Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa

Henrico, SCoetzee, SCooper, Antony K2023-06-132023-06-132022-11Henrico, S., Coetzee, S. & Cooper, A.K. 2022. Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa. Transactions in GIS. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/12792https://doi.org/10.1111/tgis.13003http://hdl.handle.net/10204/12792We conducted a study to find out whether and why South African users accepted QGIS. In the quantitative part of the study, we found that QGIS acceptance is primarily influenced by habit, followed by facilitating conditions, price value, and social influence. To better understand and explain these results, we conducted a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 geospatial practitioners. While a geographic information system (GIS) product was often prescribed by their workplace, interviewees had clear preferences for a specific GIS product for certain kinds of tasks, supporting the finding that habit is the main reason for using a GIS product. Interviewees used QGIS because it opens most data formats and there is one license for all functionality (facilitating conditions), is free (price value), and/or had been advised by someone important (social influence). The interviews revealed why software support (commercial or free) was not significant in the quantitative results: users think GIS support is not necessary or else available online. Identical to the quantitative study, interviews confirmed that customizability, no vendor lock-in, improved reliability, quality, and security do not play a role when deciding to use QGIS. These qualitative results provide a deeper understanding of the quantitative results and can be used by promotors of open-source geospatial software to increase uptake. In general, they can also help managers embed new products into any organization's workflows. In our study, interviewees and questionnaire respondents were selected to be users. Repeating the study for GIS developers and/or managers will provide further insight into QGIS acceptance.FulltextenFree and open-source softwareGeographical information systemGISFree and open-source software for geographical information systemsFOSSGISUnified Theory of Acceptance and Use of TechnologyUTAUT2QGISQualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South AfricaArticleHenrico, S., Coetzee, S., & Cooper, A. K. (2022). Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa. Transactions in GIS, http://hdl.handle.net/10204/12792Henrico, S, S Coetzee, and Antony K Cooper "Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa." Transactions in GIS (2022) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/12792Henrico S, Coetzee S, Cooper AK. Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa. Transactions in GIS. 2022; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/12792.TY - Article AU - Henrico, S AU - Coetzee, S AU - Cooper, Antony K AB - We conducted a study to find out whether and why South African users accepted QGIS. In the quantitative part of the study, we found that QGIS acceptance is primarily influenced by habit, followed by facilitating conditions, price value, and social influence. To better understand and explain these results, we conducted a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 geospatial practitioners. While a geographic information system (GIS) product was often prescribed by their workplace, interviewees had clear preferences for a specific GIS product for certain kinds of tasks, supporting the finding that habit is the main reason for using a GIS product. Interviewees used QGIS because it opens most data formats and there is one license for all functionality (facilitating conditions), is free (price value), and/or had been advised by someone important (social influence). The interviews revealed why software support (commercial or free) was not significant in the quantitative results: users think GIS support is not necessary or else available online. Identical to the quantitative study, interviews confirmed that customizability, no vendor lock-in, improved reliability, quality, and security do not play a role when deciding to use QGIS. These qualitative results provide a deeper understanding of the quantitative results and can be used by promotors of open-source geospatial software to increase uptake. In general, they can also help managers embed new products into any organization's workflows. In our study, interviewees and questionnaire respondents were selected to be users. Repeating the study for GIS developers and/or managers will provide further insight into QGIS acceptance. DA - 2022-11 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR J1 - Transactions in GIS KW - Free and open-source software KW - Geographical information system KW - GIS KW - Free and open-source software for geographical information systems KW - FOSSGIS KW - Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology KW - UTAUT2 KW - QGIS LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2022 T1 - Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa TI - Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/12792 ER -26348