EcoMarineWay is a low-impact maritime navigation alert application for ships to navigate safely through marine protected areas (MPAs).
Status: 🚧 Development in progress
Timeline: 🗓️ Sprint 0 + 4 development sprints (8 weeks)
MVP Goal: 🎯 Deliver the core features required for ships to navigate MPAs safely.
EcoMarineWay is a lightweight maritime navigation tool designed to help ships safely traverse marine protected areas while supporting community-driven reporting of marine wildlife and pollution incidents. Using Agile Scrum, we are delivering a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) over 8 weeks with a 4-member team.
- Frontend: React
- Backend: Node.js + Express
- Database: MongoDB Atlas
- Deployment: Netlify / Render
- Project Management: ClickUp
- 🗺️ Interactive Map: View and navigate MPAs on an interactive map.
⚠️ Proximity Alerts: Receive notifications when approaching protected areas or reported hotspots.- 🐟 Hotspot Reporting: Submit and view marine animal sightings.
- 🛢️ Pollution Reporting: Report pollution incidents with location details.
- 🔍 Map Filtering: Filter visible reports by type (hotspots or pollution).
Goal: Establish development environment, project setup, and initial backlog.
Tasks:
- Create GitHub repo & branch strategy.
- Set up MERN skeleton (React + Express + MongoDB Atlas).
- Configure CI/CD (deploy skeleton to Netlify/Render).
- Set up ClickUp workspace, backlog, and board.
- Design wireframes for core screens (map, report form, login).
Deliverables:
- Working MERN skeleton deployed online.
- Wireframes for core features.
- Initial prioritized product backlog in ClickUp.
Goal: Enable user access and provide a basic map with MPAs.
Tasks:
- Implement user signup/login (JWT) and roles (user/admin).
- Build interactive map with static MPA polygons.
- Create basic UI layout and navigation.
- Write initial test cases for authentication.
Deliverables:
- Users can register/login/logout.
- Map with visible protected zones.
- Deployed increment demonstrating login + map.
Goal: Allow users to report and view hotspots and pollution incidents.
Tasks:
- Build hotspot reporting form (location + species + notes).
- Display hotspot markers on map.
- Implement pollution report form (location + description).
- Create list view of reports.
- Add backend APIs for reports.
Deliverables:
- Hotspot reports visible on map.
- Pollution reports created and listed.
- Database stores reports reliably.
Goal: Improve usability with alerts and filtering.
Tasks:
- Implement simulated vessel path with moving marker.
- Add proximity alert when near hotspots/protected areas.
- Implement map filtering (toggle hotspots/pollution).
- Improve UI for report details (click marker to view info).
Deliverables:
- Vessel marker moves along a path.
- Alerts shown when entering protected zones/hotspots.
- Filter buttons working on map.
- Usable clickable markers.
Goal: Refine the system, add profile view, and prepare for presentation.
Tasks:
- Add basic user profile page (list of user’s submitted reports).
- Fix bugs and improve UI styling.
- Write documentation for features.
- Prepare burndown charts, sprint logs, and final report.
- Run rehearsal for demo/presentation.
Deliverables:
- Final integrated system (map + reports + alerts + filters).
- User profile page functional.
- Polished UI and bug-free demo.
- Final report + presentation slides + evidence of Scrum events.
- Daily Standups: 15 mins, sync progress and blockers
- Sprint Reviews: Demo features to stakeholders
- Retrospectives: Reflect and improve team process
- User Testing: At least 5 test users per sprint
- Backlog Grooming: Weekly refinement using MoSCoW prioritization
A feature is considered "Done" when:
- Code is peer-reviewed and merged
- Unit/integration tests pass
- Responsive and accessible UI
- Documented in project wiki
- Tested in staging environment
- MVP focus: Only must-have features included
- Change control: New requests go to backlog for post-MVP
- Lean approach: Use existing APIs and component libraries to save development time
- Security: HTTPS, JWT authentication, Stripe PCI compliance
- Performance: Optimized API responses, lazy loading
- Trust: Transparent impact reporting, verified charities (TBD post-MVP)
- Scalability: Flexible MongoDB schema supports reporting growth
Got it 👍 Since EcoMarineWay is a maritime navigation + reporting app, the risk management table should be tailored to its domain instead of payment/donation risks. Here’s an updated version:
| Risk | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Inaccurate or missing marine data (MPA boundaries, reports) | Ships may not receive correct alerts → reduces reliability of system | Use reliable open-data sources (e.g., government, NGOs), allow community validation of reports, maintain update pipeline |
| Poor internet connectivity at sea | Users may lose access to map and alerts in critical moments | Provide offline caching of MPA boundaries, queue reports for sync when online |
| Over-reporting / false reporting by users | Map clutter, unreliable alerts | Add basic moderation (admin role), allow users to flag/report incorrect entries, filter by trusted sources |
| Performance issues on low-power ship devices | Laggy map rendering or slow API responses | Optimize map with lazy loading & clustering, lightweight UI, caching of common queries |
| Limited adoption by ship crews | Low engagement and limited reporting → app loses value | Conduct early user testing with seafarers, design simple UI, provide training/demo materials |
| Security vulnerabilities (data leaks, account misuse) | Compromised trust, data misuse | Implement HTTPS, JWT authentication, regular security audits, minimal PII storage |
| Team workload and tight sprint schedule | Risk of incomplete features within 8 weeks | Prioritize MVP scope, parallelize frontend/backend tasks, reuse existing libraries |
- Regular demos after each sprint
- Feedback incorporated into backlog
- Maintain open communication through ClickUp & Slack
Delivering a functional, lightweight maritime navigation tool in 5 sprints is feasible with:
- Clear MVP scope
- Lean tech stack (MongoDB, React, Node.js)
- Iterative development and continuous feedback
- Focused Scrum practices
By the end of Sprint 4, EcoMarineWay will be production-ready with all core features live, tested, and usable for safe navigation through MPAs.
- Figma Wireframes (link when available)
- API Documentation (to be created)