The DeLone and McLean Model of
Information Systems Success: A TenYear Update
WILLIAM H. DELONE AND EPHRAIM R. MCLEAN
Review
Table of Content:
1. Introduction
2. Model Adoption
3. Model Validation
4. Model Issues
5. Model Extensions
6. Measurement Enhancements
7. Other Success Frameworks
8. Analysis and Recommendations
9. The Updated D&M IS Success Model
10. E-Commerce Success
11. Summary and Conclusions
12. References
Introduction:
The Information Systems Success Model (IS Success Model) is a framework for
understanding and measuring the success of information systems (IS). It was developed by
William H. DeLone and Ephraim R. McLean in 1992, and has since become one of the most
influential theories in contemporary IS research. [1]
The IS Success Model identifies six critical dimensions of IS success:
1. Information quality: The accuracy, relevance, and timeliness of the information
produced by the IS.
2. System quality: The technical characteristics of the IS, such as reliability, ease of
use, and performance.
3. Service quality: The quality of support provided to users of the IS.
4. System use: The frequency and extent to which users interact with the IS.
5. User satisfaction: The users' overall assessment of the IS.
6. Net benefits: The positive and negative impacts of the IS on the organization.
The IS Success Model suggests that these six dimensions of success are interrelated. For
example, system quality is expected to lead to higher user satisfaction and use, which can
lead to positive net benefits for the organization.
The IS Success Model has been used to measure the success of a wide variety of IS,
including enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, e-commerce systems, and customer
relationship management (CRM) systems. It has also been used to study the success of IS
in a variety of organizational settings, including government agencies, healthcare
organizations, and educational institutions.
The IS Success Model has been praised for its comprehensive and integrative nature. It
provides a framework for understanding the different dimensions of IS success and how they
are interrelated. The model has also been praised for its practical implications. It can be
used by organizations to develop and implement strategies to improve the success of their
IS investments.
The IS Success Model has, however, been extended and refined over the years [2]. For
example, DeLone and McLean (2003) added a seventh dimension to the model: individual
impact. This dimension refers to the impact of the IS on the individual user's performance
and productivity.
The IS Success Model has also been criticized for its focus on individual user satisfaction.
Some argue that the model does not adequately capture the organizational benefits of IS. In
response to this criticism, DeLone and McLean (2003) emphasized the importance of the net
benefits dimension of the model.
The article being reviewed, "The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems
Success: A Ten-Year Update” by William H. Delone And Ephraim R. Mclean, discusses the
DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success and its updates over the past
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decade. It highlights the adoption and validation of the model, measurement enhancements,
the addition of "service quality" and collapsing of "individual impacts" and "organizational
impact" into "net benefits" in the updated model. The article also explores the measurement
of e-commerce success and provides analysis and recommendations for future research.
The overall conclusion is that the updated model provides a solid foundation for measuring
IS success, including in the e-commerce environment.
One interesting aspect of the paper is the comprehensive review of the research
contributions made to the DeLone and McLean Model over the past ten years. The authors
analyze various empirical studies that have tested the interrelationships among the
dimensions of success in the model. They highlight the significant findings and discuss the
implications for understanding and measuring information systems success. This review
provides a valuable overview of the validation and enhancement of the model,
demonstrating its relevance and applicability in the field.
On the other hand, one part of the paper that may be less interesting, and in fact was dreary
to me, is the discussion on the level of analysis. The authors address the question of
whether the benefits of information systems should be measured from an individual,
organizational, industry, or national perspective. While this is an important consideration, it
may not be as engaging as other sections of the paper that focus on the dimensions and
validation of the model.
Furthermore, one aspect of the paper that may be challenging for readers to understand is
the technical terminology and concepts related to information systems research. The authors
use specific terms such as system quality, information quality, service quality, and net
benefits, which may require some background knowledge in the field to fully grasp their
meaning. However, the authors provide explanations and examples throughout the paper to
aid in understanding these concepts.
This paper can be further used as a foundational resource for researchers and practitioners
interested in measuring the success of information systems. The DeLone and McLean
Model of Information Systems Success provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating
the effectiveness of information systems, and the updated version presented in this paper
incorporates new dimensions such as service quality and net benefits. Researchers can use
this model as a guide for designing studies and developing measures to assess the success
of information systems in various contexts.
The remaining parts of this review will provide a detailed analysis of each section of the
article and summarize the main points of the article.
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Model Adoption
The study conducted a comprehensive and integrative analysis of previous research to
identify the determinants of Information Systems (IS) success based on the DeLone and
McLean IS Success Model. The researchers examined 140 studies and identified 43
variables that have been posited as determinants of IS success. These variables were
grouped into five categories: Task, Individual, Social, Project, and Organizational.
