Post-Occupancy Evaluation and Organizational Learning

This article considers post-occupancy evaluation (POE) from four separate theoretical perspectives on organizational learning and speculates how these can inform future efforts at building evaluation. The perspectives afford views of organizational learning as a phenomenon based on: (1) cultural change, (2) systems thinking, (3) improved reasoning and interpersonal competence, and (4) sharing practice-based knowledge. Each provides a distinct view of POE as a mode of organizational intervention. Moreover, they highlight a variety of ways of thinking about buildings in relation to organizational life, suggest different research agendas for organizationally relevant POE, and point to alternative strategies for facilitating organizational learning.