Appendix B User Needs
1) 3 in 1 Weather Station Measurer
- Price: $24.38
- Vendor: Amazon
- Description: The pieces are made of durable plastic materials that measure 140cm / 55.11inch. It comes with a wind vane to indicate wind speed, a garden rain gauge, garden thermometer, and a stake anchor.
Positive Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “I recently purchased this rain gauge and it’s been a fantastic addition to my garden tools. The thermometer is accurate, providing me with essential information for taking care of my plants.What impressed me most is the clear water level indicator which allows me to monitor rainfall with ease.Its durable construction has withstood various weather conditions without any sign of wear. Highly recommended for anyone interested in gardening or weather tracking!” | - Provides the customer with essential information to help take care of her garden. (explicit) - Anyone is able to use the weather station (latent) - Monitors the amount of rainfall with ease (explicit) |
| “This rain gauge is a game-changer for me. It’s very easy to set up and read. The added thermometer is a great touch, helping me keep track of temperature changes in my backyard. I appreciate how it’s designed - simple yet effective. It’s helped me in planning my watering schedule more efficiently. A great buy for anyone who loves to keep an eye on the weather!” | - Very easy to setup the device and easy it. (explicit) - Helps plan the watering schedule with ease. (latent) - Tracks temperature change consistently. (explicit) |
Negative Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|——————-|————————|
| “I had high hopes for this rain gauge, but it fell short of my expectations. The scale is hard to read from a distance, and I found the construction to be quite flimsy. After a couple of weeks, it started to lean and eventually broke. I wish it were more durable. Not the best purchase for someone looking for long-term reliability.” | - The device needs to be easy to read from a distance (latent)
- Device needs to be sturdy and not bend or break easily (latent)
- The material isn’t very durable (explicit) |
2) Ambient Weather WS-2902
- Price: $189.99
- Vendor: Ambient Weather
- Description: You are able to monitor indoor and outdoor conditions. This includes wind speed and direction, rainfall, dew point, heat index and more.
Positive Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “We purchased a 2nd one for our vacation home and uploaded the data for both to our ambientweather account. it’s really easy to flip back and forth between the locations and check up on things. I used the remote sensor to track over time humidity in the crawlspace and garage as we make insulation/venting changes to both locations. We added a heat pump in the vacation property. We are now able to track temp/humid between the back bedroom and where the fan unit is located. Oh yeah, it tracks outdoor weather data as well. Really like these units. They are great tools.” | - Tracking temperature differences between rooms (latent) - Monitor weather from multiple locations (explicit) - Outdoor weather data (explicit) |
| “This is replacing my 1400 unit which has been in service for 4 years. The new design is much nicer. I particularly like the LED display that sits on the desk which gives fantastic info at a glance. Screen quality is excellent. I also get a second remote temp sensor which can be placed in another location in my backyard to get an average of temps.” | - Easy to read display due to LEDs (explicit) - Overall screen quality is important (explicit) - Display is small enough to fit on a desk and could be moved easily (latent) |
| “The weather station transaction went very smoothly. After it arrived it was simple to assemble and installation on my backyard pole was a piece of cake. I’ve had it for a couple months now and it is working flawlessly with my indoor display. I’ve read some reviews saying the indoor display is hard to read from a side angle but I don’t seem to have that issue. I have since the original purchase bought 3 more temperature/humidity sensors and have those placed strategically around my house. They talk with the phone app perfectly, giving me the information I want at any time from anywhere. For me, this is a great buy and I highly recommend you also give it a try.” | - Easy assembly and installation (explicit) - Integration with a phone app and it works well (explicit) - The use of the phone app allows for weather monitoring from anywhere (explicit) |
Negative Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “In trying to set up my new machine it will not connect to the internet. The reason I ordered a new machine was because I could not get parts for my old one. I was told the parts I needed would be sent free of charge. I waited two weeks and no parts. I tried to contact Ambient again and there was no answer.” | - Unreliable internet connection (latent) - Parts were not delivered when needed (explicit) - The need for reliability and assurance that the brand will stand by its product and services (latent) |
| “Had a friend help set it up because he has the same one. It was a little tricky setting it up. So far it’s working great. had to wait for it to rain to see if that part worked. The bird deterrent kind of hocky you have to bend the wires (nails) and strap it on the unit. I hope it works. The remote monitoring is great. We were on a cruise and could check the weather back home.” | - Initial setup was not as straightforward (explicit) - Built in bird deterrent needs to be easier to assemble (latent) - Use of some unconventional parts as a form of bird deterrent (latent) |
| “This is my 3rd 2902 PWS. Hurricane Michael got my first one, and the wind sensor quit working in my second one in about 3 years. Live in a coastal area, and nothing seems to last here. At least this one you can replace just the sensors if they go bad. Stick with the Ambient Weather dashboard as WU does not match it. I would have given it 5 🌟, but I emailed a question to Ambient Weather over a week ago, and received an email back saying they received it and would be back in touch with me. Still have not heard back. Due to the Black Friday sale I am sure they are busy, so I will reserve judgment till I hear back.” | - Parts are not lasting as long as they should for a product of this quality and price (latent) - Customer service is not as communicative as it should be (latent) - Easy to replace sensors are a good thing (explicit) |
3) LINKSTYLE AFRA Soil Moisture Sensor, Wi-Fi Humidity and Temperature Plant Soil Testing Moisture Meter Kit with Wireless Hub for Remote Access & App Controls
- Price : $39.95
- Vendor: Linkstyle & Amazon
- Description: This system is able to communicate through wifi with the sensor which is a standalone unit that monitors soil moisture, luminosity, temperature, and humidity. This unit can communicate with the sprinkler system.
