A cost-benefit evaluation method for web-based information systems

ABSTRACT

Most evaluations of web-based information systems are done with respect to their effectiveness in supporting users in finding and exploring the information they need. We believe (1) that we need to move beyond task effectiveness and look at the whole-of-system effectiveness, and (2) that we must balance benefits with costs. We propose a method that provides guidance in whole-of-system evaluations, explicitly considering all participants and both sides of the "bang for buck" equation.

REFERENCES

• 1: Cornford, T, Doukidis, G.I. and Forster, D. (1994). Experience with a structure, process and outcome framework for evaluating an information system, Omega, International Journal of Management Science, 22(5):491--504.
• 2: DeLone, W. H. and McLean, E. R. (1992). Information Systems Success: The Quest for the Dependent Variable. In Information Systems Research, 3(1):60--96.
• 3: Paris, C., Colineau, N. and Wilkinson, R. Evaluating Web-Based Information Systems from a Cost-Benefit Perspective: A Case Study. CSIRO ICT Centre Technical Report 09/165. 2009.
• 4: Mingfang Wu , James A. Thom , Andrew Turpin , Ross Wilkinson, Cost and benefit analysis of mediated enterprise search, Proceedings of the 9th ACM/IEEE-CS joint conference on Digital libraries, June 15-19, 2009, Austin, TX, USA [doi>10.1145/1555400.1555445]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.m MISCELLANEOUS

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.0 GENERAL
  D.m MISCELLANEOUS

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors, Measurement

Keywords:
cost-benefit analysis, evaluation, human information processing, methodology, user/machine systems, web-based information systems, web-based interaction