The Digital Frontline: A Thematic Analysis of User Grievances and Satisfaction Drivers for Indonesian Public Service Apps

Abstract

This research assesses Indonesia's digital public service ecosystem by analyzing 50 mobile applications from a wide range of state agencies. Using a computational content analysis of metadata and user reviews from the Google Play Store, this study presents a dual-faceted evaluation. First, a thematic analysis of negative reviews (1-2 stars) reveals that user grievances are overwhelmingly dominated by foundational issues, such as login/access problems, slow performance, and technical glitches, rather than a lack of advanced features. Second, a corresponding analysis of positive reviews (5 stars) identifies that user satisfaction is primarily driven by high-quality features, ease of use, and overall application reliability. Quantitative findings show significant performance disparities across institutional categories, with Ministrydeveloped apps receiving the lowest average user satisfaction. An Importance-Performance Quadrant Analysis further uncovers a critical paradox: many high-download, mandatory apps suffer from low user ratings, indicating a clear disconnect between enforced adoption and usercentric quality. The research concludes that enhancing digital public services requires a strategic shift from feature proliferation to foundational reliability. Ensuring robust core functionalities is paramount to building citizen trust and achieving a successful digital transformation.