Positive Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “The humidity monitor was pretty spot on. I checked the reading before and after a light rain and it was accurate. I will be getting more of the soil sensors for different spots in my garden, since deep-rooted trees (citrus) should be water less often then shallow-rooted plants (tomatoes, guava) even when the soil moisture is the same. The luminosity monitor seems to work fine also. I use it to figure out how much sunlight certain spots are getting throughout the day in order to plant appropriate things there. Herbs don’t do well with the harsh afternoon sun, for example. The graph in the app does a good job of showing you this data” | - Users explicitly require accurate humidity measurements to inform their gardening decisions, particularly for understanding the moisture needs of different types of plants. (explicit) - Users require a device that aids in understanding and managing the varying water requirements of different types of plants in their garden. (explicit) |
| “I had an extremely hard time getting the hub connected to to my wifi. I went through the setup process multiple times, and finally had to go through the manually method. However, the device connected to the hub relatively easily. I had been having a bit of issues with getting my water schedule right, which lead to some stressed plants. Within a couple weeks of using this, I was able to review the moisture levels, dial in the schedule and watch my plants start thriving. You can export to a csv and review the historical data, which is also helpful.” | - Users need a system where devices can easily and reliably connect to a central hub, ensuring seamless integration and functionality. (explicit) - There’s an underlying desire for a system that not only informs but also aids in collecting gardening data, which can be exported or viewed. (latent) |
| “With the help of this product, monitoring my garden’s soil humidity levels has become an effortless task。This has brought confidence to my gardening routine – Now, I can optimally schedule watering - usually every four days.” | - Easy and accurate soil humidity level readings. (explicit) - Good results lead to more confidence in product. (latent) |
Negative Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “I had an extremely hard time getting the hub connected to to my wifi. I went through the setup process multiple times, and finally had to go through the manually method. However, the device connected to the hub relatively easily. I had been having a bit of issues with getting my water schedule right, which lead to some stressed plants.” (Negative comment of 4 star) | - Users need a straightforward, reliable process for connecting the hub to Wi-Fi. The difficulties you experienced during the setup, requiring multiple attempts and resorting to a manual method, highlight a significant area for improvement. (explicit) - Something in the product software made setting up a water schedule not as easy (latent) - Easy connection to the hub is needed (explicit) |
| “Opened the box, plugged in. Dead on arrival! I ordered a replacement. It took two orders to get one set that worked. And after a few months it has quit. I would not recommend.” | - Potential shipping damage led to dead product. (latent) - Poor customer service lead to them having to try multiple times to get a replacement. (explicit) - After successful replacement product still stopped working unexpectedly fast. (explicit) |
4) Ecowitt GW1106 Soil Moisture Meter Kit, Includes GW1100 Wi-Fi Gateway and WH51 Soil Moisture Sensor, 915 MHz
- Price: $53.99
- Vendor: Ecowitt & Amazon
- Description: The ECOWITT WH51 is a wireless soil moisture sensor that quickly transmits soil moisture data via Wi-Fi. It’s compatible with various Ecowitt devices and can connect with up to 8 sensors. The data is accessible through an app and can be uploaded to a server for monitoring and alerts. This waterproof sensor is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use but is designed solely for measuring soil moisture. Note that it requires a specific frequency based on the region and does not display humidity readouts independently.
