Why people choose Apps: An evaluation of the ecology and user experience of mobile applications

Purpose: To investigate the reasons for users' choice of mobile applications and how their choice relates to their experience of use. Method: A mixed methods study of the factors influencing users' choice to adopt or abandon mobile applications. Seventy-nine respondents completed a questionnaire recording their top four favourite applications, the frequency of use and user experience measures: aesthetics, content, usability, pleasurable interaction, and overall experience. They also reported up to four abandoned Apps, with any alternatives considered and the reasons for use or abandoning. Follow-up interviews probed the reasons for users' choice of specific applications. Results/Conclusions: Social media was the most favoured category of App, followed by leisure, e-commerce, and communication. Quantitative data shows that content, usability and pleasure predict overall user experience and App acceptance. Interview data indicate that user's choice of downloading and abandoning applications is also influenced by usefulness, usability, content, reliability and contextual factors such as networking and recommendations. Most user App choices appear to be fast-path decisions made without systematic comparison of products.