Psychological Aspects of the Transfer of Expert Systems Into Application

To gain the full value of expert systems (ES), transfer from design to application must not only ensure use of the technology but also that users are heeding the decision advice of the system. We report on a study that investigates variables relating to an intention to use an ES and acceptance of ES advice. A technology acceptance model is applied to test that perception of usefulness and whether ease of use has a strong link to the user's intent to use ES technology. A separate model of persuasion relates measures of confidence to the acceptance of the advice provided by an ES. A laboratory study of 205 student subjects utilizing a computer-selection ES served to test the two models. The study data confirmed the two models and also indicated that intent to use an ES and acceptance of the advice provided by the systems relate to different sets of variables. Organizations employing ES for crucial decisions must be alert to design an ES to build user acceptance along both psychological considerations.