Introduction to Software Product Line Adoption
Abstract
This tutorial describes a phased, pattern-based approach to software product line adoption. It will acquaint participants with product line adoption barriers and two ways to overcome them:
- a phased, pattern-based adoption approach
- explicit linkage with other improvement efforts
The objectives of the tutorial are to acquaint participants with
- issues surrounding software product line adoption
- a phased, pattern-based adoption approach
- adoption planning artifacts
- explicit linkage of software product line adoption with other improvement efforts
The tutorial begins with a discussion of software product line adoption issues, including benefits, barriers, risks and the technical and organizational factors that influence adoption. We then present a roadmap for phased, product line adoption. The roadmap is built from product line practice patterns and detailed by focus areas, phases, related practice areas, outputs, and roles. Examples of product line adoption plans following the road map are used to illustrate its utility. The tutorial also describes strategies for creating synergy within an organization between product line adoption and ongoing CMMI or other improvement initiatives.
Participants should have experience in designing and developing software-intensive systems, some familiarity with modern software engineering concepts and management practices, and be familiar with product line concepts. The tutorial is aimed at those in an organization who are in a position to influence the decision to adopt a product line approach, and those in a position to carry out that decision. This includes technical managers at all levels, as well as those on the software development staff. Anyone who can act as a technology change agent will benefit from this tutorial.
Presenters:
Linda Northrop is director of the Product Line Systems Program at the SEI where she leads the work in software architecture, software product lines, and predictable software construction. Under her leadership, the SEI has developed software architecture and product line methods that are used worldwide, a series of five highly acclaimed books, and software architecture and software product line curricula. She is coauthor of Software Product Lines: Practices and Patterns. She recently led a year long study including leaders in the software community to define technical and social challenges to the creation of ultra-large-scale systems that will evolve in the next generation. The group published the study report, Ultra-Large-Scale Systems: The Software Challenge of the Future (ISBN 0-9786956-0-7).
Dr. Lawrence G. Jones is a Senior Member of the Technical Staff in the Product Line Systems Program at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) of Carnegie Mellon University with over 38 years experience in software development, management and education. Before joining the SEI, Larry served a career in the US Air Force and is the former Chair of the Computer Science Department at the Air Force Academy. Larry is the immediate Past Chair of the ABET Computing Accreditation Commission, is a Senior Member of the IEEE, and is also Secretary/Treasurer of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board.
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