The study found several important success factors that consistently influence IS success.
These factors include task compatibility, user expectations, management support, and IT
infrastructure. Task compatibility refers to the alignment between the IS and the tasks it
supports, while user expectations relate to the users' anticipated benefits and outcomes from
the IS. Management support plays a crucial role in providing resources and guidance for IS
implementation, and IT infrastructure refers to the technological foundation that supports the
IS.
However, the study also revealed significant gaps in our knowledge of success
determinants. Some variables of interest are understudied, and others have generated
mixed results due to inconsistencies in measurement. For example, the impact of social
variables on IS success is not well understood, and there is a lack of research on the
determinants of Information Quality and Service Quality. These gaps highlight the need for
further investigation to enhance our understanding of the factors that contribute to IS
success.
The study provides a roadmap for future research in the field of IS success. It suggests four
areas for further investigation: interactions among antecedents, antecedents of specific IS
success dimensions, specific antecedents, and project management and IS success.
Exploring the interactions among antecedents can help uncover complex relationships and
dependencies between different success factors. Investigating the antecedents of specific IS
success dimensions can provide insights into the factors that influence each dimension
individually. Examining specific antecedents in more detail can help identify their impact on
IS success. Lastly, studying project management and its relationship with IS success can
provide valuable insights into effective project management practices.
The study also highlights the need for future research to validate or invalidate the DeLone
and McLean IS Success Model. While the model has received substantial empirical support,
there is still room for further validation and refinement. Additionally, the study emphasizes
the importance of considering the multidimensional nature of IS success and the need to
explore different levels of analysis, types of IS, and contexts to gain a comprehensive
understanding of success determinants.
In conclusion, this study contributes to our understanding of the determinants of IS success
by identifying important success factors and highlighting gaps in our knowledge. It provides a
roadmap for future research, guiding researchers towards areas that require further
investigation. By addressing these gaps and exploring the suggested research areas, we
can enhance our understanding of IS success and assist organizations in implementing
successful IS.
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Model Validation
Model validation refers to the process of testing and confirming the accuracy, reliability, and
effectiveness of a model. In the context of the DeLone and McLean Model of Information
Systems Success, validation involves empirical studies that examine the relationships
among the dimensions of success proposed in the model.
The model validation process for the DeLone and McLean Model has been extensive and
has contributed to its widespread adoption and acceptance in the research community.
Numerous empirical studies have been conducted to test the associations among the
dimensions of success and to determine if the proposed causal relationships hold true.
One important aspect of model validation is the examination of the interrelationships among
the dimensions of success. The model proposes that system quality, information quality,
service quality, use, user satisfaction, and net benefits are interrelated and influence each
other. Empirical studies have tested these relationships and have provided evidence of the
associations between the dimensions. For example, research has shown that higher system
quality leads to higher user satisfaction and use, which in turn have positive impacts on
individual and organizational productivity.
The validation process has also involved testing the model in different contexts and with
different populations. Studies have been conducted in various industries, organizations, and
user groups to ensure the generalizability and applicability of the model. For instance,
Seddon and Kiew surveyed users of a university accounting system and found significant
relationships between system quality, information quality, user satisfaction, and individual
impact. This study demonstrates the validation of the model in a specific context.
Furthermore, the validation process has examined the statistical significance of the
associations among the dimensions of success. Empirical studies have used statistical
techniques such as path analysis and goodness-of-fit tests to determine the significance of
the relationships proposed in the model. For example, Rai et al. performed a goodness-of-fit
test on the entire D&M IS Success Model based on survey responses from users of a
university student information system. The study found that all of the path coefficients among
success dimensions were significant, providing further validation of the model.
The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success is a causal model. Unlike a
process model, which merely states that B follows A, a causal model postulates that A
causes B; that is, increasing A will cause B to increase (or decrease). (Delone & McLean,
2003, p. 12). Hitchcock (2018) defined causal models as “mathematical models representing
causal relationships within an individual system or population. They facilitate inferences
about causal relationships from statistical data. They can teach us a good deal about the
epistemology of causation, and about the relationship between causation and probability.
They have also been applied to topics of interest to philosophers, such as the logic of
counterfactuals, decision theory, and the analysis of actual causation” [4].
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The model validation process for the DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems
Success has involved extensive empirical testing and examination of the relationships
among the dimensions of success. The numerous studies conducted to validate the model
have provided strong support for the proposed associations and have contributed to the
acceptance and adoption of the model in the field of information systems research.
