Using the Critical Incident Technique to Identify Factors of Service Quality in Online Higher Education

Information technologies are changing the way in which higher education is delivered. In this regard, there is a necessity for developing information systems that help university managers measure the quality of online services offered to their students. This paper discusses the importance of considering students’ perception of service quality. The authors then identify key factors of service quality, as perceived by students, in online higher education. To this end, the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) is proposed as an effective qualitative methodology. Some benefits of this methodology are highlighted and an exploratory research is carried out in a real environment to illustrate this approach. Results from this research explain which quality dimensions are considered the most valuable to online students. Information provided by this methodology can significantly improve strategic decision-making processes in online universities worldwide.