User acceptance of mobile applications

WG1/ WWRF24, Penang 12 April 2010

Lene Sørensen and Knud Erik Skoubycenter for Communication, Media and Information technologiesAalborg University – Copenhagen,

Mobile applications

• Games, ringtones, guides etc.• Huge developments in mobile

applications• Creating revenue on the mobile

markets• Transcending passive mobile

entertainment• For all phones, but.. . the i-factor

Our theme in mobile applications: events

• Conference events• Travelling

Aim

• Discuss the concept of user acceptance in relation to 4 selected travel/event mobile applications

• Based on • ongoing work on user acceptance• ‘expert’ evaluations’

• Preliminary results/ conclusions

The four applications

Amsterdam mobile guide

Lonely planet city guide Cph

Copenhagen unlike city guide

The four applications

• Show the currently most interesting and new thinking possibilities in relation to event services, guides and mobile technology

User acceptance

• Key to success for any service provider

• User acceptance – the willingness of a user group to employ a technology for the task it is designed for (Dillon, 2001)

• Provides insight into why technologies are adopted or rejected

User acceptance models

• Most based on TAM: The Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989)– Perceived usefulness– Perceived ease of use

• However this model does not introduce social influences – which is important when discussing mobile applications (the cell phone is a social device)

Kaasinen’s model : User acceptance

Comparing the four applications

Perceived ease of use

Perceived value/ usefulness

Perceived ease of adoption

Trust

Amsterdam mobile guide

High – iPhone app

High – for a tourist- pictures, maps, near me, search

High- Free download/ GPS traffic

‘Official’ -GPS data –no problems

Lonely planet city guide (SF)

High – iPhone app however it is a huge application and waiting time may occur

High – maps and near by features

Medium – complicated / a book in reality – too much waiting time to look up

‘LP-concept’’/ GPS data; no event info –a problem?

Roskilde mobile festival guide

High – works on many phones – explained to target group

High – updated info on music events, interactivity with large screens

High –adoption during the festival- free download/ traffic costs

High trust – related to event

Copenhagen unlike city guide

High – iPhone app

High – for tourists as well as people living in Copenhagen – facts and expert knowledge

High – pay for download/ free usage

‘Concept’ / GPS data – probably no problems

Conclusions

• The four app’s score high on the acceptance dimensions• ‘Expert Evaluation’• ‘Many’ users – limited statistics

• Trust an issue• Several aspects• Private data

• Currently no problems/issues, but potentials for, e.g,, push services

Conclusions

• User acceptance high in new mobile event applications

• Many useful features and with a high level of users using the applications

• Trust not a current issue but could become an obstacle in the future

References

• Crossroads Copenhagen (2009): 6 case studies• Nielsen, T. And Pierson, J. (2009): Up for adoption? Paper for the

CMI conference 2009, Copenhagen• Davis, F.D. (1989): Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use,

and user acceptance of information technology, In: MIS Quarterly, 13, (3), pp. 319 – 340.

• Kaasinen, E. (2005). User acceptance of mobile services – value, ease of use, trust and ease of adoption, doctoral thesis, VTT Publications