Tsoi Kobus Design believes that Post-Occupancy Evaluations (POE) are a valuable tool to identify the real outcomes of applied design assumptions and their impact on users. It is important that architects work closely with their clients to define clear and measurable goals for the POE process to yield the highest quality results.

At the beginning of a project, Tsoi Kobus Design works with our client to define what the project goals are and how these goals can be measured. Survey questions are created to match these goals and are compiled into a database. We then use this database as the baseline for our POE survey questions.

We believe a POE survey yields the most successful result when conducted one, five, and ten years after project completion. This duration offers the client time to settle in and acclimate to their new surroundings, experience the functionality of the space and receive feedback from all occupants. Based on this information the users can form conclusions, while still familiar with design goals and the intentions of preconstruction.

Tsoi Kobus Design implements a variety of information gathering tools in the survey phase. These tools include direct email survey, third party services such as Survey Monkey, and in person interviews. Pure survey has limited value—we believe that speaking directly with the client and users produces the best response. The Tsoi Kobus team engages the users in person to walk them through each response from the survey. This allows the user the opportunity elaborate and clarify their responses. At the conclusion of an evaluation period the survey is modified to better address the intent of the original questions for future use.

The data from the survey is then analyzed internally and presented to the client. Tsoi Kobus Design works with our clients to form conclusions based on the results. We measure the design objects and see how well we achieved the original project goals. POE becomes lessons learned for the design team and client, and precedent for future design.

Below, founding Principal Richard Kobus shared his insights into the POE process with Oliver Heath Design for the Creating Positive Spaces by Measuring the Impact of Your Design Guide.

More information about our architecture practice