Information Systems Success Revisited.pdf

Information Systems Success Revisited William H. DeLone Kogod College of Business American University wdelone@american.edu Ephraim R. McLean Robinson College of Business Georgia State University emclean@gsu.edu Abstract The DeLone McLean IS Success Model has become a standard for the specification and justification of the measurement of the dependent variable in information systems research. Attempts to apply and test the model have resulted in both confirmation and challenges. This paper reviews and analyzes over 150 articles which have referenced the model over the past eight years in order to examine what more we have learned about measuring IS success. It highlights recent contributions to IS success measurement and proposes a Reformulated IS Success Model which recognizes and incorporates those contributions. The report concludes with recommendations for future IS success measurement. 1. Introduction The measurement of information systems success or effectiveness is critical to our understanding of the value and efficacy of IS management actions and IS investments. In 1992, we published a paper (DeLone McLean 1992) in which we attempted to bring some awareness and structure to the “dependent variable” – information systems success – in IS research. We proposed a taxonomy and an interactive model as frameworks for con- ceptualizing and operationalizing IS success, hereafter referred to as the DM IS Success Model. Since then, over 150 articles in refereed journals and conference proceedings have referred to, and made use of, this IS Success Model. Five of the nine articles in Garrity Sanders’ 1998 book, Information System Success Measurement, focus explicitly on issues related to the DM IS Success Model. The IS success section of the ISWorld Web site is currently organized according to the DM success taxonomy. The wide popularity of the model is strong evidence of the need for a compre