |
| "However, a week ago it suddenly went offline for no reason... I went through all the troubleshooting options in the app, but nothing worked." | I need system reliability so it does not go offline without cause. | Explicit |
| "It worked fine for the first few months, but all of a sudden it started to show offline... I haven't been able to connect it wifi since." | I need stable WiFi connectivity that does not suddenly fail. | Explicit |
| "The Rachio 3 failed to connect to the phone App, via the home WIFI, after 5 attempts... reset the controller and try again." | I need a reliable, smooth connection between the controller, app, and WiFi. | Explicit |
| "Cloud only / App only operation. Not a huge deal for me now, but could be concerning if you plan on keeping it for many years." | I need local/manual control options in case cloud services are unavailable. | Explicit |
Product 2: Netro Smart Sprinkler Controller, Pearl White, Sprite-12, WiFi, 12 Zone, WaterSense Certified, Compatible with Alexa
Price: $119.99
Vendor: Home Depot / Amazon
Description: Fully Automatic - EPA WaterSense certified, dynamically creates and adjusts watering schedules optimized for your plants/lawns
Lifetime Cloud Service - Connects to WiFi(2.4G), monitors and controls your sprinkler system anywhere from iOS(8.3+), Android(5.0+) devices and Web browsers
Eco Friendly - Save up to 50% of your outdoor water use with advanced water saving technologies including weather forecasting and historical statistics
Water Restriction - Alerts and auto complies to the watering rules in your local area
Easy Installation - Installs or replaces in around 15 minutes with basic tools. No professionals required. Indoor use only
| Original Positive Review Quote | User Need Statement | Explicit/Latent |
|---|---|---|
| "The Netro was very easy to install. I downloaded the app to my phone, I took a picture of the wiring on my old controller... It took less than 20 minutes." | I need installation to be quick and straightforward. | Explicit |
| "Evidently, the default moisture level is 75%... However, you can add moisture monitors to the system if you so choose." | I need the option to add external moisture sensors for more precise watering. | Explicit |
| "This smart sprinkler system is wonderful... customer service... My town has water restrictions... which was not an option... I emailed customer service..." | I need flexible programming to handle unique local watering restrictions. | Explicit |
| "You can buy sensors and put them next to plants for unique watering schedules, and more." | I need the system to support unique watering schedules for individual plants. | Explicit |
| "It is significantly cheaper than all other units that don't do as much as this." | I need the product to be cost-effective compared to alternatives. | Explicit |
| "The technical support is AWESOME... I sent an email at 9:15PM and got a response WITHIN MINUTES and we used FaceTime to sort out the issue." | I need reassurance from quick technical support responses, even outside business hours. | Latent |
| "I took a picture of my old wiring and used it to connect to the Netro Smart. I then pulled the old one off the wall and put the new one back in the same place." | I need to easily transfer wiring information from my old controller. | Explicit |
| "This controller was very easy to install, and the application for the iPhone is very straightforward and simple." | I need the mobile app to make setup simple and intuitive. | Explicit |
| "The WiFi connectivity and Alexa compatibility make it super convenient to manage, and the WaterSense certification gives me peace of mind about saving water." | I need WiFi and smart home integration (e.g., Alexa) for convenience. | Explicit |
| "I have no any objection on the hardware. It is compact and light, at least half of the weight than my Orbit Control Star 9 zone controller (#57258)." | I need the hardware to be compact and lightweight for easier installation. | Explicit |
| Original Negative Review Quote | User Need Statement | Explicit/Latent |
|---|---|---|
| "Once you do that, it will connect successfully to WiFi and water your lawn as scheduled for about another week. Then, it will disconnect again." | I need the WiFi connection to be stable and reliable over time. | Explicit |
| "It started off fine. But now they update the software and I can even get it to water manually on a zone or program." | I need software updates to improve, not break, functionality. | Explicit |
| "I accidentally left the Smart feature on because the user interface does not save until you go through some screens... does not warn when you haven't saved." | I need the user interface to provide clear feedback when settings are saved. | Explicit |
| "The user interface is terrible and when you program start times sometimes they work sometimes they don’t..." | I need a user interface that is intuitive and reliable when scheduling. | Explicit |
| "Schedules more than 3 waterings and totally unnecessary! This makes the watering schedule very long for us and wasted lots of water." | I need control over the number of watering cycles to avoid wasting water. | Explicit |
| "Netro device hardware is very cheap quality. Front face of this device will not close and is only hold by 2 small plastic mole." | I need the hardware to be durable and feel like high quality. | Explicit |
| "This device seems to only work with maybe a few brands and that's it. I tried 4 different routers all of which with 2.4 GHz support..." | I need compatibility with a wide range of routers and WiFi systems. | Explicit |
| "The company apparently has only 1 non redundant server and when it's down... absolutely nothing will work. Tech support is terrible..." | I need system reliability that does not depend on a single point of failure (server). | Explicit |
| "Watered one zone for 7 hours because it lost internet connection... now have a $700 water bill." | I need safeguards to prevent overwatering if the internet connection fails. | Explicit |
| "I tried updating the app and it did not help at all. I ended up have to click on every date to manually turn off each zone..." | I need app updates that actually fix problems and improve usability. | Explicit |
Product 3: Rain Bird ARC8 Smart Irrigation WiFi Timer/Controller
Price: $107.73
Vendor: Amazon / Lowe’s
Description: App-based irrigation controller with weather data integration and 8-zone control.
