Novice user perception of e-services : a study in the Egyptian public sector

Egypt is investing in e-services as a driver for socioeconomic development. Designing e-services that are conducive to novice users is central to their proliferation. This paper presents a study in an Egyptian government organization to investigate novice user perception of e-services, based on a questionnaire derived from the e-Qual e-service quality dimensions. Its main contribution is to show that novice users perceive e-services differently to experienced users. They perceive them more highly in terms of usability and information quality, focusing primarily on attractiveness and ease of use and understanding. They find simpler interactions more appealing and easier to learn, but associate information quality with more complex interactions. Their perception of e-service reputation although affected by presentation and usability factors is dominated by the reputation of the organization. This is the first study to focus on novice user perceptions and its results have important implications for the design of e-services.