Although the field of information systems (IS) focuses on the rapid pace of technological change, many definitions and measurements used in IS research were developed during IT’s infancy, and may now be considered obsolete.

To improve the quality of IS research, Jason Thatcher and his co-authors—Deborah Compeau of Washington State University and John Correia of Gonzaga University—provide a three-step guideline to update constructs that may be outdated.

Thatcher’s guideline suggests researchers should build upon outdated constructs, rather than doing away with them. By doing so, researchers can maintain the cumulative tradition of past contributions, which modern research is built upon.