Software Feature Life Cycles: Insights From a Value-Based Typology of Software Feature Innovation
Adarsh Kumar Kakar · Interacting with Computers · 2016
Most software products developed for the market are in perpetual beta mode. Product managers are in a never-ending race to differentiate their products from competition by introducing new product features. However, feature innovations can be risky. Feature innovations that are transitory result in wasted development effort, delay in time-to-market, and increased complexity, maintenance and operational costs of the software product. In this multidisciplinary longitudinal study we propose a typology of feature innovation using the two types of value provided by a product feature innovation to the user—utilitarian and hedonic. This value-based typology integrates concepts from human–computer interactions, information systems and product development literatures. It was tested with actual users of a software product and the results supported the proposed typology. The typology has interesting applications for practice and future research including prediction of software feature life cycles and identification of durable feature innovations.