TASK-TECHNOLOGY FIT - Human-Computer Interaction and Management Information Systems: Foundations - page 172

Figure 9.3 A Technology to Performance Chain

Task
Characteristics

Feedback

Task-
Technology
Fit

Technology
Characteristics

Individual
Characteristics

Individual
Performance

Precursors of Utilization:

Expected Consequences of
Utilization (Beliefs),

Use

Affect Toward Using,

Feedback

Social Norms,

Habit,

Facilitating Conditions

Reprinted by permission from Goodhue and Thompson, 1995. Copyright 1995, Regents of the University of
Minnesota.

Tasks are broadly defined as the actions carried out by individuals in turning inputs into out-
puts. There is potential for some confusion in terminology here. Organizational researchers some-
times define technology quite broadly as actions used to transform inputs into outputs (e.g.,
Perrow, 1967; Fry and Slocum, 1984). Technologies are the tasks of individuals producing out-
puts. In MIS research, we tend to differentiate technologies from tasks. Task characteristics of
interest include those that might move a user to rely more heavily on certain aspects of the infor-
mation technology. For example, the need to answer many varied and unpredictable questions
about company operations would move a user to depend more heavily upon an information sys-
tem's capacity to process queries against a database of operational information.
Individuals may use technologies to assist them in the performance of their tasks.
Characteristics of individuals such as training, computer literacy, or motivation could affect how
easily and well the individuals will be able to utilize the technology to accomplish their tasks.
Task-technology fit (T TF) is the degree to which a technology assists an individual in perform-
ing his or her portfolio of tasks. More specifically, TTF is the correspondence between task
requirements, individual abilities, and the functionality and features of the technology. Since TTF
in this definition includes characteristics of the individual, a more accurate label for the construct
might be task-individual-technology fit, but the simpler TTF label is easier to use.
The antecedents of T TF are the interactions between the task, technology, and the individual.
Certain kinds of tasks (for example, interdependent tasks requiring information from many organiza-
tional units) require certain kinds of technological functionality (for example, integrated databases