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The Measurement of Consumer Attitudes Concerning Software Quality

1998; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 5; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10686967.1998.11918853

2575-6222

Michael W. Usrey, Kevin Dooley,

Technology Adoption and User Behaviour

AbstractThis article describes the development of an instrument designed to measure consumer attitudes concerning software quality. Operationalizing the construct software quality includes the dimensions of communication, completeness, features, flexibility, independence, simplicity, stability, and maturity. Ordinal scale development methods are used to develop objective, operational measures of these dimensions. An on-line, Internet-based survey tool was developed to facilitate the large number of responses required for survey validation. The instrument will help solve important problems of software development productivity, software engineering research, and survey research. Results show that relevant software consumer attitudes can be consistently and reliably observed and quantified. Results also confirm earlier studies that report benefits from the use of computer-mediated communication for survey research. Demographic data reveal an unbiased survey, and provide confirmation of several trends existing in today's software marketplace.KeywordsGuttman scalesquality measurementsoftwaresurvey Additional informationNotes on contributorsMichael W. UsreyMichael Usrey is an assistant professor in the Lockheed-Martin Engineering Management Graduate Program at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He is president and cofounder of Protocol Communications, an Internet service provider. He has previously worked for Honeywell Aviation Systems and Seagate Technologies. His background in computer science and interests in the Internet have led him to conduct research on the topic of consumer attitudes about software quality, and to actively develop and use computer-aided instructional material in his job as a professor.Usrey's current software quality research includes configuration management systems, personnel issues for software development projects, and technologies enabling distance education. His software papers published include “Dimensions of Software Quality” in the Quality Management Journal (vol. 3, no. 3); “Expert Systems Diagnosis of Failures in Mixed-Signal Circuit Card Assemblies” for the First Annual Honeywell Test Conference; and “Ballistic Meteorological Displacement from Independent Treatment of Parameters” for the U.S. Army Electronics Research and Development Command.Usrey is an NCEE Registered Professional Industrial Engineer and is certified in Production and Inventory Management by APICS. He serves on the board of directors for Protocol Communications, Inc. and for MFG Consultants, International. He is a founding member of the Minnesota Internet Services Trade Association.Usrey earned a doctorate in industrial engineering with a minor in computer science from the University of Minnesota. He may be contacted at Lockheed-Martin Engineering Management Graduate Program, University of Colorado, CB 435 - ECOT 418, Boulder, CO 80309-0435; 303-492-1211; Fax: 303-492-1443; E-mail: michael.usrey@colorado.edu.Kevin J. DooleyKevin Dooley is a professor at Arizona State University. He has a joint appointment in the departments of management and industrial and management systems engineering. He previously taught for 10 years at the University of Minnesota.Dooley conducts research and teaches in the areas of quality management, quality engineering, innovation and new product development, and complex systems theory. He has an NSF-TQO grant investigating the impact of quality practices in new product development and software engineering.In addition to QMJ's, Dooley is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Operations Management and Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, & the Life Sciences. He has published in the Journal of Quality Management, HE Transactions, and the International Journal of Production Research. He is a member of ASQ, llE, Academy of Management, PDMA, Decision Sciences, INFORMS, and the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology.Dooley has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois. He may be contacted at the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, 1711 S. Rural Rd., Tempe, AZ 85287-5906; 602-965-4612; E-mail: kevin.dooley@asu.edu.