Post-Occupancy Evaluation from the Client’s Perspective

Abstract

This chapter discusses concerns, questions, problems, and opportunities of POE (post-occupancy evaluation) from the client’s perspective. Its thesis is that the planning of POE must not only satisfy professional criteria such as reliability and integrity, but that the fundamental strategy and planning of the POE should also be sensitive to the client’s personal, organizational and political context. Specifically, the chapter addresses the importance of making planning factors such as purpose, building sample, content, rigor, tools and techniques, participants, scheduling, cost, and reporting method responsive to client concerns such as avoiding embarrassment, defending results, satisfying administrative superiors, boosting morale, minimizing disruption, resolving conflicts, and obtaining maximum public relations benefit from the POE study. Neglect of these contextual factors can lead to POE results which satisfy professional criteria, but which are useless and even counterproductive for the client’s organization.