System effectiveness of knowledge-based technology: the relationship of user performance and attitudinal measures

User satisfaction surveys are frequently used as surrogate measures of system effectiveness in spite of uncertainty whether user perceptions adequately measure system effectiveness. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence whether effective system use is the cause, or the consequence, of user satisfaction. This study examines the relationship of effectiveness measures in the use of advisory knowledge-based applications. Two objective performance measures and three subjective attitudinal constructs are recorded as users engage in problem solving tasks supported under several interface software conditions. The objectives of the study are to rest and validate an attitudinal instrument relevant to system effectiveness, and to determine the relationships of the objective and subjective measures within the context of a general user acceptance model.<>