Information systems & technology
Perceived ease of use scale: TAM, UTAUT
- Concept
- Perceived Ease of Use
- Field
- Information systems & technology
- Scales in the library
- 4
- Items
- 16
Perceived ease of use is the degree to which a person believes that using a system requires little effort. Davis (1989) introduced the concept in TAM as a factor affecting perceived usefulness and usage intention. In UTAUT and UTAUT2, the corresponding concept is effort expectancy; in website quality research, ease of use is a component of SITEQUAL. Common thesis topics: banking apps, e-wallets, online learning platforms, shopping websites.
Comparing the scales
| Scale | Author (year) | Items | Response format | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) scale | Davis (1989) | 6 | Likert 7-point | Choose when the model follows TAM; Davis's original 6 items. |
| Effort Expectancy (EE) UTAUT scale | Venkatesh et al. (2003) | 4 | Likert 7-point | Choose when the model follows UTAUT in organizations; 4 items. |
| Effort Expectancy (EE) UTAUT2 scale | Venkatesh et al. (2012) | 4 | Likert 7-point | Choose when the model follows UTAUT2 for consumers; 4 items. |
| Ease of Use (EOU) Website quality (SITEQUAL) | Yoo & Donthu (2001) | 2 | Likert 7-point | Choose when measuring website quality and you only need a short ease of use component (2 items). When your paper also has the brand equity scale from the same year by Yoo and Donthu, cite SITEQUAL as Yoo and Donthu (2001a). |
Items of each scale
Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or
[brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.
Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) · Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| PEOU1 | Learning to operate [system] would be easy for me. |
| PEOU2 | I would find it easy to get [system] to do what I want it to do. |
| PEOU3 | My interaction with [system] would be clear and understandable. |
| PEOU4 | I would find [system] to be flexible to interact with. |
| PEOU5 | It would be easy for me to become skillful at using [system]. |
| PEOU6 | I would find [system] easy to use. |
Source: Davis (1989). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) scale.
Effort Expectancy (EE) · UTAUT scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| EE1 | My interaction with [system] would be clear and understandable. |
| EE2 | It would be easy for me to become skillful at using [system]. |
| EE3 | I would find [system] easy to use. |
| EE4 | Learning to operate [system] is easy for me. |
Source: Venkatesh et al. (2003). Response scale, licence and APA reference: UTAUT scale.
Effort Expectancy (EE) · UTAUT2 scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| EE1 | Learning how to use [mobile Internet] is easy for me. |
| EE2 | My interaction with [mobile Internet] is clear and understandable. |
| EE3 | I find [mobile Internet] easy to use. |
| EE4 | It is easy for me to become skillful at using [mobile Internet]. |
Source: Venkatesh et al. (2012). Response scale, licence and APA reference: UTAUT2 scale.
Ease of Use (EOU) · Website quality (SITEQUAL)
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| Q1 | This site is convenient to use. |
| Q2 | It is easy to search for information. |
Source: Yoo & Donthu (2001). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Website quality (SITEQUAL).
Tips
- The effect of ease of use often fades as respondents become familiar with the technology. If you survey long-time users, a non-significant result is normal.
- The SITEQUAL scale has only 2 items. If you use it as a separate construct in PLS-SEM, add 1 item to reach 3.
- Replace [system] with the specific app name. Do not use vague terms like 'digital technology'.
Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Are perceived ease of use and effort expectancy different?
Almost the same. UTAUT built effort expectancy from TAM's ease of use and complexity. Choose the name according to your source model.
Which variables does ease of use affect in TAM?
In TAM, ease of use affects perceived usefulness and attitude or usage intention. Theses often test both paths.
Can the ease of use scale be used for websites?
Yes. The TAM scale works for websites when you replace [system] with the website name. If your topic is website quality, the SITEQUAL ease of use component fits better.