Problem Areas Encountered in Creating Valuable Smartphone Software A Software Product Management Case Study
Johanna Leonard, Anna Kjölstad Svedu · Lund University Publications Student Papers (Lund University) · 2014
Software product management is an immature research area, which takes a process perspective on value creation in the software context.The smartphone industry operates in a business--to--consumer setting.Software that is sold to an open market consisting of a mass of consumers is called market-driven software.Several authors have pointed out problem areas in either business--to--business companies or rather small business--to--consumer companies, not including embedded products.Furthermore, smartphones are categorized as embedded software products, meaning that it software is embedded in a non--software product, where software cannot be sold separately. Purpose:The purpose of this thesis is to examine the problem areas a particular smartphone manufacturer encounters in its software product management, and thereby increase the understanding of software product management in the smartphone context. Methodology:Based on the purpose of this study a qualitative case study was chosen.The research approach was open and explorative in its nature, in order to identify a wide range of problem areas.The data collection consisted mainly of interviews with employees at the case company. Problem Areas in Creating Valuable Smartphone Software --A Software Product Management Case Study 4Conclusions:The case company's process are described and analyzed.Several problem areas are identified in their way of working towards a more value--focused process.These problem areas are: Lack of a common vision, Non--existing software product management role, Unpredictable and non--transparent requirement prioritization, Consumer awareness, but no consumer focus, Imbalance between idea generation and market analysis in elicitation activities and Operators are seen as the most important stakeholder.They have to some extent been validated in the previous research.The results can be used by researchers for identifying new research areas.There are also important guidelines for practitioners, and the results of the thesis can help them to understand the obstacles they face.Finally, the results enhance the understanding of previous industrial surveys on requirements engineering and software product management by validating results and adding a new perspective; the smartphone context.