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How Does Users’ App Knowledge Influence the Preferred Level of Detail and Format of Software Explanations?

Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Research › peer review

Authors

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Netlight Consulting GmbH
  • Fortiss GmbH

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRequirements Engineering
Subtitle of host publicationFoundation for Software Quality - 31st International Working Conference, REFSQ 2025, Proceedings
EditorsAnne Hess, Angelo Susi
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages106-122
Number of pages17
ISBN (electronic)978-3-031-88531-0
ISBN (print)9783031885303
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2025
Event31st International Working Conference on Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality, REFSQ 2025 - Barcelona, Spain
Duration: 7 Apr 2025 → 10 Apr 2025

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science
Volume15588 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (electronic)1611-3349

Abstract

Context and Motivation: Due to their increasing complexity, everyday software systems are becoming increasingly opaque for users. A frequently adopted method to address this difficulty is explainability, which aims to make systems more understandable and usable. Question/problem: However, explanations can also lead to unnecessary cognitive load. Therefore, adapting explanations to the actual needs of a user is a frequently faced challenge. Principal ideas/results: This study investigates factors influencing users’ preferred the level of detail and the form of an explanation (e.g., short text or video tutorial) in software. We conducted an online survey with 58 participants to explore relationships between demographics, software usage, app-specific knowledge, as well as their preferred explanation form and level of detail. The results indicate that users prefer moderately detailed explanations in short text formats. Correlation analyses revealed no relationship between app-specific knowledge and the preferred level of detail of an explanation, but an influence of demographic aspects (like gender) on app-specific knowledge and its impact on application confidence were observed, pointing to a possible mediated relationship between knowledge and preferences for explanations. Contribution: Our results show that explanation preferences are weakly influenced by app-specific knowledge but shaped by demographic and psychological factors, supporting the development of adaptive explanation systems tailored to user expertise. These findings support requirements analysis processes by highlighting important factors that should be considered in user-centered methods such as personas.

Keywords

    app-specific knowledge, explainability, software engineering, survey study, user experience

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

How Does Users’ App Knowledge Influence the Preferred Level of Detail and Format of Software Explanations? / Obaidi, Martin; Fischbach, Jannik; Herrmann, Marc et al.
Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality - 31st International Working Conference, REFSQ 2025, Proceedings. ed. / Anne Hess; Angelo Susi. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. p. 106-122 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15588 LNCS).

Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Research › peer review

Obaidi, M, Fischbach, J, Herrmann, M, Deters, H, Droste, J, Klünder, J & Schneider, K 2025, How Does Users’ App Knowledge Influence the Preferred Level of Detail and Format of Software Explanations? in A Hess & A Susi (eds), Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality - 31st International Working Conference, REFSQ 2025, Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 15588 LNCS, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 106-122, 31st International Working Conference on Requirements Engineering, Barcelona, Spain, 7 Apr 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88531-0_8
Obaidi, M., Fischbach, J., Herrmann, M., Deters, H., Droste, J., Klünder, J., & Schneider, K. (2025). How Does Users’ App Knowledge Influence the Preferred Level of Detail and Format of Software Explanations? In A. Hess, & A. Susi (Eds.), Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality - 31st International Working Conference, REFSQ 2025, Proceedings (pp. 106-122). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 15588 LNCS). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88531-0_8
Obaidi M, Fischbach J, Herrmann M, Deters H, Droste J, Klünder J et al. How Does Users’ App Knowledge Influence the Preferred Level of Detail and Format of Software Explanations? In Hess A, Susi A, editors, Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality - 31st International Working Conference, REFSQ 2025, Proceedings. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2025. p. 106-122. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-88531-0_8
Obaidi, Martin ; Fischbach, Jannik ; Herrmann, Marc et al. / How Does Users’ App Knowledge Influence the Preferred Level of Detail and Format of Software Explanations?. Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality - 31st International Working Conference, REFSQ 2025, Proceedings. editor / Anne Hess ; Angelo Susi. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. pp. 106-122 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).
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