The relationship between user participation and system success: a simultaneous contingency approach

The relationship between user participation and information system (IS) success has drawn attention from researchers for some time. It is assumed that strong participation of future users in the design of IS would lead to successful outcomes in terms of more IS usage, greater user acceptance, and increased user satisfaction. However, in spite of this, much of the empirical research so far has been unable to demonstrate its benefits. This paper examines the participation–success relationship in a broader context, where the effects of user participation and two other factors, user attitudes and user involvement, on system success occur simultaneously. Other contingency variables considered here are: system impact, system complexity, and development methodology. The theoretical framework and the associated hypotheses are empirically tested by a survey of 32 organizations. Empirical results corroborate the positive link between user participation and user satisfaction and provide evidence on the interplay between user attitudes and user involvement.     

Selecting users for participation in IT projects: Trading a representative sample for advocates and champions?

The selection of users for participation in IT projects involves trade-offs between multiple criteria, one of which is selecting a representative cross-section of users. This criterion is basic because trading it for other criteria means basing designs on information biased toward some user groups at the expense of others. Based on interviews in development and customer organizations we find that their criteria for user selection favor persons who can contribute to the progress of the IT project over persons who are representative of the full range of users. A highly valued contribution from participating users is the ability to advocate a vision for the system and champion its organizational implementation. A survey in one customer organization shows that respondents’ personal traits explain up to 31% of the variation in their experience of aspects of the usability of a recently introduced system. Thus, unless participating users are representative as to these personal traits, IT projects may, inadvertently, bring about systems that will fail to satisfy many users.     

User involvement in system design: An empirical test of alternative approaches

User involvement in the development of information systems is often assumed to be key to successful implementation. However, few empirical studies have clearly demonstrated a relationship between user involvement and two key indicators of system success: system usage and user information satisfaction. The authors test the general hypothesis that user involvement is a more complex concept than previous research would indicate; there are different types of involvement and different stages in the system development life cycle in which users may become involved. In a study of 83 users in 23 companies, they found that only the activity of user sign-offs on project phases had a significant correlation with both user information satisfaction and satisfaction with the information systems group. The authors conclude that there is a complex relationship between the type and degree of user involvement and other organizational and individual factors; this relationship affects both user satisfaction with and usage of the resulting systems. Some suggestions for further research taking this complexity into account are given.     

Computer consultants' views of user participation in the system development process

The form of user participation adopted in any system development process is commonly argued to be an important determinant of its outcome. This study investigated computer consultants' experiences and views of different forms of user participation in the system development process. Thirty-four consultants from 14 Swedish companies of three different sizes filled out a questionnaire (response rate 47%). The results indicated that the consultants viewed both external factors and their own roles as guiding the degree of user participation. The consultants reported that reference groups, seminars/meetings and user testing were common forms of user participation in projects introducing existing programs into organizations and that seminars/meetings, users in project groups and reference groups, were the most common user participation forms in projects developing new programs for an organization. In both contexts, user testing was reported to be most common in the operation/administration phase of the project. The majority of consultants considered union participation to be fairly unimportant. Further, it was found that questionnaires were seldom used for data collection in projects. Finally, the consultants did not appear to categorize development projects by the type of user participation employed in the projects.     

The conceptualization and measurement of m-commerce user satisfaction

Many of the instruments for measuring user-perceived system quality and user information satisfaction were developed in the context of mainframe, PC and wire-based technologies of a bygone era. With the proliferation of wireless technologies, users are increasingly interfacing and interacting with mobile commerce (m-commerce) systems. It is therefore important to develop new instruments and scales, which are directly targeted for these new interfaces and applications. User satisfaction is commonly acknowledged as one of the useful proxy measures of system success. This study addresses the concern for an effective m-commerce system design by means of the conceptualization and measurement of an m-commerce user satisfaction (MCUS) construct. In this article, we introduce and define this construct of MCUS, provide empirical validation of the construct and its underlying dimensionality, develop a standardized instrument with desirable psychometric properties for measuring MCUS, and explore the measure’s theoretical and practical application. This empirically validated instrument will be useful to researchers in developing and testing m-commerce systems theories, as well as to organizations in designing better-accepted m-commerce systems.     

Discriminative effect of user influence and user responsibility on information system development processes and project management

Context

User participation in information system (IS) development has received much research attention. However, prior empirical research regarding the effect of user participation on IS success is inconclusive. This might be because previous studies overlook the effect of the particular components of user participation and other possible mediating factors.

Objective

The objective of this study is to empirically examine how user influence and user responsibility affect IS project performance. We inspect whether user influence and user responsibility improve the quality of the IS development process and in turn leads to project success, or if they have a direct positive influence on project success.

Method

We conducted a survey of 151 IS project managers in order to understand the impact of user influence and user responsibility on IS project performance. Regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship among user influence, user responsibility, organizational technology learning, project control, user-developer interaction, and IS project management performance.

Results

This study shows that user responsibility and user influence have a positive effect on project performance through the promotion of IS development processes as mediators, including organizational technology learning, project control, and user-IS interaction.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that user responsibility and user influence respectively play an important role in indirectly and directly impacting project management performance. Results of the analysis imply that organizations and project managers should use both user participation and user influence to improve processes performance, and in turn, increase project success.     