Positive Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “I bought this sensor to specifically monitor my hanging potted plants. I tested unit one of my pots by placing it as instructed. After acclimating (about 10-20 minutes) the sensor reported that the soil moisture content was 33%. To check the accuracy of the sensor, I installed an old-school analog probe in the same pot. After acclimating (about 10-20 minutes) the analog probe reported that the soil moisture content was 35%. The sensor appears to be accurate within reason. The WH51 sensor removes the guesswork about when and how much to water.” | - The sensor provides precise monitoring for potted plants. (explicit) - The sensor’s results are trustworthy and eliminate watering guesswork. (explicit) - The sensor’s ease of use and accurate readings suggest it may encourage more independent plant care by the user. (latent) |
| “I use this for my houseplants because I am a busy person and my plants suffer because of that. This helps me to remember to give them a little drink so they tend to live longer. They are easy to install, and they hook up through wifi. I set my ranges for moisture and when the soil gets to that range I receive a notification that it is time to water. The only thing that is bothersome is that it has a light that flashes, this is a solid moisture sensor so of course it is registering and that is the flash you will see.every couple minutes. I just turn the reader around to keep the flasher from my peripheral vision. No other issues, I will be purchasing more for my outdoor garden to keep those plants watered too.” | - The sensor aids in plant care for busy individuals. (explicit) - Convenience and connectivity features are appreciated. (explicit) - A potential improvement is a less intrusive notification light. (latent) |
| I used this for plants that are very picky when it comes to watering. And they’re thriving. Set up reminders via notification. Super easy to use. | - Dispensing of water levels is highly accurate. (latent) - Built in watering reminders via phone app. (explicit) - Product is easy to use. (explicit) |
Negative Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “I bought 2 and the sensors kept changing on the monitor. No matter how many times I would program each sensor to the correct spot on the monitor it would switch to another. Turned off one monitor and all the sensors connected to it and my single monitor works fine. Great product but I would like to be able to use more then 8 sensors without them changing on there own to the wrong sensor ID.” | - There was a lack of integration for other sensors(explicit) - Wants a reliable working system. (latent) - This seems that it is not a user-friendly design. (latent) |
| “I use this for my houseplants because I am a busy person and my plants suffer because of that. This helps me to remember to give them a little drink so they tend to live longer. They are easy to install, and they hook up through wifi. I set my ranges for moisture and when the soil gets to that range I receive a notification that it is time to water. The only thing that is bothersome is that it has a light that flashes, this is a solid moisture sensor so of course it is registering and that is the flash you will see.every couple minutes. I just turn the reader around to keep the flasher from my peripheral vision. No other issues, I will be purchasing more for my outdoor garden to keep those plants watered too For the most part these worked great. Except for the occasional drop of one of the devices and having to add it again.” | - Annoying flashing light that can’t be disabled on device. (explicit) - Device Connectivity is spotty at times. (explicit) |
5) RAINPOINT Soil Moisture Meter, Smart 3-in-1 Soil Moisture/Temperature/Light Tester with Reliable Data, Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor with WiFi Hub for Garden, Lawn, Farm, Indoor & Outdoor, APP Control
- Price: $49.99
- Vendor: Rainpoint
- Description: This soil moisture meter integrates moisture, temperature, and sunlight testing in a single device, providing quick insights for optimal plant watering and sun exposure. It features a smart sensor for accurate data, which is displayed in a chart for easy 24-hour or 10-day trend analysis. The meter pairs with the Homgar APP for remote control and is compatible with certain Wi-Fi water timers, enabling a smart irrigation system that adjusts watering schedules based on soil conditions. Additionally, the app allows for easy monitoring and shared device management.
Positive Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “I have tested out many different soil sensor that are WiFi and or Bluetooth. This need RainPoint soil sensor is by far very superior to the older model. The accuracy is spot on when I tested it with an true manual soil gauge. It works great up to about 500 ft in my garden which the older one did not. I also found it will connect to my RainPoint weather station hub as well as the hub that comes with it. Note: Now some have posted reviews saying they cannot get it to connect. Make sure your phone is set on 2.4GHz and not 5 GHz or it will not allow you to see it. It realize on the 2.4GHz range to work with your WiFi. Another note is that some say the instructions were hard to follow but I did not have any issues with the instructions. It was very easy to setup and get working in about 15 mins. My one suggestion to RainPoint is to make a way to set a range of water percentage and if it falls below that range to sent an alert or turn on the water to bring it back to that range. I first tested in dry soil to see how it gauges the water levels and then turn on sprinkler to bring it to the right levels for vegetables. It work as it should showing the soil going up from 28% to the range 45% - 65%. The interface is easy to read but would love to see some more features like better charts (bar type or pie type). I love the temperature and sun light feature of this sensor too since I know how much sun is getting on the plants. A suggestion in this area would be a chart to show how much time the plants are getting full sun and partial sun using the Lux readings. This would be great feature add for the future. Temp is nice just know what each area is getting in terms of accurate temperatures. I like the Homgar app and the Rainpont app but I wish they were all in one single app and all they systems worked together. I am very impressed with this soil sensor and if you do automated gardening I highly recommend this sensor.” | - Accurate and reliable readings from sensors. (explicit) - Easy to use and control due to wifi capabilities. (explicit) - A desire for advanced alerts. (latent) |
