A Grounded Theory on the impact of the app stores' review processes on development flows: Interview Scripts, Codebook and Theory instances

Qualitative Study about the impact of the app stores’ review processes on development flows Changes compared to Script 0 ● We've highlighted in green the questions that were added in Script 1 but were not present in Script 0; ● In Section 4, questions (2) and (3) have their order swapped in comparison to their counterparts in Script 0. Script 1 Section 1: Participant Characterization 1. What's your name, and in which state do you live? 2. List the last three companies related to mobile app development where you have worked, the dates this occurred, and approximately the size of each company at the time. 3. What is your current position and seniority, and what positions did you hold at those companies? 4. Which stores and platforms do you have experience with (Android/Google Play, iOS/App Store, etc.)? 5. Have you ever had experience working with apps outside of companies (indie/independent development)? Section 2: About the experience with review processes, guidelines, rejections, removals, and interactions with app stores 1. Do you have any knowledge about the app stores’ review processes? 2. Have you ever had any app or app update rejected or removed? a. If yes, what was the reason? b. If yes, over the years, has the way you deal with rejections changed? 3. Do you actively do anything to avoid rejections? a. If yes, provide an example. 4. In your view, what is the main cause of rejections in the stores? Is there any type of rejection that is more common? (Examples to be provided only if the participant does not understand the question): a. Developer errors? b. Unclear guidelines? c. Design issues? d. Problems with the idea? e. Libraries used? 5. In your view, is there a characteristic that makes an app more likely to be rejected/removed, or that requires it to undergo more detailed review? 6. Considering the current review process in the app stores (App Store and Google Play), what aspects are effective and what areas could be improved? 7. Answer only if you feel comfortable: do you know any way to "bypass" the review process? Have you had experience close to any case? If yes, have you seen (or had problems with) this? 8. Do you know in which store categories the apps you worked on fit (E.g., Finance, Kids, Games, Health and Wellness, Education, Lifestyle, Tools)? 9. Have you ever used, or do you currently use, the phased rollout features of the stores - or something equivalent? 10. Have you ever had a production issue that required an emergency update? Did the review process impact this? 11. What is the impact of the review process and a rejection/removal from the stores on development timelines? 12. In your experience, what is the average, minimum, and maximum time a review process typically takes? 13. Answer only if you feel comfortable: Have you ever worked on a project that had an account banned from the stores? If so, which store and for what reason? Section 3: About the release flow of new applications and updates 1. Draw the flows: a. For the launch of a new app at your company; b. For the launch of a new app update at your company. 2. What other workflows have you worked with? Have you worked with Continuous Deployment for mobile apps? 3. Which stages of the development flow (for a new app, update, or feature) are you involved in? a. E.g., ideation, design, just development… 4. Does the store review process have any implications for your workflow? a. E.g., activities, roles, tools, artifacts… Section 4: Non-fundamental questions 1. Do you usually follow the updates that happen in the app stores’ guidelines? If so, how do you find out about those updates? 2. In your view, what is the degree of subjectivity in the review process conducted by the app stores, and why does this subjectivity happen? 3. (Only if the participant has worked with indie development): Do you notice any differences in the app rejection, review, and approval processes between companies and independent developers? 4. (To ask only if the participant has experience with more than one store): Compare the review processes of the App Store and Google Play.