A survey of applications systems prototyping in industry

Managers of information systems development are faced with a substantial backlog of development projects. Traditional approaches to developing systems can not keep pace with new application demand. New methods must be found to develop systems. This study investigates prototyping, an approach that promises order-of-magnitude reductions in the time and effort required to implement satisfactory information systems.A mail survey was used to collect information about systems development and prototyping in Fortune 500 firms. Data was collected on methodologies, tools, and practices from the Directors of Information Systems. The findings suggest that a large number of organizations are prototyping and consider it successful. Generic high level prototyping tools are rated and the reasons for replacing prototypes with conventionally developed systems are explored.     

Design and evaluation of a gamified system for ERP training

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) facilitate the flow of information within a company by storing data in common databases. These systems offer a holistic view of the organization because they reduce information redundancy, offer information in real time, help with process standardization, and improve information flow and communication among employees. Nevertheless, the benefits attributed to an ERP implementation can be lost without an effective user training. Previous studies have observed that common training mechanisms don't provide meaningful learning to users, and that user satisfaction rates range from neutral to low. Therefore, in this paper we study the effects that gamification has on ERP training concerning user learning and user satisfaction. Gamification is the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-gaming environments. Several applications prove that gamified systems increase user engagement and performance. Our hypotheses were that a gamified system for ERP training improve user learning and user satisfaction levels during the training period. To test our hypotheses, we designed and evaluated a gamified system. The results showed that users trained using a gamified system performed better than those trained using a conventional, non-gamified, training mechanism.     

Project management: Have we applied all that we know?

Information systems projects are often successfully justified but fail in their development. This is usually caused by ineffective management of the project during development combined with an overemphasis on coding techniques. A proven management methodology effectively applied to every project addresses the unpredictability of new objectives, personnel re-organizations, and changing priorities. Key management components include: obtaining management commitment, planning the work, organizing the staff, setting project standards, guiding the team, communicating with general management, documenting decisions, motivating staff, negotiating changes, and training the user. Thorough application of these principles during each project, combined with tracking the actual performance versus the schedule, provides a quality data base of estimating criteria for a data processing organization. Experience indicates proper management applied to any project significantly increases the probability of success.     

An empirical study of organizational culture and network-based computer use

This study investigated the influence of organizational culture on computer-mediated communication and information access (CMCIA). A validated instrument to assess CMCIA and organizational culture was used. Organizational culture was treated as a shared set of norms and values. Meaningful CMCIA occurs when computer-network technology is maximally exploited to amplify individual information processing actions to foster organizational excellence.CMCIA was measured by a weighted user-satisfaction importance rating. Both organizational culture and CMCIA were measured empirically by administering questionnaires to respondents in organizations that use computer networks. A non-experimental field study was employed to test the hypothesis that particular types of organizational cultures foster computer-network effectiveness while other types hinder it. The usable response rate was 45%. Eight organizations were used for data analysis.Statistically significant findings showed that organizational culture interacts with the degree of use to affect user satisfaction with CMCIA. In task-oriented organizations, user satisfaction with CMCIA was positively related to degree of use. People-oriented organizations displayed a negative relationship between degree of use and user satisfaction with CMCIA. These results can be used when designing implementation strategies for information systems that have the potential to affect whole departments or organizations.     

Documenting information systems for management: A key to maintaining user satisfaction

Executives responsible for the information system function need to be concerned about developing a base of satisfied users and maintaining continuing user satisfaction after implementation. This article focuses on user satisfaction among on-going user manager, explores the role of good user documentation, and examines the results of a survey of 144 user managers from 55 firms. The results indicate that good user documentation appears to be an important factor in insuring user understanding and continuing user satisfaction. Thus firms considering alternative ways of keeping users satisfied (i.e., personal computer applications, end user computing, or information centers) might well examine their user documentation practices before exploring other alternatives.     

User information satisfaction,job satisfaction and computer background: An exploratory study

The relationships among user information satisfaction (UIS), job satisfaction and the users' computer background were examined. UIS was measured using a modified version of the short-form of UIS, while job satisfaction was measured using the short-form Minnesota satisfaction questionnaire (MSQ). We found that UIS provides a sound indication of job satisfaction. However, none of the user computer-background parameters has any significant effect on UIS and job satisfaction. Data for the study were collected from three large organizations which had similar organizational structure and comparable information systems maturity; people who used computer as part of their jobs were randomly selected to take part in the study. A study with more organizations would yield better results.     

Validating and applying user satisfaction as a measure of MIS success in small organizations

Measurement of user satisfaction is a methodological problem crucial to information systems research. As the impact of an MIS upon organizational effectiveness is basically unmeasurable, measures of user satisfaction provide the most useful assessments of system success. This paper investigates the measurement of user satisfaction in the specific context of small organizations. An analysis of the potential impact of this specificity upon user satisfaction served as a basis for the selection and adaptation of a previously validated instrument. A modified version was developed and pretested; results of previous research were then replicated and extended by administering the instrument to 464 financial managers in small firms. The data obtained was analyzed and discussed in terms of reliability and validity. The validated instrument is applied to demonstrate its potential uses.     

