Research Of The Variability Modeling's Method For Software Product Family

As a systematic reuse method, the development approach of software product family is one of effective solution methods for the ever-changing software requirements, the new software crisis as well as defects in the traditional business model. The variability modeling for software product family is the organized and purposed process to identify core assets, track and record variability based on the software product family. It is very important for systematic reuse, and the key process to improve the efficiency of the software product family reuse.Based on the analysis of the current variability modeling methods, this paper proposes a management-oriented variability modeling method (MOVM) for software product family. It uses software product family genealogy model to record family members and management-oriented concept as the main idea of the variability modeling, covers the domain engineering, application engineering, feedback evolution process and through the whole variability life cycle. The main contents as follows:1 The variability representation mechanism of MOVMBeginning with the demand of variability representation mechanism and analysis of feature model and use-case model, MOVM defines and analyzes 2 kinds of representation mechanism: representation mechanism of feature and use-case. The former extends the traditional FODA notations, and the latter extends the traditional use-case notations. In addition, MOVM proposes a notation of change elements to identify unstable or not covered features in the family model to customize personalized service for customers, also to provide the driving force for the process of MOVM feedback and evolution.2 The modeling process of MOVMBased on analysis of the significance of the family model evolution and proposing the software product family life cycle model with MOVM, MOVM proposes appropriate management strategies for 6 stages of variability and the process of feedback and evolution, analyzes the relevant details of the domain engineering, application engineering, feedback evolution process, and gives a meta-model of MOVM. The main idea of MOVM approach includes: using use-case model for customer interactions, using feature model mapping with assets and the positive feedback role of the change elements. It keeps 2 family models included all products: family feature model, family use-case model and the mapping between 2 models. The change elements promote the evolution of the family model, and the product contains change elements as a variant of the existence product to maintain the stability of the family model and also to promote products'diversification and personalization.3 The core assets management and allocation of MOVMIn order to improve the efficiency of customization and configuration of variability, this paper proposes the core assets management model and the core assets allocation framework based on it. The framework is divided into 2 parallel processes: allocation of the part of no changes elements and the part of changes elements. To further enhance the reuse degree of core assets, this paper proposes a component retrieval algorithms based on the logical reasoning for the part of changes elements. It uses the process algebra theory to describe component behavior and the forward reasoning as the guiding ideology to retrieve the component or the set of components, which meets the needs of the part of changes elements in the core assets to reduce costs and improve the reuse degree of component.Finally, this paper gives a case to study the application of MOVM in actual project development. It develops an application (Instrument enterprise information management system) by MOVM method. It builds the family model by analysis of a sample in the domain engineering, builds the target system by reuse core assets in the application engineering and shows the process of feedback and evolution for validating the feasibility and effectiveness of MOVM in the actual project development.