Adoption of Blockchain for Decentralized Execution Agreements: Empirical Evidence of Usability and Acceptance

Abstract

The management of Decentralized Execution Agreements (TEDs) by the Secretariat for Coordination and Governance of Federal Assets (SPU) faces transparency and traceability challenges that hinder access to contractual information. This study evaluates the integration of SPU systems with blockchain through a blockchain-based API, adapted for the management of public processes, using Celo blockchain and IPFS for immutable and auditable registration of TEDs. We conducted usability and acceptance evaluations with 15 Java developers and 10 external users of the SEI platform, applying the Think-Aloud method. The results indicated 87% success in the tasks, an average of 4.2 (1-5) for documentation clarity, 90% acceptance, and 80% agreement regarding the contribution to transparency, suggesting the importance of considering factors such as the technology learning curve and citizens’ digital familiarity when designing blockchain-based solutions for the public sector.