Model Issues
The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success, despite its widespread
adoption and validation, has faced some criticisms and challenges that can be categorized
as model issues. These issues have prompted researchers to propose enhancements and
alternative perspectives on the model.
One of the main model issues raised by Seddon is the combination of process and causal
interpretations within the model. Seddon argues that the inclusion of both variance and
process explanations in the model can lead to confusion and potentially conflicting
meanings. Seddon proposes a respecified variance model of IS success as an alternative.
However, the authors of the DeLone and McLean Model believe that their combination of
process and variance interpretations is valid and necessary for a comprehensive
understanding of IS success. They argue that their formulations provide a different approach
to the same goal.
Another model issue is the difficulty of applying the model in specific research contexts.
Researchers have commented on the challenges of defining and operationalizing IS success
within their specific studies. Different types of systems, organizational variations, and
stakeholder interests can modify the importance and relevance of success measures. Jiang
and Klein found that users prefer different success measures depending on the type of
system being evaluated. Seddon et al. proposed a two-dimensional matrix for classifying IS
effectiveness measures based on the type of system studied and the stakeholder's interest.
These considerations highlight the need for contextual variance specifications and the
flexibility to choose appropriate success variables based on the objectives and context of the
study.
Furthermore, some researchers have used the model to support their chosen success
variables without considering the multidimensional and interdependent nature of IS success.
The authors of the DeLone and McLean Model caution against this approach and emphasize
the importance of systematically combining individual measures from the IS success
categories to create a comprehensive measurement instrument. They encourage
researchers to study the interrelationships among the dimensions and control for them in
their studies.
Despite these model issues, the authors believe that the original model and its conclusions
still provide a sound basis for IS success measurement, even in the e-commerce
environment. They argue that the proposed changes in the updated model are largely
changes in degree rather than in kind. The addition of "service quality" and the collapsing of
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"individual impacts" and "organizational impact" into "net benefits" aim to preserve the
parsimonious nature of the model.
Hence, it is evident that the DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success
has faced model issues related to the combination of process and causal interpretations, the
difficulty of applying the model in specific research contexts, and the misuse of the model to
support chosen success variables without considering the multidimensional nature of IS
success. However, the authors believe that the model still provides a solid foundation for IS
success measurement and encourage further research and enhancements to address these
issues.
Model Extensions
The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success has undergone several
extensions and updates over the years. These extensions aim to enhance the model's
applicability and provide a more comprehensive framework for measuring the success of
information systems.
One significant extension to the model is the inclusion of "service quality" as an important
dimension of IS success. The authors recognize the importance of IS support, particularly in
the e-commerce environment where customer service plays a crucial role. Service quality
refers to the overall support delivered by the service provider, whether it is the IS
department, a new organizational unit, or an outsourced Internet service provider. The
quality of support is essential in ensuring customer satisfaction and retention, as poor user
support can result in lost customers and sales.
The updated D&M IS Success Model also incorporates the collapsing of "individual impacts"
and "organizational impact" into a single variable called "net benefits." This change aims to
preserve the parsimonious nature of the model while acknowledging the broader impacts of
information systems beyond the individual and organizational levels. The model recognizes
that IS impacts can extend to work groups, inter-organizational relationships, industry,
consumers, and even society as a whole. The choice of where to measure these impacts
depends on the specific system being evaluated and its intended purposes. By grouping all
impact measures into a single category of "net benefits," the model provides a
comprehensive view of the overall positive impacts and benefits derived from the system.
The model extensions also highlight the relevance of the DeLone and McLean Model in the
context of e-commerce systems. The authors demonstrate that the updated model is useful
for developing comprehensive e-commerce success measures. They emphasize the
importance of dimensions such as system quality, information quality, and service quality in
evaluating the effectiveness of e-commerce systems. These extensions recognize the
unique characteristics and challenges of e-commerce and provide a framework for
assessing the success of these systems.
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Measurement Enhancements
Measurement enhancements refer to the improvements and developments made in the
measurement of the dimensions of success in the DeLone and McLean Model of Information
Systems Success. The authors of the paper acknowledge the need for a significant
reduction in the number of dependent variable measures to facilitate comparability of
research results. They highlight several studies that have developed and tested survey
instruments to measure one or more of the six success constructs in the model.
One example of measurement enhancement is the work of Torkzadeh and Doll, who
developed a four-factor, 12-item instrument to measure the individual impact of information
systems. They conducted a survey of 409 end users from 18 different organizations to test
the measurement instrument. The results showed strong evidence of reliability, convergent
validity, and discriminant validity of the instrument. The individual impact dimensions
measured included task productivity, job performance, decision-making performance, and
overall individual impact.
