Post-occupancy evaluations have been getting a lot of attention recently – it’s tempting to say that they’re making a comeback, but it’s unclear if they were ever here to start with, except as a gleam in many academics’ eyes.
The strongest post-occupancy evaluations involve quantifying something closely linked to the mission of the organization whose environment is being studied – for example, a measure of creativity at a firm whose success is tied to creative thinking – both before and after changes are made to physical spaces. Before-After comparisons are directly of value to the group whose environments are being evaluated; they give general indications of the repercussions of design-related decisions to others – exactly the same outcomes/payoffs can only be anticipated in exactly the same circumstances.
People doing POEs are left with the question of what to study, pre- and post-development. A report, “The Value Handbook” prepared by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment in 2006 (https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/asset/document/the-value-handbook.pdf) can provide measurement-related inspiration.
“The Value Handbook” was written to help local governments assess the places for which they are responsible, but its evaluation criteria can be applied in many more contexts. It identifies six sorts of value that can be linked to built environments:
>Exchange value: “The building is a commodity to be valued whose commercial value is measured by the price that the market is willing to pay.”
>Use value: “Contribution of a building to organizational outcomes: productivity, profitability, competitiveness and repeat business, and arises from a working environment that is safe in use, that promotes staff health, well-being and job satisfaction, that encourages flexible working, teamwork and communication, and enhances recruitment and retention while reducing absenteeism.”
>Image value: “Contribution of the development to corporate identify, prestige, vision and reputation, demonstrating commitment to design excellence or to innovation, to openness, or as part of a brand image.”
>Social value: “Developments that make connections between people, creating or enhancing opportunities for positive social interaction, reinforcing social identity and civic pride, encouraging social inclusion and contributing toward improved social health, prosperity, morals, goodwill, neighborly behavior, safety and security, while reducing vandalism and crime.”
>Environmental value: related to concern for the health of the planet
>Cultural value: Criteria to measure each of the sorts of value specified are included in the Handbook.
Future articles in this series will provide information on how to assess the value of a design decision post-development and also on how to determine the potential value of a design option as projects are planned.
To preview the first sort of material: Groups can look at references to patents filed to better understand the physical environments in which those patents were developed and how well each meets their particular needs as an organization. Research has shown that more important or higher quality patents are referred to more frequently in subsequent patent filings than ones that are not as important or are of lower quality. So, an organization can compare the number of references to the patents it files in different sorts of spaces, over time, to better understand where employees of the type they employ, doing the sorts of work they ask their employees to do, function better.
Considering the six sorts of value noted by the CABE team makes it less likely that a design contribution will be overlooked. Items that can be incorporated into an effective post-occupancy evaluation can also be identified by reviewing mission-relevant material already available either in-house or via a relatively straightforward analysis, such as references to patents filed. Conducting a useful and actionable POE is not easy, but it is possible, with a little mental effort.
Sally Augustin, PhD, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com). Research Design Connections reports on research conducted by social and physical scientists that designers can apply in practice. Insights derived from recent studies are integrated with classic, still relevant findings in concise, powerful articles. Topics covered range from the cognitive, emotional, and physiological implications of sensory and other physical experiences to the alignment of culture, personality, and design, among others. Information, in everyday language, is shared in a monthly subscription newsletter, an archive of thousands of published articles, and a free daily blog. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.