The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is one of the most widely researched and cited theories in the field of Information Technology. It helps understand how users respond to new technologies and services, and their willingness to adopt them. This article covers all you need to know about TAM and its 6 stages of adoption with examples. Keep reading...
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What is the Technology Acceptance Model?
The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was first proposed by Davis in 1989. The TAM was developed to understand why people do or don’t adopt IT. The model was designed to serve as a framework or guide to understand user behaviour towards IT adoption. The TAM is a model that predicts how people will react to new technologies and can be applied to new technology as well as existing technologies.
The model has two parts: 1- The first part is the user’s perception of the benefits of the technology. 2- The second part is the user’s expectation of the effort required to use the technology. The model states that if the perceived benefits outweigh the expected effort, the user will be more likely to use that technology.
Why is understanding TAM important?
The acceptance of new technologies has an impact on the organization’s productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. The adoption of new technologies can be challenging. If a new technology is not effectively communicated and understood, then the technology is unlikely to be adopted. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was first proposed by Davis in 1989. The model was designed to serve as a framework or guide to understand user behaviour towards IT adoption. TAM is one of the most widely researched and cited theories in the field of Information Technology. It helps understand how users respond to new technologies and services, and their willingness to adopt them.
The 6 Stages of TAM (Technology Acceptance Model):
The Technology Acceptance Model has seven stages that users pass through before they start using a new technology. The transition from one stage to another is dependent upon the user’s perception of the technology and its utility. The six(6) stages of the Technology Acceptance Model are: - Awareness, Interest, Evaluation, Trial, Regular use, Loyalty.
1-Awareness - The first stage is awareness, where people become aware of the new technology. In this stage, the users are likely to have come across the technology but not have any real understanding of it. They are likely to have seen an advertisement, have seen the technology being used in their organization, or have heard someone discussing it.
2- Interest - The next stage is interest, where users have a general interest in the new technology. They will want to know more about it and may want to try it out. This is an important stage because it means the users are considering using the technology and exploring its potential value to them.
3- Evaluation - The next stage is that of evaluation. This is where users are actively researching the technology and are considering its potential advantages and disadvantages.
4- Trial - At the trial stage, users are giving the technology a test run and actively seeking to explore its benefits and learn how it works. In the trial stage, users are likely to have access to a sample of the technology. This may be a free sample, or it could be a sample that they have paid for. In some cases, it may be a sample provided by the organization.
5- Regular use - When users move from the trial stage to regular use, it means that they have adopted the technology and now use it on a continuous basis. They have likely received support and training, and have overcome any previous barriers to adoption.
6- Loyalty - Loyalty is the final stage in the Technology Acceptance Model. It means that users have become brand loyal to the technology. They will actively promote the technology and may even be prepared to pay a premium to use it.
Research shows that people go through these stages in a certain order:
While the seven stages of the Technology Acceptance Model are useful as a model, research has indicated that people do not necessarily go through the stages in order. Instead, they go through the stages in the order of their utility. That is, they will move from one stage to the next when they perceive the utility of doing so. For example, a user may move from the awareness stage to the interest stage when they have come across the technology. But then they may decide that they are not interested in it and move back to the awareness stage. When they decide that there is some utility in moving to the next stage, then they may do so.
Influence Factors for Each Stage of TAM:
The Technology Acceptance Model has seven stages. Each stage is associated with a range of factors that influence the user’s decision to adopt the technology. These factors are also used to understand why people do or don’t adopt a technology.
1- The first stage is awareness. The factors that influence this stage are the user’s motives, expectations, and the influence of others.
2- The second stage is interest. The factors that influence this stage are the user's motives, the promise of benefits, and ease of use.
3- The third stage is evaluation. The factors that influence this stage are the user's motives, the perceived costs, and the ease of use.
4- The fourth stage is trial. The factors that influence this stage are the user’s motives, and the ease of use.
5- The fifth stage is regular use. The factors that influence this stage are the user’s motives, and the ease of use.
6- The sixth stage is loyalty. The factors that influence this stage are the user's motives, and the ease of use.
When to expect each stage of TAM?
One of the challenges with technology adoption is that people are not always forthcoming about their experiences and their adoption of technology. The Technology Acceptance Model provides an interesting perspective into how and why people adopt technology. However, the challenge is that the model is not always obvious, and it is sometimes difficult to determine where a particular user is in the adoption process.
Bottom line:
The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is a model that predicts how people will react to new technologies. The model has seven stages and is likely to go through the stages in the order of their utility. The model helps organizations understand how people respond to new technologies. After reading this article, you should have a good idea of what the Technology Acceptance Model is, why it is important, and the six(6) stages of adoption. You should also be able to identify the factors that influence each stage of adoption and understand when to expect each stage of adoption.
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