User satisfaction-are we really measuring system effectiveness

Drawing upon attribution theory, the effects are examined of performance outcomes on users' judgments about an information system at the conclusion of a computer-based business game. Results indicate that those users who successfully performed the task attributed their performance outcomes to their own effort and understanding, while those who were unsuccessful tended to blame their poor performance on luck and/or the quality of the system. The relationship between user expectations and actual outcomes is also linked to performance attributions. It is concluded that the patterns of causal reasoning observed raise serious questions about the validity of using user satisfaction ratings as measures of system effectiveness.<<ETX>>

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