DEVELOPMENT AND MEASUREMENT VALIDITY OF A TASK-TECHNOLOGY FIT INSTRUMENT FOR USER EVALUATIONS OF INFORMATION-SYSTEMS

Although many researchers have raised concerns about the lack of theor etical underpinnings for the user evaluation construct and the lack of measurement validity for specific instruments measuring it, the const ruct is still widely used in IS research. This paper reports on the de velopment and measurement validity of a diagnostic tool used in recent ly published research to evaluate an organization's overall informatio n systems and services. A distinctive feature of this instrument is th at it is conceptually based on the task-technology fit theory in which the correspondence between information systems functionality and task requirements leads to positive user evaluations, and positive perform ance impacts. Specifically, the instrument development was guided by a task model of managerial decision making using recorded organizationa l information. This model suggested the different information systems functionalities required by users for that task, which then serve as t he basis for a ''task-technology fit'' (TTF) instrument. The instrumen t thus measures the degree to which an organization's information syst ems and services meet the information needs of its managers. An extens ive test of the measurement validity of the instrument is conducted us ing a sample of 357 users in 10 companies. It is found to have excelle nt reliability and discriminant validity for 12 dimensions of TTF, and also exhibits strong predictive validity. Finally, the instrument is compared to two other well-known user evaluation instruments. Though n o single instrument can meet all needs, the instrument presented here should be considered an attractive option for researchers and practiti oners seeking to measure the effectiveness of organizational informati on systems.