Health systems must define product performance requirements precisely, to protect quality for end-users. Non-health care-specific requirements may not be the best fit: disposable beverage cups, for example, are often engineered with a barrier coating to hold liquid securely for weeks. This is a reasonable expectation for a coffee shop whose to-go cups might end up forgotten in your car. But hospital end-users often use paper cups in a time-limited setting (eg dietary service cups that are cleared away with meal trays, or for patient hydration in a post-op unit). Understanding the precise end-user requirements for disposable cups helped us produce an affordable, recyclable paper cup.