The indicator is the visible part of Water Watcher, which gives in-moment feedback. Gentle, ambient LEDs illuminate in a sequence to indicate how much water is actually being used. Once the water stops running, the indicator briefly shows where the house is in its daily usage. The indicator is designed to be attractive and visible, while not intrusive.

The indicator is the visible part of Water Watcher, which gives in-moment feedback. Gentle, ambient LEDs illuminate in a sequence to indicate how much water is actually being used. For instance at the kitchen sink where session length varies 4 rings equate to a gallon, providing quantifiable information about the immediate usage. Once the water stops running, the indicator briefly shows where the house is in its daily usage. The indicator is designed to be attractive and visible, while not intrusive.

A monitor that easily hooks up to the incoming water line goes under the sink (or behind the shower head or toilet). It measures the amount of water being used and sends that data to the indicator and the app. Currently, the monitor needs to be plugged in, but future iterations could see it powered hydroelectrically by the water flowing through it.

The final part is the Water Watcher app that lets users see overall usage, long-term trends, and set water conservation goals. The app lets you coordinate multiple Water Watchers for a coherent picture of a house’s water use.

We started with desk research and interviews, talking to people about how they think about water. We found that most people simply have no idea how much water they use in a day, so what does a 20% reduction even look like? While millions of gallons of water are wasted, we simply don’t realize it because it’s hard to register and measure. It all vanishes – literally – down a drain. A water bill isn’t sufficient for any kind of meaningful behavior change.

We synthesized our research to generate 5 high-level take aways. These transpired into design principles that helped guide the concept generation and subsequent design phases.

Experimenting and prototyping with different solutions at our kitchen sink helped validate our concept and understand the needs of individuals at that touchpoint. We integrated the learnings to improve the device feedback and ongoing benefits that are percieved as helpful. 

Brainstorms and numerous iterations to the logo resulted in a strong brand identity to further define the Water Watcher offering. 

The distinct placement and color of LEDs enables a full spectrum of feedback. Our research found that communicating information at the point of usage had more impact to reduction than a cumulative capture of usage, such as a report at the end of the month. Feedback that not only shows data but also advises with prescriptive benchmarks is more likely to affect behavior. 

The service is designed to evolve as residents use it and extend conservation throughout the household at varied touchpoints including sinks and showers.  

http://www.fastcoexist.com/3035859/the-water-watcher-lights-up-as-youre-wasting-precious-water-ahem-california#1