Usability of Theories of Technology Acceptance

        Shackel (1991) described usability as a system’s capability to be used by humans effectively and easily. His idea of an acceptable system is one that satisfies its users’ requirements for utility, usability, and cost. Usability may be seen as a combination of the following goals: effectiveness, efficiency, safety, utility, learnability, and memorability (Preece, 1994; Preece & Rodgers, 2002). In the original Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), perceived ease of use represents the degree to which a technology will be free from effort, thus measuring the degree of users’ perceived understanding, mental effort, ease of use, and flexibility of a given technology (Davis, 1989). Venkatesh (2000) provided the most noted TAM extension in relation to usability as he attempted to identify the key determinants of the perceived ease of use element of the TAM. Venkatesh theorized the existence of anchor and adjustment factors, which affect perceived ease of use. He suggested that before users have experience with the system, they are expected to anchor (i.e., CSE, perceptions of external control, computer anxiety, computer playfulness) their system-specific perceived ease of use of the new system to their general beliefs regarding computers and computer use. Additionally, as the users’ experience with the system increases, they are expected to adjust (i.e., perceived enjoyment and objective usability) their system-specific perceived ease of use to reflect their system interactions.

        On the other hand, one of the conclusions in TAM model after empirically tested is that even if potential users perceive given system or technology is useful, it will be moderated by their belief if they think the system or technology is too difficult to use and performance benefits of usage are outweighed by the effort of using the system or technology (Davis, 1989). In the case of social media, it is reasonable to be inspired by the TAM model and therefore employ some concepts from it. Social media, as a new form of internet technology and communication tool, does require users to basic knowledge about internet and computer technology. In the preliminary interview, (perceived usability ) that user experience on accessing the website and the speed of information seeking are mentioned. This corresponds mainly with three characteristics of social media that are speed, accessibility and openness (Taprial & Kanwar, 2012) (Mayfield, 2008). يحتاج الى رفريز