| “I own several RainPoint products and as expected this one worked as advertised. The setup is easy and just took a few seconds to connect. The sensor measures soil moisture level, temperature, and Illuminance. The timer can set the irrigation plan according to the soil moisture avoiding over or under-watering. The app shows the current data point and data history. Also, the app provides a useful alert option. Solid design and upgraded from the previous version. The connection range is good. Overall, this product improves your gardening experience while helping to keep your plants healthy. Highly recommended.” | - Effective measurement and automated irrigation control. (explicit) - Reliable product performance and ease of use. (explicit) - User-friendly app with alerts to aid plant care. (explicit) |
| “I garden in a hot/dry climate. So, knowing the soil moisture levels and adjusting my irrigation is crucial. Before this high-tech version, I was using a moisture meter that you place in the soil and read the gauge while standing in the blazing sun. I like that this can be read and monitored via an app. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars for “easy to use” because I don’t like that you can’t add the device to the Rainpoint app. It only works with the HomGar app which prevents me from being able to change the watering schedule based on the soil moisture levels. Not a deal breaker but it’s worth a mention. Everything else about the unit is great! I had some trouble with my first sensor staying online and after troubleshooting Rainpoint replaced the unit without question. Great customer service!” | - Being able to monitor soil moisture from the comfort of your own own. (explicit) - Only works with one app on the phone can be limiting. (latent) - Good customer service is paramount. (explicit) |
Negative Comments
| Voice of Customer | Restated Customer Need |
|---|---|
| “Don’t buy. I bought this in August, two sensors & the hub. I just threw it out now in December. I like all the promised features. When it worked, it worked fine. However, never did both sensors stay online for a full week. Fussing with them, removing & re-initializing them, and losing the history data every time was just too tedious for too little benefit.” | - Sensors are not staying on for a full week, so there is a reliability issue. (explicit) - The trust in the product is lacking as the user ultimately is on the edge of not using the product again. (latent) - Re-initializing the sensors is tedious to the user. (explicit) |
| “This moisture meter does not read soil moisture correctly. I can over water my plants and the meter will only read 70 - 80 percent moisture. When plants are dry and wilting over it reads around 60 percent moisture. This product is not accurate at all! I have better readings with a cheap 7 dollar meter. The company tried reaching out and gave me another one to try and it did the same thing. What a waste of 55 dollars.” | - An error in the software or hardware might cause bad readings. (explicit) - Quality control is important, this customer got a replacement device with the same issues of bad readings. Possibly a bad batch of product made. (latent) |
| I have not been able to use the device, so don’t know if it works. It requires the worlds smallest Phillips head screwdriver to install the batteries. Big design mistake. | - Unconventional tools needed to set up is not ideal. (explicit) |
Use Cases
User Story #1: Maria
Maria is a 45-year-old school teacher who enjoys spending her weekends tending to her home garden. She loves growing a variety of flowers and vegetables but struggles with the changing weather conditions in her area. With the advanced garden weather station, Maria can now get real-time data on soil moisture and temperature, helping her decide when to water her plants and what kind of plants can thrive in the current conditions. The solar panel’s ability to adjust for optimal sunlight exposure ensures the device is always powered, giving her constant access to her garden’s environmental data on her smartphone. This helps Maria maintain a vibrant and healthy garden, making her weekend hobby more rewarding and less guesswork-driven.
User Story #2: Ethan
Ethan, a 30-year-old software engineer, is passionate about smart home technology. He recently added the advanced garden weather station to his array of gadgets. The weather station’s WiFi connectivity allows Ethan to integrate its data with his other smart home devices, enabling him to create a fully automated home environment. He uses the temperature and sunlight data to adjust his home’s heating and lighting, optimizing energy use. The moisture sensor data helps him control his automated irrigation system, ensuring his lawn and garden are well-maintained with minimal effort. Ethan appreciates how the device contributes to a smarter, more efficient home.
User Story #3: Olivia
Olivia is a 38-year-old landscape architect who designs gardens for residential and commercial clients. She uses the advanced garden weather station as a tool to provide tailored advice to her clients. By analyzing data from the weather station, Olivia can recommend the best plants for the local conditions and design irrigation systems that optimize water usage. The device’s detailed environmental reports help her in creating sustainable and low-maintenance garden designs. Additionally, she uses the data to monitor her projects’ health post-implementation, ensuring client satisfaction and the long-term success of her designs.
Open Questions
· Can we utilize stepper motors to provide successful movement of a solar panel? · Can we operate a movable system with only 3.3V? · Can we utilize an app for data feedback and controls? · Is there a coating or material that will stand up against time and the elements? · How might someone use this product successfully?
Milestones
Concept presentation: 1/26/2024
Design presentation: 2/26/2024
Design freeze: 04/5/2024
Planned release: 4/12/2025