Information systems are a series of formal processes by which the potential usefulness of a specific message being processed is enhanced, i.e., value is added. Energy, time, and money must be invested to change useless data to productive knowledge, a value-added process. Because ultimately usefulness, i.e., the determination of value, must rest with the user, it is necessary to describe the environments from which problems arise which require information for resolution. From an understanding of these environments, we can develop a better sensitivity to the users' perceptions of their benefits and costs as they use information systems. The aim of this article is to develop a different way of looking at information systems in which the information use becomes the prime design factor rather than technology and content.
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