The Evaluation Cycle Management - Method Applied to the Evaluation of Learning Management Systems

The chapter deals with a complex decision-making problem, the selection and evaluation of Learning Management Systems (LMS) in which several objectives - referring to the definite group of users - like social, technical, environmental, and economic impacts, must be simultaneously taken into account. We introduce Evaluation Cycle Management (ECM), a support methodology aimed at the evaluation of options that occur in the decision-making processes. ECM is based on Multi-attribute decision making (Criteria Evaluation) and Usability Testing (Usability Evaluation). The Multi-attribute decision making in the first phase of ECM presents an approach to the development of a qualitative hierarchical decision model that is based on DEX, an expert system shell for multi-attribute decision support. The second phase of ECM is aimed at Usability Testing on end users. ECM illustrates its usefulness by showing its main features and its application to the above problem. It is based on the theoretical and practical expertise related to the quality and usability assurance of LMS.