Measuring the effectiveness of computing services

This thesis reports research that was carried out to develop a management tool for measuring the effectiveness of computing services. Effectiveness was considered in terms of the degree to which services met users' needs, and measured by the degree of satisfaction expressed by users concerning those services. The tool which was developed comprised a questionnaire survey of the user population, the construction and analysis of a data base of responses, interviews with users, and acquisition of knowledge of the local computing environment. Adequate development of the tool was achieved by carrying out two investigations of the services provided by the University of Canterbury Computer Centre. The major factors underlying the users' satisfaction responses were exposed, and their overall levels of satisfaction with these factors were used to measure the effectiveness of the service. The influence of various user and use characteristics on satisfaction was then examined. Both investigations revealed the importance of the human face of the service. Effectiveness was seen to depend on the provision of a technically adequate, yet convenient and friendly service. The results of the investigations showed that worthwhile information for a concerned computer centre management can be obtained relatively easily using the tool