The outcomes of hearing aid fitting can be assessed in terms of the technical merit of the device in situ or in terms of the extent to which the device alleviates the daily problems of the hearing-impaired person and his or her family. Early efforts to measure outcomes focused mainly on technical merit. It was assumed that if the instrument was technically superior, real-life outcomes would be proportionately superior. However, this is not always the case. Real-life problems associated with hearing impairment are complicated by issues such as personality, lifestyle, environment, and family dynamics. Thus, it is now recognized that real-life outcomes of a fitting must be assessed separately from the technical adequacy of the hearing aid. These two types of outcomes are evaluated at different times after fitting. Technical merit data are often obtained as part of the verification process conducted immediately after fitting. Sometimes these data may prompt modifications of the fitting. Alleviation of real-life problems is evaluated after the hearing-impaired person has had time to use the hearing aid on a daily basis. This evaluation is usually made after at least 2 weeks of use of the device.