In engineering design, the service environment describes the environment in which design solutions will operate. The description will include all aspects of the environment. This typically includes the physical environment, the virtual environment, and living things.
We describe a range of conditions that are typical for the environment.
Physical environment
Describes the literal physical characteristics. Temperature range, pressure, wind velocity, precipitation, sun conditions, humidity. You can go on and on.
Virtual environment
Includes wireless networks, GPS, cell phone, wi-fi. If designs may use these services, we should describe their presence in description of the service environment.
Living things
Other than users, there may be other people present in the service environment that we should broadly describe, so that we acknowledge possible interaction between them and the design. Other living things include animals, insects, microbes, and plants.