Critical Role of Usability in the Adoption and Implementation of E-Government Systems: User-Centred Approach

Abstract

The implementation of e-government systems promised to revolutionize public administration, offering streamlined services, improved transparency, and enhanced citizen engagement, ultimately fostering efficiency and accountability within governmental operations and service delivery. Despite the rollout in all 47 counties in Kenya, e-government systems faced high failure rates, resulting in significant losses, diminished user trust, and low citizen uptake. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of system usability in the adoption and implementation of e-government systems, with the user at the center. The study adopted a survey research design. A sample size of 228 county employees was selected from a target population of 530 employees through stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were used as data collection instruments. The validity of the tool was tested using IT experts, while reliability was realized through the use of Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient. Findings from the research suggest that the success of e-government systems heavily depends on their usability and focus on user needs and experiences. This shows that for enhanced adoption of e-government systems, the usability aspects should be carefully looked into with a user-centered approach.