A Study on Visualization of User Reviews

User reviews is a research method with increasing application in the application (`app') industry in recent years because it allows development teams to better understand users' needs and ideas through user review analysis. However, deciding how to interpret the massive daily incoming user review data and how to sort them into useful information is a challenge that development teams must address. This study combined the architecture of an app with the excellent information communication capability of information visualisation and compiled a priority list of version releases based on function areas mentioned in user reviews, allowing development teams to create strategies for updates and emergency resolution, as well as designing apps to meet users' expectations, and to therefore achieve better user experience. Subsequent to a heuristic evaluation, the three most important suggestions were made: 1. Improve the enrichment of the visualisation chart; 2. Increase follow-up evaluation; and 3. Understand the reasons and context that lead users to like apps. Experts that participated in the evaluation believed that the visualisation chart generated in this study allows developers to better understand users' real needs, to be able to focus on the more serious issues related to system structure, and assign them with higher priority for repair such that product evaluation will be enhanced resulting in more download volume and profits. The experts also believed that if visualisation charts can be enhanced with more flexibility and user reviews will be followed up with ongoing evaluation, the approach suggested in the present study will surely prove to be very useful in the app market application.