Teaching Practically Relevant Research Problem Formulation in Software Engineering with Lean Research Inception

Abstract: [Background] Well-formulated Software Engineering (SE) research problems are essential for bridging the gap between industry-academia. Lean Research Inception (LRI) aims to support this activity. [Goal] Apply LRI to support SE students in formulating practice-aligned research problems. [Method] We conducted a case study with 60 students and 7 faculty advisors of a Brazilian university. [Results] Students reported benefits in reasoning (60%), clarity and definition (61.7%), contextualization (60%), and communication (50%). Advisors also observed clearer and more structured problems (57.1%) with a high recommendation rate (85.7%). [Conclusion] LRI can be a promising approach to support practice-aligned research problem formulation in SE education.