I have read an interesting article on the Technology Acceptance Model in the recent ISPI journal I receive. The article by D. Stephen Taylor is pretty interesting. It has a basic model that address the issues that face employers who try to integrate new technologies within their organization. While the issues seem straight forward, I can't help but think about how this really integrates back through your implementation model, your development model, and your marketing model. Everything is impacted by the acceptance of the technology.

The model looks at perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.

As an early adapter of technology, I have my own process for technology acceptance... download/install the new app. use it a few times... if I continue to use it and it becomes part of our work process then it stays, if I go a few months without using it again then it gets removed/uninstalled.

However, when you are talking about community-based technology, it is also important that others use the technology as well. This happened to me a few years back when I had every in the office download Groove, a peer-to-peer collaboration software package. I thought it was great, but it never really took off. People didn't adopt it and therefore I couldn't continue to use it...

Another example is IM. We used ICQ as early users, but as the entire office came up-to-speed we migrated (naturally, not dictated) to MSN. My other friend hate MSN and won't use it...

I think the primary issue is perceived usefulness. If people think it will help them accomplish a goal (a goal they are highly motivated to achieve) then they will adopt the technology, no matter how cumbersome. But the easier the technology is to use the quicker the adoption will occur.