Evaluating the Impact of Electronic Business Systems: Lessons Learned from Three Cases at the Defense Logistics Agency

Jonathan A. Morell, Ph.D.

The Altarum Institute

in press Acquisition Review Quarterly

Abstract

This article synthesizes our experience evaluating three electronic business (eBusiness) systems in the Defense Logistics Agency. The focus was on actual impact in real life operational settings. We summarize our experience in terms of lessons learned, and make a case that our experience can help others do similar evaluation. Lessons learned are grouped into six categories: metrics and data sources, methodology, program logic, adaptive systems, realistic expectations, and dependencies among the previous five.