Technical Performance

1. FundamentalsSCORE CAPABILITY LEVEL TESTING-UTILITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM LEVEL TESTING- TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE COMPONENT LEVEL TESTING- TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE TechnicalPerformance This evaluation type is intended to assess the system as a whole, but in a (close to) ideal environment where test variables can be isolated and controlled. Through this approach, one can determine the “best” the system will perform in an ideal situation. Relationships can be revealed between overall system behavior and these variables and parameters based upon the technical performance analysis. CAPABILITY LEVEL TESTING-TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE SYSTEM LEVEL TESTING-UTILITY ASSESSMENT This evaluation type involves identifying and isolating the most important components of a system. These components are then tested by identifying the internal and external variables that most directly affect their performance and systematically modifying them to assess their impact. System Level Component Level Capability Level Utility Assessment This evaluation type assesses an overall system’s utility and usability. This approach is similar to that of the capability utility test, with the exception that the whole system is tested. The system’s utility and usability can be evaluated regardless of its state of maturity (formative vs. summative assessment). Capability Level System Level This evaluation type assesses the utility and usability of a capability within a system, where utility is defined as the value the application provides to the system’s end-user. This test is usually run by immersing the user with the capability in a realistic situation and then asking the user survey questions and performing interviews. This evaluation type involves identifying and isolating individual capabilities of a system and measuring their technical performance. A system can have one or more capabilities. The design of this evaluation is dependent upon the feasibility of isolating different capabilities and measuring their respective performance. • Both utility assessments support: •  Formative evaluations –intended to inform on the system design for those technologies still under development •  Summative evaluations-intended to validate the value of the technology at the end of its development cycle