The Applicability of Existing Measures of Effectiveness to Operational Information Systems

Abstract

The improvement of information system effectiveness is one of the major objectives in our field. However, the methodology used to measure the effectiveness is the subject of a continuing debate. One of the difficulties in the analysis or design of experiments on information systems is that they are social systems and involve individual subjective judgements as opposed to objective reactions in physical systems. But perhaps the largest barrier to progress in the development of standard measures is the vagueness of the terminology. This paper will first of all attempt to clarify the terminology of this area of study. Such terms as system, effectiveness and efficiency will be defined in order to facilitate further discussion.