In and Outs of Technology Acceptance Model

The ABCs of the Technology Acceptance Model

From the invention of computers to the advent of Androids, technology has come a long way. Was it easy for humans to accept technology as an integral part of their lives? How did humans figure out whether the technology would improve lives? The Technology Acceptance Model or TAM is one of the easiest ways to explain the relationship between technology and human beings.

The study of TAM explains some of the restrictions that made it difficult to adopt new technologies. This blog consists of all the details required for you to nail a paper on TAM. Check it out.

What Is Technology Acceptance Model?

This model is based on an information systems theory that explains how humans have accepted and used technology. It was developed by Fred Davis in 1989. Whenever a new technology comes up, there are multiple factors that influence the decision of whether the technology will be put to use or not. The model is all about analyzing those factors. Notably, two main factors rule the acceptance of technology.

Perceived ease-of-use or PEOU- This factor was brought to notice by Davis, who explained it as the extent to which a person will believe that a specific system can be used effortlessly.
Perceived usefulness- Davis considered this factor since it showed the extent to which technology will improve a person’s productivity or job performance.

After the invention of this model by Fred Davis, it has been continually updated. TAM 2 and the United Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology are the latest upgrades of this model.

This model not only states the relationship between a user and technology but also shows its impact on the world. It is with the help of this model that information seekers gain informative skills easily. The Technology Acceptance Model talks about various multiple external factors that people consider before accepting and using technology. The external factors include mindset, personal abilities, intention, etc.

Now that you know what a Technology Acceptance Model is, let’s see how it works, which brings us to our next sub-heading.

How Does a Technology Acceptance Model Work?

The main purpose of a TAM is to make people believe that a specific technology will improve their productivity at work. The technology should make the user feel that he/she has control over whatever he/she is doing.

As mentioned earlier in the blog, the TAM considers two basic factors: Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The Technology Acceptance Model strictly works on the basis of these two factors.

Perceived usefulness is the first thing that users consider in the model as shown in the diagram below. It determines how useful the technology is to the world. Perceived ease of use indicates how easy the technology is to use. As a matter of fact, both these factors can be considered as two separate dimensions.

According to the theory of reasoned action, the TMA postulates that the use of technology is influenced by behavioral intention. Now, what is behavioral intention made up of? It is made up of a person’s attitude towards the use of technology and the usefulness of that technology. This shows that both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use influence the attitude towards using the system.

Davis figured out that the perceived ease of use also had a great impact on the attitudes of people towards a specific technology. He further explained that two mechanisms are used to make that possible. One is the self-efficacy and the other is instrumentality.

The term self-efficacy was introduced in the year 1982. It explains that technology with greater ease of use has the user’s greater sense of efficacy towards it. Say you have been exposed to a technology that is too complicated to use. You could get the work done 5X faster without using the technology. Will you use it or look for other faster options?

Instrumentality determines the time or effort taken to get results through technology. If technology lets you use less effort or delivers the outcome without consuming a lot of time, it is easier to trust the technology. In that case, you will have enough time to invest in other tasks.

It is not that difficult to understand how a TAM works. The bottom line is if the technology is easy to use and has significant uses, people will accept it right away! Now let’s have a look at how to use this model.

How to Use the Technology Acceptance Model?

The process of using the Technology Acceptance Model is somewhat similar to the way it works. Depending on the industry, you need to consider the factors as discussed above and construct the model.

For example, say you want to research if online learning technology will work in some specific parts of India. In that case, consider the model as shown above. You need to consider the ease of use and the usefulness of the technology.

Prepare a questionnaire for students in India who have already been exposed to online learning. The answers will help you understand a student’s perception of ease of use, usefulness, and attitude towards online learning. These factors will determine the student’s behavioral intention to use online learning as an integral part of education.

Davis invented the Technology Acceptance Model to clear the air between the connection of technology and human beings. Whenever you want to introduce new technology in the market, consider the model carefully. Keep the factors and the conceptual framework of the model in your mind to make a wise decision.