Attributes to Support the Formulation of Practically Relevant Research Problems in Software Engineering

TL;DR

This paper introduces seven key attributes to guide the formulation of practically relevant research problems in Software Engineering, emphasizing their importance and practical application through a workshop with senior researchers.

Contribution

It identifies and evaluates seven attributes for formulating industry-oriented SE research problems, providing insights into their application and potential refinements.

Findings

Seven attributes are crucial for practical problem formulation.

Participants suggest adding financial and feasibility considerations.

Attributes support better alignment between research and industry needs.

Abstract

[Background] A well-formulated research problem is essential for achieving practical relevance in Software Engineering (SE), yet there is a lack of structured guidance in this early phase. [Aims] Our goal is to introduce and evaluate seven attributes identified in the SE literature as relevant for formulating research problems (practical problem, context, implications/impacts, practitioners, evidence, objective, and research questions) in terms of their perceived importance and completeness, and learn how they can be applied. [Method] We conducted a workshop with 42 senior SE researchers during the ISERN 2024 meeting. The seven attributes were presented using a Problem Vision board filled with a research example. Participants discussed attributes in groups, shared written feedback, and individually completed a survey assessing their importance, completeness, and suggestions for improvement. [Results] The findings confirm the importance of the seven attributes in the formulation of industry-oriented research problems. Qualitative feedback illustrated how they can be applied in practice and revealed suggestions to refine them, such as incorporating financial criteria (e.g., ROI) into implications/impacts and addressing feasibility and constraints under evidence. [Conclusion] The results reaffirm the importance of the seven attributes in supporting a reflective and context-aware problem formulation. Adapting their use to specific research contexts can help to improve the alignment between academic research and industry needs.