New Perspectives on the System Usage Construct

Although DeLone-McLean and others insist that system usage is a key variable in information systems research, the system usage construct has received little theoretical scrutiny, has no accepted definition, and is measured by a diverse set of measures. In this article, we present a systematic approach for reconceptualizing the system usage construct. Comprised of two stages, definition and selection, the approach enables researchers to develop clear and valid measures of system usage for a given theoretical and substantive context. The definition stage requires that researchers define system usage and explicate its underlying assumptions. In the selection stage, we suggest that system usage be conceptualized in terms of its structure and function. The structure of system usage is tripartite, comprising a user, system, and task, and researchers need to justify which elements of usage are most relevant for their study. In terms of function, researchers should choose measures for each element (i.e., user, system, and/or task) that tie closely to the other constructs in the researcher’s nomological network. To provide evidence of the viability of the approach, we undertook an empirical investigation of the relationship between system usage and short-run task performance in cognitively engaging tasks. The results support the benefit of the proposed approach and suggest new directions for research into the nature of system usage, its antecedents, and its consequences.