A review of the factors which influence the use and usefulness of information systems

The potential usefulness of different kinds of Information System (IS) for environmental management is well recognised. However, concerns have been raised about the translation of this potential into actual use and benefit to policy and planning organisations and outcomes. The aims of this paper are to identify those factors which have been found to influence the use and usefulness of IS and in doing so to provide advice for managing development and implementation processes. There is no body of empirical work on the topic for environmental application. However a substantial literature on non-environmental IS has been developed and is used as source material. A classification of IS life cycle processes is developed and the best, worst and possible predicting factors for each process identified. The best predicting factors for IS usefulness across the life cycle were found to be user participation, user perceptions and intentions, user computer experience, top management support, support and training, external pressure, IS unit professionalism and the availability of external information sources. The state of knowledge about the determinants of IS usefulness is discussed and priorities for future research are identified. The factors identified are then discussed in terms of what they mean for managing IS development and for overcoming concerns about environmental IS development and use.