Success Dimensions in Selecting Cloud Software Services

Cloud computing is promoted by providers as a service offering to satisfy the modern information system needs of the business stakeholder. These services are presented in a way that can be elastic, scalable, cost-effective and delivered via the internet on a pay-for-usage pricing model. These services are now within the grasp of the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). Businesses in general, and SMEs in particular, may not have the technical capability to explicitly state their service needs or expectations or to assess risks. This paper highlights some of the unseen technical hurdles faced by SMEs in selecting and identifying software-as-a-service offerings. The research was undertaken through an analysis of providers considered by businesses, the expertise the businesses sought, and an ethnographic observation of a service selection. The results are used to propose indicative success dimensions for cloud service selection and a need for more detailed research to support SME in service selection.