Specifications

4
and what problems we encounter in the pilot study. The evaluations
we then be discussed followed by an analysis and recommendations of
how we feel the projector could be improved. First it is important to
understand why the evaluation is so imperative to the success of a
product.
Why is evaluation so important?
The evaluation phase of the design process is one of the most
important parts but is still overlooked by many developers. No matter
how ingenious a product is it will fail unless people are able to use it
easily. For many years poor design was so common that many people
didn’t even realise it. They blamed themselves for not being able to
use the technology easily.
People are beginning to realise that evaluation of the product
leads to greater usability and as Don Norman said
“Usability is not a luxury”
(Norman 2000)
Evaluation should take place throughout the design process,
starting with building a prototype of the product to evaluating the
final product before releasing it. There are many benefits associated
with evaluating the design continuously throughout the design cycle.
Usability problems can be detected early on even when evaluating
simple paper prototypes. The designers can learn more about how the
user thinks when interacting with the prototype.