Another study by Mirani and Lederer focused on measuring organizational benefits derived
from IS projects. They developed a 33-item instrument that measured three categories of
organizational benefits: strategic, informational, and transactional. The instrument was
tested in a survey of 200 IS managers and systems analysts, and the results demonstrated
strong evidence of discriminant validity. The study further identified subdimensions within
each benefit category, such as competitive advantage, alignment, customer-relations
benefits for strategic benefits, information access, information quality, and information
flexibility for informational benefits, and communication efficiency, systems development
efficiency, and business efficiency for transactional benefits.
These measurement enhancements contribute to the understanding and measurement of IS
success by providing validated instruments that capture the multidimensional nature of
success. They offer researchers the means to measure and analyze the specific dimensions
of success in a comprehensive and reliable manner. By using these instruments,
researchers can obtain more accurate and comparable data, leading to a better
understanding of the effectiveness and impact of information systems.
Other Success Frameworks
Other success frameworks have been proposed as alternatives or complements to the
DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success. These frameworks aim to
provide additional perspectives and dimensions for measuring the effectiveness of
information systems.
One such framework is the IS effectiveness framework developed by Grover et al. This
framework is based on the theory of organizational effectiveness and complements and
extends the DeLone and McLean Model. It introduces six IS effectiveness categories:
infusion measures, market measures, economic measures, usage measures, perceptual
measures, and productivity measures. These categories consider different unit-of-analysis
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and evaluation-type context dimensions. The framework recognizes the importance of
system quality and information quality as antecedent effectiveness constructs, which differ
from the DeLone and McLean Model that considers them as dimensions of success itself.
The Grover et al. framework serves to validate the D&M IS Success Model from a theoretical
perspective and suggests the inclusion of market impacts, which are incorporated in the
updated model.
Smithson and Hirschheim proposed a conceptual framework for IS evaluation. Their
framework organizes various theoretical bases for IS evaluation into three "zones" of
evaluation: efficiency, effectiveness, and understanding. It suggests that appropriate
constructs or metrics can be drawn from different theoretical sources such as software
metrics, organizational behavior, sociology, and cognitive psychology. While this framework
overlaps with the dimensions of the DeLone and McLean Model, it does not specify actual
success constructs and related measures. Instead, it serves as a source for identifying and
developing IS evaluation measures. This framework offers an alternative theoretical
perspective for developing IS evaluation schemes.
These other success frameworks provide alternative perspectives and dimensions for
measuring IS effectiveness and success. While they may overlap with the DeLone and
McLean Model, they offer different theoretical bases and considerations for evaluating
information systems. Researchers can choose to adopt these frameworks based on the
specific objectives and context of their studies, expanding the understanding and
measurement of IS success beyond the dimensions proposed in the DeLone and McLean
Model.
Analysis and Recommendations
The analysis and recommendations section of the document focuses on the updates and
enhancements made to the DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success.
The authors discuss the need to add a third dimension, "service quality," to the original
dimensions of "systems quality" and "information quality." They argue that service quality is
crucial, especially in the e-commerce environment where customer service plays a
significant role.
Additionally, the authors propose combining the "individual impacts" and "organizational
impact" dimensions into a single variable called "net benefits." This consolidation aims to
simplify the model and transfer the focus of analysis to the researcher, who can specify the
appropriate level of analysis based on the objectives of the study.
The authors also address the level of analysis in measuring IS success. They highlight the
importance of specifying the perspective from which benefits are measured, whether it is
from the individual, employer, industry, or national perspective. They emphasize that
collapsing the individual and organizational impacts into net benefits does not eliminate the
need to specify the focus of analysis.
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Based on these considerations, the authors present the updated D&M IS Success Model as
a foundation for future IS empirical research. They suggest that the model needs further
development and validation before it can serve as a basis for selecting appropriate IS
measures. They encourage researchers to continue testing and challenging the model and
propose changes as necessary.
Furthermore, the authors recommend the inclusion of "service quality" as an important
dimension of IS success, given its significance in the e-commerce environment. They also
suggest that the success model should be used to develop comprehensive e-commerce
success measures, as demonstrated in Table 1 of the document.
The Updated D&M IS Success Model
The Updated D&M IS Success Model builds upon the original DeLone and McLean Model of
Information Systems Success and incorporates changes to reflect the evolving role of
information systems and the emergence of e-commerce. The model introduces two key
updates: the addition of "service quality" as a dimension and the collapsing of "individual
impacts" and "organizational impact" into a single variable called "net benefits."
