A users' perspective on information services

Article type: Research Article

Authors: van de Wijngaert, Lidwien

Affiliations: Telematics Research Centre, P.O. Box 589, 7500 AN Enschede, The Netherlands. E-mail: L.vandewijngaert@trc.nl

Abstract: The use of information services proved to be hard to predict. This can be accounted for as a consequence of the false assumption that media use can be explained by looking from a suppliers perspective. This has been done frequently over the last decades. In communication theory we do find media use explained. Here a users' perspective is maintained. However, available theories only apply to traditional mass media. Accordingly, also from a theoretical perspective it is hard to explain the use of information services. The goal of this article is to contribute to the explanation of the use of information services by taking a users' perspective. The conclusion of this article is that the key areas for learning are accessibility, interactivity, content and the context in which communication takes place, both with regard to practice as well as theory.

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-1996-16202

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 103-121, 1996