Replication package - A Mixed-Methods Empirical Study Combining Surveys and Interviews on Prioritizing Feature Requests from User App Reviews in the Context of Agile Mobile Software Development

Abstract: Mobile software development practitioners spend extensive effort prioritizing feature requests extracted from app reviews. However, empirical studies to explore or explain how, in the context of Mobile Software Development (which is inherently agile), practitioners prioritize feature requests extracted from user reviews are missing. Given the complete lack of empirical studies in the context of Agile Mobile Software Development (AMSD), there is a need for such research to inform researchers about feature request prioritization strategies (factors, metrics, methods, techniques, patterns, and approaches) in AMSD. This research study aims to fill this gap in understanding how practitioners handle feature requests extracted from app reviews and how they prioritize them in AMSD. We used a mixed-methods empirical approach: a survey of 169 respondents and 12 interviews, which clarified or complemented survey elements. Respondents came from 10 medium and large-sized mobile app companies. We followed best practices in conducting both. Results from surveys and interviews were combined to produce insights. The study found that (1) the importance of prioritization factors varies, influenced by multiple considerations: app (e.g., app store platform), organization (e.g., market status), and time (regulator’s deadlines). (2) Ranking and classification are the most common combined techniques. (3) Enhancement feature requests are addressed first. (4) User justification as a prioritization factor remains understudied. This study is the first to explore feature request prioritization in AMSD. Our findings show interesting insights for practitioners, leaders, and researchers, along with actionable recommendations for industry.