A new ANFA x DIALOG series exploring how neuroscience and architecture can help us design buildings that truly support human wellbeing and performance.
Measuring Human Experience in Architecture
Measuring Human Experience in Architecture
Integrating Psychological Testing into Post-Occupancy Evaluation
4-Day Workshop
June 1-4, 2026
DIALOG Calgary Studio
How do people actually experience the spaces we design?
Building a durable bridge between design and science requires more than shared concepts—it requires shared practice: applying methods to real settings, comparing what they reveal, and being honest about what breaks. Grounded in this series mission, and supported by scientific advisory input from the Center for Environmental Neuroscience (CEN) at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, this workshop focuses on post-occupancy evaluation (POE) as a practical point of connection between disciplines: a moment where design intentions meet lived experience, and where evidence can realistically influence future decisions.
Traditional POEs often emphasize building-centric metrics and self-reported feedback, which fail to capture the full range of human responses to spaces, particularly those that are subtle, emotional, or not easily reported. This workshop runs a field trial of a complementary approach, combining assessments informed by the Community Wellbeing Framework (CWF) with psychological implicit testing to capture both explicit and less deliberate responses to architectural spaces. Participants will experience the protocol hands-on by acting as study participants, explore findings across methods, and critically examine feasibility, interpretation, and limitations—what the tools can support, what they cannot, and how the protocol should evolve.
Through real-world case studies in healthcare and campus environments, the workshop strengthens a shared, testable pathway for integrating human outcomes into POE practice—advancing a broader movement where research, practice, education, and public participation continuously refine how we design for human wellbeing.
We are at a critical moment in design practice.
As demands for accountability, wellbeing, and long-term value increase, intuition alone is no longer enough. Designers, planners, researchers, and decision-makers need measurable evidence to understand how spaces shape people’s perceptions, behaviors, experiences, and wellbeing, and to translate that knowledge into better environments.
This workshop offers a rare opportunity to:
- Work directly in real-world contexts by participating in study protocols themselves
- Engage with scientifically grounded methods for measuring human experience
- Build a shared language across design, science, and practice
- Move from awareness to application
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Understand ways to measure human experience
- Learn how psychological tools can be applied to architectural and urban contexts.
- Work with explicit and implicit assessment methods
- Explore the strengths and limitations of surveys, observations, and implicit psychological tasks.
- Engage with tools in real-world case studies
- Conduct assessments in healthcare and university campus settings, focusing on perception, emotions, behavior, and wellbeing.
- Advance innovation in POE
- Explore how integrating implicit user data can enrich traditional post-occupancy evaluation methods.
- Develop transferable skills
- Gain hands-on experience with surveys, psychological tasks, structured site assessments, and interpreting results.
This workshop is designed for:
- Architects, urban planners, and designers interested in human-centered design
- Environmental psychologists and behavioral scientists
- Healthcare and wellbeing professionals
- Neuroscientists and cognitive scientists
- Graduate students and researchers in architecture, psychology, or related fields
No prior experience with psychological testing is required.
- Hands-on experience with science-informed tools
- Insights from a synthesis report based on real-world case studies
- Exposure to frameworks for integrating human experience metrics into practice
- New interdisciplinary connections and collaboration opportunities
- Practical knowledge that can be applied in design, research, and policy contexts
Meet your instructors
Julia del Río
Architect / PhD candidate / ANFA Advisory Council
Shares how evidence-based insights are being integrated into design practice. Co-leading the ANFA x DIALOG workshop series.
Nour Tawil
Architect / Scientist, Center for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
Connects research and methods from environmental psychology and neuroscience to real-world design. Co-leading the ANFA x DIALOG workshop series
Robin Mazumder
Environmental Neuroscientist / Postdoctoral Fellow, Future Cities Institute, University of Waterloo
Explores how urban design shapes individual and societal wellbeing, combining research, public advocacy, and science communication.
Susan Carter
Designer / Partner at DIALOG, Doctor of Design (Candidate)
Connects science to practice in the design of large-scale mixed-use developments. Co-leading the ANFA x DIALOG workshop series.
