A comprehensive product line scoping approach and its validation

Product line engineering is a recent approach to software development that specifically aims at exploiting commonalities and systematic variabilities among functionally overlapping systems in terms of large scale reuse. Taking full advantage of this potential requires adequate planning and management of the reuse approach as otherwise huge economic benefits will be missed due to an inappropriate alignment of the reuse infrastructure. Key in product line planning is the scoping activity, which aims at focussing the reuse investment where it pays. Scoping actually happens on several levels in the process: during the domain analysis step (analysis of product line requirements) a focusing needs to happen just like during the decision of what to implement for reuse. The latter decision also has important ramifications for the development of an appropriate reference architecture as it provides the reusability requirements for this step. We describe an integrated approach that has been developed, improved, and validated over the last few years. The approach fully covers the scoping activities of domain scoping and reuse infrastructure scoping and was validated in several industrial case studies.

[1]  O. Arshad,et al.  Measuring software reuse , 2002, IEEE Students Conference, ISCON '02. Proceedings..

[2]  Klaus Schmid,et al.  An Initial Model of Product Line Economics , 2001, PFE.

[3]  Jan Bosch,et al.  Software product lines: organizational alternatives , 2001, Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Software Engineering. ICSE 2001.

[4]  Klaus Schmid,et al.  Scoping software product lines: an analysis of an emerging technology , 2000 .

[5]  James C. Dager,et al.  Cummins's experience in developing a software product line architecture for real-time embedded diesel engine controls , 2000, SPLC.

[6]  Derek Coleman,et al.  A cooperative model for cross-divisional product development for a software product line , 2000, SPLC.

[7]  Ali Mili,et al.  An integrated cost model for software reuse , 2000, Proceedings of the 2000 International Conference on Software Engineering. ICSE 2000 the New Millennium.

[8]  Klaus Schmid,et al.  PuLSE-BEAT -- A Decision Support Tool for Scoping Product Lines , 2000, IW-SAPF.

[9]  D. Weiss,et al.  Software Product-Line Engineering: A Family-Based Software Development Process , 1999 .

[10]  Klaus Schmid,et al.  PuLSE: a methodology to develop software product lines , 1999, SSR '99.

[11]  Klaus Schmid,et al.  A systematic approach to derive the scope of software product lines , 1999, Proceedings of the 1999 International Conference on Software Engineering (IEEE Cat. No.99CB37002).

[12]  David Notkin,et al.  First workshop on economics-driven software engineering research , 1999, Proceedings of the 1999 International Conference on Software Engineering (IEEE Cat. No.99CB37002).

[13]  Frank Bomarius,et al.  COBRA: a hybrid method for software cost estimation, benchmarking, and risk assessment , 1998, Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Software Engineering.

[14]  David C. Rine,et al.  Investments in reusable software. A study of software reuse investment success factors , 1998, J. Syst. Softw..

[15]  Khaled El Emam,et al.  Spice: The Theory and Practice of Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination , 1997 .

[16]  M. Simos,et al.  Software Technology for Adaptable Reliable Systems (STARS). Organization Domain Modeling (ODM) Guidebook, Version 1.0. , 1995 .

[17]  Charlotte H. Mason,et al.  An approach for identifying cannibalization within product line extensions and multi-brand strategies , 1994 .

[18]  James D. Herbsleb,et al.  Benefits of CMM-Based Software Process Improvement: Initial Results , 1994 .

[19]  Margaret J. Davis,et al.  Reuse Strategy Model: Planning Aid for Reuse-Based Projects , 1993 .

[20]  Fred S. Zufryden,et al.  An Integer Programming Approach to the Optimal Product Line Selection Problem , 1988 .

[21]  Paul E. Green,et al.  Models and Heuristics for Product Line Selection , 1985 .

[22]  Rob Pooley,et al.  The Capability Maturity Model for Software , 2004 .

[23]  I. John,et al.  Product Line Development as a Rational , Strategic Decision , 2001 .

[24]  Birgit Geppert,et al.  International Workshop on Product Line Engineering: The Early Steps: Planning, Modeling, and Managing , 2001 .

[25]  Klaus Schmid,et al.  An Economic Perspective on Product Line Software Development , 1999 .

[26]  K. Ulrich,et al.  Planning for Product Platforms , 1998 .

[27]  Manuel Eduardo,et al.  Product line streamlining : a methodology to guide product costing and decision-making , 1998 .

[28]  K. Emam,et al.  5IF JOTUJUVUF USBOTGFST JOOPWBUJWF TPGUXBSF EFWFMPQNFOU UFDIOJRVFT NFUIPET BOE UPPMT JOUP JOEVTUSJBM QSBDUJDF BTTJTUT DPN QBOJFT JO CVJMEJOH TPGUXBSF DPNQFUFODJFT DVTUPNJ[FE UP UIFJS OFFET BOE IFMQT UIFN UP FTUBCMJTI B DPNQFUFUJWF NBSLFU QPTJUJPO , 1997 .

[29]  Patricia Collins Cornwell,et al.  HP Domain Analysis: Producing Useful Models for Reusable Software , 1996 .

[30]  W. Duncan.  A GUIDE TO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE , 1996 .