In software engineering, the concept of a ``feature'' is widely used but inconsistently defined across disciplines such as requirements engineering (RE) and software product lines (SPL). This lack of consistency often results in communication gaps, rework, and inefficiencies in projects. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an empirical, data-driven approach to explore how features are described, implemented, and managed across real-world projects, starting with open-source software (OSS). By analyzing feature-related branches in OSS repositories, we identify patterns in contributor behavior, feature implementation, and project management activities. Our findings provide actionable insights to improve project planning, resource allocation, and team coordination. Additionally, we outline a roadmap to unify the understanding of features across software engineering disciplines. This research aims to bridge gaps between academic inquiry and practical strategies, fostering better feature planning and development workflows in diverse project environments.

翻译：在软件工程领域，“特征”这一概念被广泛使用，但在需求工程（RE）和软件产品线（SPL）等不同学科中其定义并不一致。这种一致性的缺失常常导致项目中的沟通障碍、返工和效率低下。为应对这些挑战，本文提出一种基于实证和数据驱动的方法，从开源软件（OSS）入手，探索真实项目中特征的描述、实现和管理方式。通过分析OSS仓库中与特征相关的分支，我们识别了贡献者行为、特征实现及项目管理活动中的模式。我们的研究结果为改进项目规划、资源分配和团队协调提供了可操作的见解。此外，我们提出了一个路线图，旨在统一软件工程各学科对特征的理解。本研究致力于弥合学术探索与实践策略之间的鸿沟，从而在不同项目环境中促进更优的特征规划与开发工作流程。