October 8, 2024
Carmela's Story. Carmela, a college student who shared her struggle in taking care of her plants in her home. She is too busy to take care of the plants.
Plant Care Essentials
For Carmela Caballero, caring for plants goes beyond just tending to them—it’s about creating the right environment. "The basics are soil, sunlight, water, and fertilizer," she explained. While her mom handles checking the soil and monitoring plant health, Carmela focuses on watering. "My mom taught me how important it is. Watering is a way to give life to the plants."
The Challenges of Manual Watering
Even with experience, Carmela admits there are challenges when it comes to watering by hand. "The hardest part is figuring out how much water each plant needs," she said. Some plants need more, others less, and with her busy schedule, she sometimes forgets to water them altogether.
She also highlighted the risks of both overwatering and underwatering. "Too much water can damage the roots, and too little makes the plants wilt," she pointed out. Unpredictable weather makes it even harder to stay on top of things.
The Potential of Automation
When I brought up the idea of an automated watering system, Carmela was immediately intrigued. "That would be amazing!" she said, imagining how it would make her life easier. "My mom would be thrilled! Her plants would stay healthy, and I wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting."
She envisioned a system that adjusts water levels based on each plant’s needs. "It would free up so much time and take away the stress of over- or underwatering."
The Importance of a Reliable System
A dependable automatic watering system would be a game-changer for Carmela. She gave the concept a perfect score, saying it would help keep her mom's plants healthy even on the busiest days. She even joked about how nice it would be if the system could handle fertilizing too!
INSIGHTS AND RESULT:
Inconsistent Watering Routine The interview confirmed that watering plants is often an irregular task for busy students. Despite the intention to water regularly, academic pressures lead to forgetfulness, with no set routine in place. This highlights the need for an automated system like AWAS to ensure plants are consistently watered without relying on memory.
Forgetfulness and Overcompensation Carmela often forgets to water her plants due to distractions from schoolwork and tries to compensate by overwatering when she remembers. This can harm the plants, reinforcing the idea that a system like AWAS, which provides measured and timely watering, could prevent both under and overwatering.
Lack of an Established Routine Without a fixed watering schedule, Carmela relies on visual cues, like dry soil, to decide when to water, leading to unpredictability in plant care. AWAS can offer consistency, providing regular watering schedules that optimize plant health and eliminate the need for guesswork.
Negative Effects of Poor Water Management Carmela's plants have suffered from both overwatering and underwatering due to inconsistent watering practices, resulting in plant health issues. AWAS could resolve this by maintaining proper water levels, ensuring that plants receive just the right amount of water and reducing the risk of damage from improper care.