| Rain Bird Positiv Review Quote | Restated User Need | Explicit / Latent |
|---|---|---|
| “Quick and simple installation process.” | Device should be easy and fast to install | Explicit |
| “Intuitive, feature-rich app for easy programming and scheduling.” | App should be user-friendly while offering advanced features | Explicit |
| “Reliable performance with strong wireless connectivity.” | Device should maintain stable performance and connectivity | Explicit |
| “Excellent value compared to competitors, affordable for features offered.” | Device should provide good value with competitive pricing | Explicit |
| “Water-saving features like Delay Watering improve efficiency.” | Device should help conserve water through smart features | Explicit |
| “Modern, minimalist design with durable build quality.” | Device should have an appealing, durable physical design | Latent |
| “Convenient phone-based remote control, accessible from anywhere.” | Device should allow remote control through a mobile app | Explicit |
| “Works well as a replacement for older irrigation controllers.” | Device should be compatible as an upgrade for older systems | Explicit |
| “Flexible zone programming supports up to 8 zones and multiple schedules.” | Device should allow flexible programming for multiple watering zones | Explicit |
| “Trusted Rain Bird brand with strong customer support.” | Brand reputation and reliable customer support add confidence | Latent |
| Rain Bird Negative Review Quote | Restated User Need | Explicit / Latent |
|---|---|---|
| “Frequent Wi-Fi disconnections make the controller unreliable.” | Device should maintain consistent Wi-Fi connectivity for reliable operation | Explicit |
| “Firmware updates often fail, forcing factory resets and reprogramming.” | Device should update firmware smoothly without requiring resets | Explicit |
| “New app version is confusing and loses saved settings.” | App should retain user settings and remain easy to use after updates | Explicit |
| “Controller only works on 2.4GHz, causing hassles with dual/multi-band routers.” | Device should support modern Wi-Fi standards for easier connectivity | Explicit |
| “App is slow, glitchy, and sometimes can’t communicate with the unit.” | App should run smoothly and reliably connect to the device | Explicit |
| “Tech support is unhelpful and provides poor troubleshooting.” | Customer support should provide effective and helpful troubleshooting | Explicit |
| “Loses connection or freezes after power outages, requires manual resets.” | Device should recover automatically after power outages without manual intervention | Latent |
| “Limited to only three programs, not flexible for complex watering needs.” | Device should support more flexible programming for advanced schedules | Explicit |
| “Missing internal pump relay, requiring extra hardware.” | Device should include built-in pump relay for easier setup | Explicit |
| “Alexa and smart home integration often fail or don’t work as advertised.” | Device should reliably integrate with Alexa and smart home systems | Explicit |
Product 4: Hunter Hydrawise HPC400 Smart WiFi Irrigation Controller
Price: $204.06
Vendor: Hunter Official / Irrigation Suppliers
Description: Professional-grade smart irrigation controller with multiple zone support and advanced weather integration.
| Hunter Hydrawise Positive Review Quote | Restated User Need | Explicit / Latent |
|---|---|---|
| “Likes that it knows weather and adjusts watering” | Device uses weather data to optimize watering schedules | Explicit |
| “Works great” | Device performs reliably and as expected | Explicit |
| “Easy to install / DIY installation was a snap” | Device is simple to install without professional help | Explicit |
| “Able to control sprinklers from phone” | Device offers convenient app-based remote control | Explicit |
| “So convenient” | Device makes managing watering more convenient overall | Latent |
| “Love it, user-friendly” | Device is easy to use and understand | Explicit |
| “Hydrawise app offers flexible scheduling” | Device provides customizable scheduling through its app | Explicit |
| “Better than Rain Bird controller” | Device outperforms competing sprinkler controllers | Explicit |
| “Excellent app interface” | Device offers a well-designed, intuitive app experience | Explicit |
| “Easy to set up / Easy to program” | Device setup and programming process is straightforward | Explicit |
| Hunter Hydrawise Negative Review Quote | Restated User Need | Explicit / Latent |
|---|---|---|
| “Defective touch screen, seller charged unfair restocking fee.” | Device quality and seller return policy should be reliable and fair | Explicit |
| “Controller won’t stay online, support unresponsive.” | Device should maintain stable connectivity and provide responsive customer support | Explicit |
| “Weather forecast not always used.” | Device should consistently use weather data for watering decisions | Latent |
| “Only 1 module included (4 zones).” | Device should include sufficient modules for standard zone coverage | Explicit |
| “Wiring slack issue for expansion.” | Device design should allow flexible and convenient wiring for expansion | Latent |
| “App buggy, crashes during scheduling.” | App should be stable and reliable during scheduling | Explicit |
| “Setup instructions unclear.” | Device should come with clear and understandable setup documentation | Explicit |
| “Device resets, loses schedules.” | Device should not reset unexpectedly or lose programmed schedules | Explicit |
| “Support very slow, generic answers.” | Customer support should be timely and provide useful, specific solutions | Explicit |
| “Box not sealed, water leaks inside.” | Device should have proper packaging and water resistance | Explicit |
| “Interface feels outdated, not intuitive enough.” | Device interface should be modern, clear, and easy to use | Latent |
Product 5: Scotts GRO 7-Zone (2nd Gen) Smart Watering System
Scotts GRO 7-Zone (2nd Gen) Smart Watering System
Price: $34.39
Vendor: Walmart
Description: Portable smart watering system with Bluetooth-only app control and suitable for small to medium lawns.
| Scotts GRO Positive Review Quote | Restated User Need | Explicit / Latent |
|---|---|---|
| “Been wanting one of these for a while, just wasn't going to spend $300 to get one.” | Device is affordable compared to premium competitors | Explicit |
| “It reads the weather and applies the amount of water it thinks is necessary. Very happy with it.” | Device uses weather data to optimize watering schedules | Explicit |
| “Nice feature is a photo can be taken for each station - nice touch guys!” | Device allows zone customization with clear labeling | Explicit |
| “Auto water and turns itself off below a certain temperature.” | Device has smart features for seasonal or temperature-based adjustments | Explicit |
| “Love I can control it on my phone.” | Device offers convenient app-based remote control | Explicit |
| “Big advance in convenience over my old controller. Fairly easy to install.” | Device provides simple installation and setup | Explicit |
| “Much easier to control and understand your watering system – and also save water.” | Device is user-friendly while conserving water | Explicit |
| “Compact design makes it fit easily in my garage.” | Device is physically compact and space-efficient | Explicit |
| “It will not go off when we have rain in our area.” | Device avoids unnecessary watering during rain | Explicit |
| “There is a ton of customization for each zone and so much information about watering days, time and weather.” | Device provides detailed customization and flexibility | Explicit |
| Scotts GRO Negative Review Quote | Restated User Need | Explicit / Latent |
|---|---|---|
| “This controller just refused to connect to my WiFi. The manufacturer said it was a known problem.” | Device reliably connects to WiFi and maintains signal | Explicit |
| “Obsolete device that claims it works on 2.5 GHz WiFi standard – but NEVER does.” | Device supports modern, reliable wireless standards | Explicit |
| “Does not work. Does not connect to WiFi. Does not connect to phone.” | Device consistently pairs with mobile devices | Explicit |
| “App is useless and crashes constantly.” | Device has a stable and functional mobile app | Explicit |
| “Plastic feels cheap and flimsy.” | Device is built from durable, outdoor-ready materials | Explicit |
| “Bluetooth connection drops if I walk more than 10 feet away.” | Device maintains Bluetooth connection at practical distances | Explicit |
| “No integration with Alexa or Google Home.” | Device connects to smart home ecosystems | Explicit |
| “Setup instructions are confusing.” | Device includes clear, easy-to-follow documentation | Explicit |
| “Limited to 7 zones – not great for bigger yards.” | Device scales to larger properties | Explicit |
| “Battery drains too fast if WiFi is used.” | Device has long-lasting and efficient power management | Explicit |
Categories with Important - Must Needs
-
Efficiency
-The device needs to reduce household water use.
-The device needs to avoid watering during rain/saturation.
-Main Need: The device needs to water lawns efficiently and conserves water/power resources. -
Convenience & Usability
-The device should be easy to install.
-The device should requires minimal parts/components.
-The device has an intuitive app/user interface. -The Device has audio notification to notify when state is changed. -Main Need: The device should be simple and accessible for all users. -
Durability & Reliability
-The device needs to work well in outdoor conditions.
-The device needs to have backup power options.
-The device needs to resists WiFi or server interruptions.
-Main Need: The device needs to be reliable in all environments. -
Cost & Sustainability
-The device needs to be affordable.
-The device needs to reduces water bills.
-The device uses renewable energy (solar).
-Main Need: The device needs to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. -
Smart Features
-The device integrates its system with smart homes (Alexa or Google).
-The device can track and report water usage.
-The device can adapt/adjust to soil moisture levels.
-Main Need: The device needs to be intelligent and adaptable.
Prioritization of Needs (Weighted)
High Priority (Weight = 5)
Reduces water use and household bills.
It is simple installation and setup.
Has reliable automatic watering.
It is durable outdoor design.
Has an intuitive app-based remote control.
Medium Priority (Weight = 3)
Includes smart home integration.
device has a affordable cost (under $200).
user flexible zone control.
Low Priority (Weight = 1)
shows a attractable sesthetic design.
offers expandable accessories.