The model, presented in Figure 3, maintains the three major dimensions of quality:
"information quality," "systems quality," and "service quality." These dimensions are
considered separately as they influence subsequent "use" and "user satisfaction." The
model recognizes that the interrelationships among these dimensions are crucial for
understanding IS success.
The dimension of "use" is further discussed, acknowledging the challenges in interpreting its
multidimensional aspects. The authors suggest that in some contexts, "intention to use" may
be a valuable alternative measure to capture attitudes, while recognizing the difficulty in
measuring attitudes and their links with behavior.
The collapsing of "individual impacts" and "organizational impact" into "net benefits" aims to
simplify the model while preserving its parsimonious nature. This change acknowledges the
broader impacts of information systems beyond the individual and organizational levels. The
focus of analysis is emphasized, as the level of analysis must be specified, whether from the
individual, employer, industry, or national perspective.
The authors emphasize that the updated model is a degree-based change rather than a
fundamental shift. They believe that the original conclusions of the model still provide a solid
foundation for measuring IS success, even in the e-commerce environment. The model is
seen as a framework for future research and encourages further development, validation,
and contextual variance specifications.
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E-Commerce Success
E-commerce success refers to the effectiveness and positive outcomes of electronic
commerce systems in achieving their intended goals. The document highlights the impact of
information technology, particularly the internet, on business operations and the challenges
faced by companies in evaluating the success of their e-commerce systems. The authors
discuss the adaptation of the DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success to
address the measurement challenges in the e-commerce world.
The updated D&M IS Success Model incorporates the dimensions of system quality,
information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction, and net benefits. These
dimensions are relevant for evaluating the success of e-commerce systems. The model
recognizes the importance of system quality in terms of adaptability, availability, reliability,
response time, and usability. Information quality is crucial for personalized, complete,
relevant, easy-to-understand, and secure web content. Service quality, which encompasses
the overall support delivered by the service provider, is particularly important in the ecommerce environment where customer service plays a vital role.
The model also emphasizes the significance of usage, user satisfaction, and net benefits in
measuring e-commerce success. Usage measures encompass various activities such as
visiting a website, navigation, information retrieval, and transaction execution. User
satisfaction is an important indicator of customers' opinions and experiences with the ecommerce system. Net benefits capture the overall positive and negative impacts of ecommerce on customers, suppliers, employees, organizations, markets, industries,
economies, and societies. These net benefits need to be determined based on the specific
context and objectives of each e-commerce investment.
The document provides a table of e-commerce success metrics, which align with the
dimensions of the updated model. These metrics include adaptability, availability, reliability,
response time, usability, completeness, ease of understanding, personalization, relevance,
security, and more. The table demonstrates how the dimensions of the updated model can
be used as a framework to organize various success metrics identified in the IS and ecommerce literature.
Summary and Conclusions
The "Summary and Conclusions" section of the document provides an overview of the key
findings and recommendations based on the analysis and updates made to the DeLone and
McLean Model of Information Systems Success.
The authors begin by acknowledging the success of the model's adoption in research, with
over 285 refereed papers referencing and utilizing the model. They highlight the importance
of the model as a common framework for reporting and comparing research work on IS
success.
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The section emphasizes the need for measurement enhancements in the model. The
authors call for a reduction in the number of dependent variable measures to facilitate
comparability of research results. They mention the development and testing of survey
instruments that measure the six success constructs of the model, such as system quality,
information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction, and net benefits.
The authors discuss the addition of "service quality" as a dimension in the updated model,
recognizing its significance in the e-commerce environment. They also propose collapsing
"individual impacts" and "organizational impact" into a single variable called "net benefits" to
simplify the model while preserving its parsimonious nature.
The section concludes by stating that the original conclusions of the model still provide a
solid basis for IS success measurement, even in the e-commerce environment. The authors
believe that the proposed changes in the updated model are largely changes in degree
rather than in kind. They encourage further development, validation, and contextual variance
specifications of the model.
References
1. DeLone, W. H., & McLean, E. R. (1992). Information systems success: the quest for
the dependent variable. Information Systems Research. 3 (1): 60–95.
doi:10.1287/isre.3.1.60
2. DeLone, W. H., & McLean, E. R. (2002). Information Systems Success Revisited.
Proceedings of the 35th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
(HICSS), Big Island, Hawaii, 238-249.
3. DeLone, W. H., & McLean, E. R. (2003). The Delone and McLean Model of
Information Systems Success: A ten-year update. Journal of Management
Information Systems, 19(4), 9–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2003.11045748
4. Hitchcock, C. (2018, August 7). Causal models. Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2018/entries/causal-models/
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