Challenges and success factors in introducing information systems for students’ online registration : a case study of a University of Technology

Abstract

The beginning of the 2011 academic year in South Africa saw a number of Institutions of Higher Learning introducing online registration for their students. The efficiency and effectiveness of Information Systems is increasingly becoming a necessity and not an option for many organizations. An information system should be able to allow end users to access information easily and navigate with ease. The selected University of Technology (UoT) in this research is one of the largest public institution of higher learning in the Western Cape Province and boasts of an enrolment of more than 30 000 students per academic year. An observation was made that, during registration students stand in long queues waiting to register or for assistance to register. The system tends to ‘freeze’ whilst students are registering and students are in most cases unfamiliar with the system interface. They constantly have to enquire what to do next when going through online registration process. This study adopted a quantitative approach. The study uses constructs of the updated DeLone and McLean IS success model (2003) to analyse and explain the student’s perceptions of the online registration system. The research was undertaken to establish the student’s perceptions of the online registration system. This research identifies the challenges and success factors of introducing an online registration system, from a students’ perspective, whilst highlighting the extent to which this system has been able to solve problems associated with the manual registration era. The study seeks to assist management and those responsible for managing the current system to determine how well the system is working or not working to achieve user satisfaction. It will also assist them going forward on what to consider before, during and after implementation of an information system. Stemming from the findings of this study, recommendations were made such as making online registration available on mobile devices, online registration orientation can assist students navigate the system easily. The UoT should also consider thorough training for staff that assist students during registration to ensure good service quality.