Integration of post occupancy evaluation into government office buildings to enhance user satisfaction

Abstract

Shortcomings in project delivery in government office buildings lead to occupant dissatisfaction. Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) presents a valuable yet underutilised approach in government office buildings, especially in developing countries. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the integration of POE into government office buildings to enhance user satisfaction in Sri Lanka. Qualitative research choice was adopted, comprising a phase of semi-structured interviews with 16 experts from the industry. Empirical data were analysed using manual content analysis. The findings indicate that user satisfaction in Sri Lankan government office buildings is influenced by a context-specific combination of factors, with thermal comfort remaining consistently important while accessibility and building design emerged as particularly relevant considerations affecting the user satisfaction of government office buildings. The findings provide practical, context-sensitive guidance for developing countries to enhance the performance and user satisfaction of government office buildings, supporting more informed, evidence-based design and management decisions.