A TEN-YEAR UPDATE The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success (D&M IS)

Article Overview Brings previous paper up to date Focus on “research efforts that apply, validate, challenge, and propose enhancements” to the original model Propose refinements and updates Discuss use of the model “for measuring e-commerce systems” Recommendations regarding current and future measures of success

Studies Testing D&M IS Success Model Two studies (Seddon and Kiew; Rai et. al) set out with the goal of validation via empirical testing Others conducted explicit testing of “associations among the measures identified” Additional studies proceeded with implicit testing of the model “by investigating multiple success dimensions and their interrelationships.” “36 of the 38 success factor associations that were empirically tested [in selected studies] were found to be significant.”

Success Model Associations Evaluated (in order of strength): System Use and Individual Impacts System Quality and Individual Impacts Information Quality and Individual Impacts “With one exception, all the other links or associations in the D&M IS Success Model were empirically validated.” One Dutch study determined that “the association between system use and organizational revenues and profitability was not statistically significant.”

Challenges and Other Research It is too confusing to combine interpretations of both process and variance in the model and diagrams. “system use” is a “behavior appropriate for inclusion in a process model but not in a causal model.” It can be difficult to apply “in specific research contexts.” Independent v. Dependent Variables Success Model should include service quality as a dimension. Measure Enhancements - research done in response to the ‘call to action’ in 1992 article for fewer dependent variables to make comparison of research possible Other Successful Frameworks – Some researchers “have developed and proposed alternate frameworks for measuring IS effectiveness.”

The Updated D&M IS Success Model Incorporation of Recommendations Addition of dimension “service quality” “to the two original system characteristics, ‘systems quality’ and ‘information quality.’” Creation of “net benefits” dimension from “individual” and “organizational impacts” dimensions.

E-Commerce Success System quality: usable, available, reliable, adaptable. Information quality: content issues Service quality: support from service provider Usage: all user activity User satisfaction: customer opinions Net benefits: many measures in this area, but not unlike those already developed for evaluation of traditional IS systems

Conclusion The foundational theories used in the development of the Original Model and retained in the Updated Model are sound and continue to be effective measures both in traditional IS environments as well as the new e-commerce environment. The interrelationships of the dimensions play an important part in research results and “should continue to be considered and tested.”

Questions for Discussion What are some examples of Net Benefits stemming from Information Systems found in the Library setting? What are some illustrations of Service Quality in the same setting? What do you make of the authors’ contention that some suggestions about improving their model “flow from a confusion between what is an independent variable and what is part of the dependent variable, IS success? Why do you think this might be a difficult distinction to understand?