Contextual influences on user satisfaction with mobile computing: findings from two healthcare organizations

Mobile information technologies (IT) are transforming individual work practices and organizations. These devices are extending not only the boundaries of the ‘office’ in space and time, but also the social context within which use occurs. In this paper, we investigate how extra-organizational influences can impact user satisfaction with mobile systems. The findings from our longitudinal study highlight the interrelatedness of different use contexts and their importance in perceptions of user satisfaction. The data indicate that varying social contexts of individual use (individual as employee, as professional, as private user, and as member of society) result in different social influences that affect the individual's perceptions of user satisfaction with the mobile technology. While existing theories explain user satisfaction with IT within the organizational context, our findings suggest that future studies of mobile IT in organizations should accommodate such extra-organizational contextual influences.     

Empirically Testing User Characteristics and Fitness Factors in Enterprise Resource Planning Success

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for supporting inter- and intracompany business processes are reaching maturity in many organizations. However, ERP systems are complex and expensive, and the decision to install an ERP system necessitates a choice of mechanisms for determining whether the ERP is needed and, once implemented, whether it is successful. User satisfaction is one evaluation mechanism for gauging system success. In this study, the efficacy of user characteristics and fitness factors as determinants of ERP success was empirically evaluated. The findings indicate that the fitness factors (i.e., compatibility and task relevance) have significant positive influences on ERP satisfaction. As for user characteristics, higher educated users have greater user satisfaction and managers have greater satisfaction than nonmanagement users. However, the study finds that user age, information experience, and package localization have no significant effect on ERP user satisfaction. The study offers insights that adopters and consultants can focus on to improve the level of ERP user satisfaction.     

How the user liaison's understanding of development processes moderates the effects of user-related and project management risks on IT project performance

Managing risks in information technology projects is a prime concern for both researchers and practitioners. However, little is known on how key project-based knowledge, such as the user liaison's understanding of development processes (ULUDP), affects the relationship between risk and performance. Using quantitative data collected from 63 completed projects, ULUDP has been empirically proven to weaken the negative effects of user-related and project management risks on product performance. Although the effect of the project management risk on performance remains negative, this effect decreases significantly with high levels of ULUDP, whereas user-related risk affects performance insignificantly in such situations.     

An empirical study of users as application developers

A study was conducted in ten organizations of 272 non-DP professionals (“users”) who develop their own administrative computer-based applications. The data are used to create taxonomies of such users and of the applications they develop. Findings concerning the distribution of work time, application development time, relative advantages and disadvantages of user developed applications, and other factors are summarized. Evaluations of user developed applications activity by both users and DP managers are reported, and users' perceptions of importance and satisfaction with 18 different factors related to this activity are analyzed.     

The relation of interface usability characteristics,perceived usefulness,and perceived ease of use to end-user satisfaction with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems

Over the past few years, firms around the world have implemented enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to have a standardized information system (IS) in their respective organizations and to reengineer their business processes. While millions of dollars have been spent on implementing ERP systems, previous research indicates that potential users may still not use them. This study, based on data from 51 end-users in 24 companies examines various usability factors affecting end-user satisfaction with ERP systems. The results indicate that both perceived usefulness and learnability are determinants of end-user satisfaction with ERP systems. In addition perceived ease of use and system capability affect perceived usefulness, while user guidance influences both perceived usefulness and learnability. Implications of these findings are discussed and further research opportunities described.     

The effects of user involvement: some personality determinants

A number of studies have been conducted with the purpose of confirming or disconfirming the general argument that user involvement in information system development is beneficial. Few studies have been undertaken, however, to support the view that the benefits of user involvement are affected by conditions surrounding systems development. This paper presents the results of a field study investigating the moderating influence of four user personality characteristics on the effects of user involvement on user information satisfaction. The relationship between user involvement and user information satisfaction was the most positive for users who were tolerant of ambiguity, and for users with a high need for achievement. An unexpected finding was that the relationship between user involvement and user information satisfaction was more positive for users with external-control beliefs than for users with internal-control beliefs. Degree of users' dogmatism had no impact on the outcome of user involvement.     

Measuring user satisfaction with knowledge management systems: scale development,purification, and initial test

The shift from a product-based to a knowledge-based economy has resulted in an increased demand for knowledge workers who are capable of higher-order thinking and reasoning to solve intricate problems in the workplace. This requires organizations to introduce knowledge management systems (KMS) for employees and has fueled predictions and speculations about what makes KMS effective. Unfortunately, there are very few empirical studies that examine this issue. Thus, this paper develops a validated instrument to measure user satisfaction as a surrogate measure of KMS effectiveness. Based on a survey of 147 respondents practicing mostly in four international semiconductor manufacturing companies in the Hsin-Chu Science-based Industrial Park in Taiwan suggests a 16-item instrument that measures four dimensions of user satisfaction with knowledge management systems (USKMS) is well-validated. The instrument and comprehensive model proposed in this paper would be valuable to researchers and practitioners interested in designing, implementing, and managing knowledge management systems.