Using the Technology Acceptance Model in Understanding the Usage of a Web-based Document Management System for the Fire Safety Enforcement Unit of the Bureau of Fire Protection

Abstract

Purpose—This project aims to solve document management issues at the Fire Safety Enforcement Unit (FSEU) of a local Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) branch in Pampanga by developing a web-based system with SMS notifications to streamline the processing of Fire Safety Inspection Certificates (FSIC).

Method—This applied research used systems development with mixed quantitative and qualitative methods, selecting respondents through purposive sampling for a survey based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to identify key factors affecting adoption.

Results—The TAM components assessment of the developed system yielded favorable results. Respondents perceived the developed system as valuable and user-friendly, with mean scores of Perceived Usefulness (PU)—4.35, Perceived Ease of Use (PEU)—4.09, and Intention to Use (IU)—4.11. The reliability and validity have also been measured, achieving high-reliability scores for PU (0.9302), PEU (0.9029), and IU (0.8665). Spearman's rank correlation revealed significant positive correlations between variables.

Conclusion—The proposed system for FSIC processing is perceived as highly useful and easy to use. The study also extends beyond functionality by incorporating security measures to protect data within the BFP DMS.

Recommendations—Key insights improved the BFP Document Management System by simplifying the interface, enabling mobile-responsive UI, adding an inspector interface, centralizing admin control, and a proactive notification feature that strengthens compliance tracking. These changes create a user-focused, adaptable system.

Research Implications—Developing information systems entails time and resources, but their implementation of such IS indirectly improves community safety by helping manage local business compliance.