IMPACT+Evaluation+Model



IMPACT Evaluation Model consists of the following acronym:

I- Intention M- Metrics P- People A- Activities C- Context T- Technology

This model is used to assess the IMPACT of the technology on the user, and incorporates the PACT analysis into the evaluation process.* *

 Often used to determine why one is evaluating, what the individual intends to seek out in their evaluation becomes essential to this step.* *
 * Intention**

 How can one assess the success, failure, or improvements of this re-design. Was the effort evaluated as successful? Was the effort evaluated as a failure. Several outcomes are possible and must be measured in terms of their success rates. Common usability metrics consist of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of the individual or intended audience of the it.* *
 * Metrics**

 An integral aspect of evaluation, being people, one would have to determine their interactions with the product. One should ask the designer for information about the intended audience of the product and how they intend to incorporate it into their lives. Nielson recommends a sample of 3-5 users ~. ex) in design a chair, you might ask, who will be using these chairs? If it's for senior citizens the implementation of a comfortable fabric may be important.
 * People**

 Scenarios of usage are considered to be the standard for analyzing the activities involved ~. How the design is used by the user is of great importance. ex) in creating a new chair, one might ask, what will it be used for. The obvious answer being to sit on but another question you can pose is how will it be sat on and for how long?
 * Activities**

 The context takes into account the wider social and physical context in which the product is to be used in. Who is involved – does it require assistance, or more then one person to use the product? Where is it – how is it set up, where is it set up, is it loud or quiet? How does it feet into ones life – is the user in full control, is it part of another activity? Norms taken into account – is there a typical way that this product should be used? These questions contribute to the understanding of the context of the activity in question ~. ex) in design a chair, you might ask under what circumstances will the chair be in use? Will it be in use during a lecture hall or when one is at home in their studies. The comfort and efficiency of the chair would be taken into consideration depending on the context the design will be in use for.
 * Context**

 How is it evaluated? What is the technology that is to be used in order to determine the success of the product’s design? Is the data recorded in a spreadsheet, or just written on a piece of paper? There are several ways in which the data can be technologically analyzed in order to determine trends and the necessary metrics ~.
 * Technology**

References (denoted by ~ & * * ) ~Benyon, David and Turner, Phil. Designing Interactive Systems. Pearson Education. 2005.
 * Jones, Mike. Lecture 9. Slide #11-15. Tuesday November 7th, 2006.