Developing Evaluation Criteria

Purpose of, and Methods to Develop, Evaluation Criteria

What Are Evaluation Criteria?

Evaluation criteria are specific, measurable statements against which design concepts and the final product are assessed. They translate the design brief into testable benchmarks.

Without criteria, evaluation is subjective and arbitrary. Criteria make evaluation rigorous, consistent, and defensible.

Purpose of Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria serve multiple purposes throughout the design process:

1. Guide concept development: Designers make decisions with criteria in mind, ensuring concepts address the brief
2. Enable objective comparison: Multiple concepts can be assessed against the same benchmarks
3. Facilitate end user feedback: Criteria give structure to user testing sessions
4. Define quality standards: Specify what ‘good enough’ means for the final product
5. Support iteration: When a concept fails a criterion, criteria indicate what needs improvement
6. Evidence evaluation: Criteria provide a transparent basis for selecting the final concept and evaluating the finished product

Methods to Develop Evaluation Criteria

1. Derived from the design brief
Each element of the brief (need, end user profile, function, constraints, considerations) should generate at least one criterion.
- ‘Must hold 350 mL of liquid’ ← from function
- ‘Must be usable by a person with limited grip strength’ ← from end user profile
- ‘Must cost less than \$25 to produce’ ← from constraint

2. Consultation with end users
Ask end users what they value in a product. Their priorities may differ from the designer’s assumptions.

3. Review of existing products
Analysing what existing products do well or poorly identifies criteria the new design must address.

4. VCAA design factors framework
Apply design factors as a checklist to ensure criteria address all relevant dimensions (function, aesthetics, materials, sustainability, safety, ergonomics, etc.).

Characteristics of Good Evaluation Criteria

Quantitative vs Qualitative Criteria

• Quantitative: Measurable with numbers (dimensions, weight, load capacity, cost)
• Qualitative: Descriptive assessments (comfort, aesthetic appeal, ease of use)

A strong set of criteria includes both types.

Using Criteria for Evaluation

Criteria are applied at multiple points:
- After graphical concept generation: which concept best meets criteria?
- After prototype testing: does the physical model meet functional criteria?
- After production: does the finished product meet all criteria?

Evaluation should be evidence-based: cite specific test results, measurements, or user feedback, not general impressions.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Evaluation criteria are derived from the design brief and give the design process rigour. They should be specific, measurable, and testable.

EXAM TIP: If asked to develop criteria for a scenario, derive each one from a specific brief element. Label each criterion as functional, aesthetic, sustainability, safety, etc.

COMMON MISTAKE: Writing criteria that cannot be tested (‘it should feel premium’) or that are not linked to the brief. Every criterion needs a source.