300, 134-11 Ave SE
Calgary, AB T2G 0X5
Canada
This 4-Day Workshop, Measuring Human Experience in Architecture, is going to be held at DIALOG’s Calgary studio.
This workshop is the first hands-on case study within the Measuring the Human Experience series, an ongoing initiative that combines research, practice, education, and public engagement to advance evidence-based, human-centered design.
Future workshops will explore additional dimensions of human experience, including cognition, physiological responses, and the economic value of wellbeing-driven design.
Agenda
- Introduction to the workshop goals, structure, and participants
- Why measuring human experience matters in architecture (Julia)
- Keynote on applying cognitive science and psychology to design (Robin Mazumder, David Kirsh)
- Introduction to the Community Wellbeing Framework (CWF) (Antonio)
- Overview of implicit psychological testing methods (Nour)
- Experience Economy design perspectives (Susan)
- Group formation and preparation for fieldwork
Morning
- Implicit psychological testing related to real environments
- Explicit on-site assessments using CWF and tailored questionnaires
Afternoon
- Networking and informal exchange
Morning
- Second round of implicit testing in alternate case studies
- Second round of explicit on-site assessments in alternate case studies
Afternoon
- Design-thinking micro-sessions
- Collaborative mapping of design metrics
- Guided experiential tour of the Calgary Public Library
- Final group exercise
- Data integration and interpretation of explicit vs. implicit methods findings
- Group discussions and reflections
- Closing session and future collaboration opportunities
Tickets
Early Bird
$900 (CAD)
Regular
$1,200 (CAD)
Students
$450 (CAD)
If cost is a barrier to your participation, please contact the organizers – we want this conversation to be accessible.
By registering, you’ll be added to our mailing list to receive early access to registration and special pricing for the Measuring Human Experience workshop in June.
Got questions?
Feel free to reach out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is designed for architects, designers, planners, environmental psychologists, neuroscientists, healthcare professionals, researchers, and graduate students interested in human-centered, evidence-based design.
No prior experience with psychological testing is required.
Do I need a background in neuroscience or psychology?
No. All methods are introduced from the ground up. The workshop is designed to be accessible while still rigorous, with guidance from experts throughout.
What will I learn that I can’t learn elsewhere?
You will gain hands-on experience with implicit psychological testing and structured wellbeing frameworks in real spaces, experiencing the methods firsthand as participants, not just observing them. The workshop focuses on translating research methods into practical insights for design and evaluation.
What types of spaces will we study?
Participants will engage with real-world environments, including healthcare settings, university campuses, and public buildings, allowing them to experience and compare responses across different spatial and psychological contexts.
Is this a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) workshop?
POE is one component, but the focus is broader. The workshop explores how to measure human experience using multiple lenses — emotional, behavioral, and perceptual — and how these insights can inform design, research, and decision-making.
What are “implicit” psychological methods?
Implicit methods measure less conscious responses to environments — capturing aspects of experience that people may find difficult to articulate through surveys or interviews alone.
Will I receive any materials or outputs?
Yes. Participants will contribute to and receive:
- A comparative synthesis report
- Frameworks for integrating human-experience metrics into practice
- Workshop materials, tools, and readings
How is this workshop different from a traditional design conference?
Unlike conferences focused on presentations, this workshop emphasizes hands-on experimentation, collaboration, and application. Participants actively engage with methods, contribute responses, and explore findings together.
How many participants will attend?
The workshop is limited to approximately 50 participants, working in smaller experimental groups to ensure depth of engagement.
Will there be opportunities for networking?
Yes. Structured and informal networking sessions are integrated throughout the workshop, fostering long-term interdisciplinary connections.
Is this workshop part of a larger series?
Yes. This workshop is the first hands-on case study within the Measuring the Human Experience series. Future workshops will explore other themes such as cognition, physiological measurement, and the economic value of human experience in the built environment.
Our Partners and Advisors
Scientific Input:
