Product Requirements
Project Objective
Our team is developing a water efficient lawn watering system designed to help homeowners, renters, and general individual use to maintain healthy lawns/gardens while conserving water. The system will prioritize affordability, reliability, and ease of use and integrating smart technology to reduce waste and maximize good irrigation. We will have a criteria with goals including reducing household water usage by at least 30%, achieving installation time under 30 minutes and maintaining WiFi uptime reliability of 95% or greater.
Stakeholders
Primary Users: Homeowners, renters, general individual use seeking convenient and cost-effective irrigation control.
Secondary Users: Landscapers or property managers responsible for multiple zones or properties.
Customer Support: Requires easy troubleshooting features and clear accessible documentation.
Manufacturing & Assembly: Requires durable weather-resistant components that can be efficiently produced and packaged.
Regulatory Agencies: Require compliance with EPA WaterSense standards and regional water restrictions.
Use Cases
User Story #1: Emily (Homeowner)
Emily is a 29-year-old homeowner and she wants to keep her lawn green during the Arizona summer without raising her water bill to a large degree. She uses the app to set watering zones and relies on the automatic weather-skip feature to avoid waste when it rains.
User Story #2: Miguel (Landscaper)
Miguel manages irrigation for several properties. He needs a reliable controller that allows remote adjustments with flexible scheduling for multiple zones and accurate reporting so he can prevent overwatering across his clients’ lawns.
Design Aspects
Hardware / Product Design
Compact and weatherproof enclosure with IPX4 or higher resistance.
Backup power support like solar panel option or back up batteries.
expandable beyond 8 zones for larger properties.
Software / Functionality
Easy going mobile app with cloud-based control.
Scheduling with weather integration and soil-moisture responsiveness.
Firmware updates must enhance functionality without breaking features.
Interactivity & User Experience
Simple onboarding like guided setup and QR-based quick start.
App notifications for rain delays, system faults, and water usage reports.
easy design for beginners, including easy-to-read graphs and one-touch start/stop.
Real Time Audio feedback when hardware state change.
Customization
Zone specific scheduling for appications like lawn, flower bed, and gardens.
Optional accessories such as soil moisture sensors and solar charging.
Adjustable water-saving modes like eco, standard, and intensive watering.
Manufacturing
Injection molded weather resistant plastics.
Recyclable packaging and minimal plastic waste.
Outsourced casing design with in-house assembly/testing.
Safety
UL/IEC compliance for electronics.
Overcurrent and short-circuit protection.
Sealed housing to prevent water ingress and electrical hazards.
Requirement Criteria Specifications
| Requirement | Specification | Verification Method |
|---|---|---|
| Efficient Watering | Reduce household water use by ≥30% | Field Test (compare before/after bills) |
| Simple Installation | Setup in ≤30 minutes with no professional help | Demonstration |
| Durable Design | Withstand outdoor conditions (−10°C to 50°C) | Environmental Testing |
| Reliable Connectivity | Maintain 95% WiFi uptime | Long-term Test |
| Mobile App UX | Users can complete scheduling in ≤5 clicks | Usability Test |
| Zone Support | Minimum 8 zones, expandable | Inspection & Test |
| Safety Compliance | IPX4+ waterproofing, UL certified | Inspection |
| Smart Features | Auto-skip rain events ≥90% accurate | Analysis & Test |
| Cost Target | MSRP under $200 | Market Comparison |
| Sustainability | At least 50% recyclable packaging | Inspection |
Prioritization of Needs
High Priority (5): Reduce water use, reliable auto-watering, durable design, simple install, intuitive app.
Medium Priority (3): Smart home integration, affordability (less then $200), flexible zone control.
Low Priority (1): Aesthetic design, expandable accessories.
Open Questions
Should solar charging be integrated into the base unit or offered as an add-on?
How can we ensure affordability while meeting advanced functionality benchmarks?
Should modular expansion such as extra zones and sensors be built into the first release or added later?