How to Run a Post-Occupancy Evaluation in 2026

What Is Post-Occupancy Evaluation?

Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is the systematic assessment of how a building performs after people have been using it. It bridges the gap between design intent and actual user experience.

Traditional POE involves questionnaires, interviews, and walkthrough assessments. It's thorough but expensive, slow, and typically reaches only a fraction of building occupants.

The Modern POE Approach

In 2026, POE doesn't have to mean clipboard surveys and scheduled interviews. Here's what a modern POE looks like:

1. Deploy QR Codes Throughout the Building

Place QR codes in key locations:

• Lobbies and entrances
• Meeting rooms and collaboration spaces
• Break rooms and kitchens
• Restrooms (yes, really)
• Elevator lobbies and stairwells
• Workstation areas

2. Ask the Right Questions

Voice-based POE works best with open-ended prompts:

• "How does this space support your daily work?"
• "What would you change about this area?"
• "Describe how you feel in this space right now."

3. Collect Voice + Photo Responses

Occupants scan a QR code, speak their feedback, and optionally photograph what they're describing. This multimodal approach captures both the what (photos) and the why (voice).

4. Let AI Do the Analysis

AI transcription, sentiment analysis, and thematic coding replace manual analysis:

• Sentiment mapping shows which areas trigger positive vs. negative responses
• Theme clustering reveals common issues (lighting, acoustics, wayfinding)
• Clarity scoring identifies the most actionable feedback

Traditional vs. Modern POE

Aspect	Traditional POE	Modern Voice POE
Timeline	3-6 months	2-4 weeks
Response rate	15-25%	60-80%
Data type	Structured (Likert)	Rich qualitative
Analysis	Manual coding	AI-powered
Cost	$50,000-100,000+	Under $5,000
Repeat studies	Expensive	Built-in

Longitudinal Studies

The real power of modern POE is longitudinal tracking. With Pulspace, you can set up pulse phases:

1. Baseline — Before or right at occupancy
2. Post-occupancy — First 30 days
3. 3-month — After settling in
4. 6-month — Seasonal changes
5. 12-month — Full year assessment

Same building, same questions, tracked over time. AI identifies trends and changes automatically.

Get Started

Pulspace for Research is built specifically for architecture and built environment research. POE-specific question templates, photo + voice capture, and longitudinal project tracking. Better buildings start with better listening.