Variations in users' definitions of an information system

Abstract

Information systems (IS) are complex and abstract. When users are asked to evaluate “the system,” there is no guarantee that they will all be thinking about the same object. Laboratory research has shown that differences in the way an IS is defined affect users' evaluations of the system. If such variations exist in the field (that is, if the term “the system” invokes different images in the minds of different users), they might affect user evaluations. This paper reports a study of variations in users' definitions of a human resource information system. There were significant variations in opinions about what the IS was. Most users were certain that their definitions were correct, even though they disagreed with one another. Users with more IS-related expertise included fewer objects in the system than less expert users. The findings have implications for MIS research and management. In particular, developers should provide each user with a definition of an IS from the time of their first contact with the system. The definition should be aligned with the organizational responsibilities of the developers.