Usability and User Experience of the built environment: concepts, methods and techniques

This chapter proposes a theoretical study about the evolution of both usability and user experience (UX) concepts and methods in order to elaborate a framework focused on user (person)-centered building design and evaluation. The chapter aims to demonstrate that usability concepts are not only delimited to products or artifacts design but are also useful to architect’s technical domain that should apply them to architectural and urban design, as a way to obtain more suitable spaces for all. The evolution of the concept of usability applied to the built environment over the last two decades is also presented and an applicationt the current issues involving design of human habitat is proposed.