Abstract

"User Requirements of Mobile Technology - Results from a Content Analysis of User Reviews"

Judith Gebauer, Ya Tang, and Chaiwat Baimai

First Author :

Judith Gebauer
Assistant Professor of Information Systems, Business Administration
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business
1206 S. Sixth Street
350 Wohlers Hall, MC 706
Champaign, IL 61820
USA

217-244-0330
217-244-7969 (Fax)

gebauer@uiuc.edu

http://www.business.uiuc.edu/faculty/gebauer.html

Second Author :

Ya Tang
Doctoral Candidate of Information Systems, Business Administration
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business
1206 S. Sixth Street
350 Wohlers Hall, MC 706
Champaign, IL 61820
USA

yatang2@uiuc.edu

Third Author :

Chaiwat Baimai
Doctoral Candidate of Business Administration
Texas A&M International University, College of Business Administration
5201 University Blvd.
Laredo, TX 78041-1900
USA

cbaimai@students.tamiu.edu

Abstract :

Advanced mobile technology continues to shape professional environments. Smart cell phones, pocket computers and laptop computers reduce the need of users to remain close to a wired information system infrastructure and allow for task performance in many different contexts. Among the consequences are changes in technology requirements, such as the need to limit weight and size of the devices. In the current paper, we focus on the factors that users find important in mobile devices. Based on a content analysis of online user reviews that was followed by structural equation modeling, we found four factors to be significantly related with overall user evaluation, namely functionality, portability, performance, and usability. Besides the practical relevance for technology developers and managers, our research results contribute to the discussion about the extent to which previously established theories of technology adoption and use are applicable to mobile technology. We also discuss the methodological suitability of online user reviews for the assessment of user requirements, and the complementarity of automated and non-automated forms of content analysis.

Keywords :

content analysis, mobile business users, Mobile devices, online user reviews, requirements engineering, usability

Manuscript Received : 2007

Manuscript Published : October 15, 2007

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