The Importance of Utility within Information Systems

Abstract: This candidate thesis is written with the purpose to develop knowledge about utility and to understand utility in information systems.The actual problem we faced was to understand if a system provided the right kind of functionality for its users and also, if the utility provided was sufficient. A software suite developed by Volvo IT, called Tech Tool allowed us to practice our study and gain deeper understanding about utility in information systems. The empirical data used in this study consists of experiences from the respondents, gathered in a semi structured interview. Based on the empirical data acquired, we were able to understand the issues at hand and also helped us draw conclusions about further work needed to be done. The general utility provided by Tech Tool is sufficient in most cases but sometimes, user find it hard to complete their tasks due to errors or missing information or simply, lack of utility in certain areas. We also found out that usability played a vital role along with utility to create a usable system. This research was conducted at a Volvo IT office in Gothenburg.