Experience effects on the accuracy of self-assessed user competence Jane I. Gravill a, * , Deborah R. Compeau a , Barbara L. Marcolin b a Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont., Canada N6A 3K7 b Haskayne School of Business, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta., Canada T2N 1N4 Received 4 November 2004; received in revised form 13 August 2005; accepted 16 October 2005 Available online 28 November 2005 Abstract Self-managed learning is the normal way that users learn to work with software within organizations. To be effective, self- managed, learning requires individuals to self-assess their IT knowledge; accurate self-assessment helps them optimize the capabilities they possess and be aware of those they do not. This study demonstrated that, in general, individuals did not accurately self-assess their knowledge of the software they used. However, we also found that the accuracy of self-assessment increased with greater experience in, and better understanding of, IT domains. Organizations need to recognize the self-assessment problem to facilitate effective software learning and to gain the most from their software investments. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ISRL categories: IA02 (computer literacy); GA03 (end user computing); FD06 (user training); GB01 (user characteristics) Keywords: User competence; Training; Self-assessment; IT domains ‘‘He who knows best, knows how little he knows’’, Thomas Jefferson. For organizations to use their information technology (IT) effectively, employees need to engage in ongoing user learning in order to keep pace with changing tech- nology. New learning requirements result from changes in both this and the tasks that individuals undertake for their work. Managing the learning process presents many issues and challenges for both organizations and employ- ees [7,46] and one of the most challenging phases of the process is in assessing training needs [38]. It requires in- depth assessment of the individual, the task, and the organization to determine what training is required [26,27,19]. It is difficult to design training content or determine the most appropriate mechanism for delivery without first understanding users’ needs. Moreover, it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of training if training requirements are not clearly understood. A second challenge relates to the locus of responsibility for maintaining IT skills. Research on user training and learning consistently shows that self- training has become the most common means by which users learn. Increasingly, organizations are relying on e- Learning programs or training portals that require employees to self-select themselves into training programs to meet new knowledge demands and keep pace with the changing occupational competency profiles of existing or new roles within the organization. www.elsevier.com/locate/dsw Information & Management 43 (2006) 378–394 * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: jgravill@alumni.uwo.ca (J.I. Gravill), dcompeau@ivey.uwo.ca (D.R. Compeau), marcolin@ucalgary.ca (B.L. Marcolin). 0378-7206/$ – see front matter # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.im.2005.10.001