ABSTRACT
The purpose of the evaluation will usually be dependent on the stage of the product creation process (PCP) at which the evaluation will take place. Early on in the PCP, evaluations of basic prototypes, such as product specifications or perhaps visual prototypes, might be undertaken in order to facilitate requirements capture. Having set the design direction, the next stage in the PCP would be to develop this direction into a workable design solution that would satisfy the user requirements. If a manufacturer were to evaluate the usability of their product at this stage it would usually be so that they could gain knowledge to feed into their future designs. In cases where a product has already been released, it may be possible to carry out evaluations with real end-users. Clearly, there will be an advantage in including participants who have experienced the product in a real life context.
