Usability Evaluations – User Experiences – Usability Evidence

In this paper, we elaborate and reflect on usability evaluations and the applicability of results for other projects. Usability evaluations are based on different user’s experiences and assessments on how well the buildings perform. Evaluations are based on different methods and aspects, depending on objective, purpose, focus, competence and resources. Usability is defined as “the extent, to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use..” (NS-EN ISO 9241/1998). The paper is based on theory on evaluations methods and qualitative research. The empirical data is mainly from several case studies mainly from two Norwegian usability projects undertaken in the last 8 years. The case studies have covered a broad range of methods used in order to test their suitability related to the concept of usability and within a common methodological framework USEtool. The paper argues that usability evidence must be related to contextual understanding. Usability evaluations have to look on the interaction between architecture, technology and organisation. Previous studies have shown that in order to assess usability one has to focus on the effect of the building on the user organizations fulfilment of goals, as well as the end users satisfaction and experience. Theory affirms that contextdependent knowledge from case studies is not less valid than general theoretical (and contextindependent) knowledge. Usability evaluations give feedback on user experiences of their workplace. The value of such evaluations for feed forward to new projects or improving existing facilities mainly lies in the ability to understand the user experiences and to translate those into adequate products and solutions. Consequently, the results of research into evaluation needs to be translated into a form which will be quickly and easily accessible to clients, designers, decision makers and others involved in the building process.