A Large-Scale Analysis of User Feedback: Motivation
by The FeedbackLoop: #1 in PM EducationJanuary 10th, 2024
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This exploration delves into user feedback from various platforms, uncovering inclusivity challenges in software. From technical restrictions to socio-economic barriers, users share experiences that highlight the need for more inclusive design. Understanding these inclusiveness-related concerns is crucial for creating software that caters to the diverse needs of users worldwide.Company Mentioned
Authors:
(1) Nowshin Nawar Arony;
(2) Ze Shi Li;
(3) Bowen Xu;
(4) Daniela Damian.
Table of Links
Inclusiveness Concerns in Different Types of Apps
Inclusiveness Across Different Sources of User Feedback
Automated Identification of Inclusiveness User Feedback
2 MOTIVATION
Inclusive software is about designing with everyone in mind and considering the full range of human diversity [10]. Traditionally, software requirements are gathered and incorporated into the software with a more technical focus, often leading to a lack of consideration for diverse user needs. As a result, many users are unable to access particular features or, in some cases, are excluded from using the entire software. App reviews, Reddit posts or tweets offer users a space to express their opinions regarding the software. These sources serve as a rich source of information that can be useful in identifying problems that exclude users from the software.
Figure 1 presents an example from Google Play Store where the user feels excluded from using dark mode on Android and removing the AI bot as they are not a paid subscriber, indicating technical and socio-economic restrictions. Similarly, the Reddit post in Figure 3 and tweet in Figure 2 demonstrates how Facebook disabled the user’s account without any explanation and left no further options to appeal.
In the Facebook examples, the users experience exclusion from the software as they are unable to access their accounts entirely. Overlooking such issues can eventually lead to the exclusion of a significant number of users from leveraging the full potential of the software. To further illustrate, consider an instance where an app does not support multiple languages. In such cases, it excludes users who do not understand the provided language. Many such issues can be identified from online user feedback that companies should take into account to ensure a more inclusive user experience.
Inclusiveness related issues differ from conventional bug reports and feature requests, as they centre around the user experience rather than only technical aspects. Often, these issues stem from a lack of awareness, and the 3 examples show that there is a need to address inclusiveness related concerns. As illustrated in the examples, online sources carry insights into the various inclusiveness problems encountered by the diverse users of the software. Gaining more knowledge about inclusiveness issues can help raise awareness and design more inclusive software. Therefore, an in depth understanding of the inclusiveness related issues faced by diverse users is needed.
This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license.
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