Elicitation Using Product Line Variability Models

[Context and motivation] Product line variability models have been primarily used for product configuration purposes. We suggest that such models contain information that is relevant for early software engineering activities too. [Question/Problem] So far, the knowledge contained in variability models has not been used to improve requirements elicitation activities. State-of-the-art requirements elicitation approaches furthermore do not focus on the cost-effective identification of individual end-user needs, which, for example, is highly relevant for the customization of service-oriented systems. [Principal idea/results] The planned research will investigate how end-users can be empowered to document their individual needs themselves. We propose a tentative solution which facilitates end-users requirements elicitation by providing contextual information codified in software product line variability models. [Contribution] We present the idea of a “smart” tool for end-users allowing them to specify their needs and to customize, for example, a service-oriented system based on contextual information in variability models. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19858-8_8 Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-55795 Accepted Version Originally published at: Dhungana, Deepak; Seyff, Norbert; Graf, Florian (2011). Research preview: Supporting end-user requirements elicitation using product line variability models. In: REFSQ 2011: 17th International Working Conference on Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality, Essen, 28 March 2011 30 March 2011, 66-71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19858-8_8 Research Preview: Supporting End-user Requirements Elicitation Using Product Line Variability Models Deepak Dhungana 1, Norbert Seyff 2, Florian Graf 3 1 Christian Doppler Laboratory for Software Engineering Integration for Flexible Automation Systems, Technical University of Vienna, Austria [email protected] 2 University of Zurich, Department of Informatics Binzmuehlestrasse 14, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland [email protected] 3 Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria [email protected] Abstract. [Context and motivation] Product line variability models have so far been primarily used for product configuration purposes. We suggest that such models contain information that is relevant for early software engineering activities too. [Question/Problem] In this research preview paper, we propose using such models to support requirements elicitation. Service-oriented approaches allow providing customized software systems. However, current requirements elicitation approaches do not focus on the cost-effective identification of individual end-user needs. [Principal idea/results] The planned research investigates on how end-users can be empowered to document their individual needs themselves. We propose a tentative solution which facilitates end-users requirements elicitation by providing contextual information codified in software product line variability models. [Contribution] We present the idea of a “smart” tool for end-users allowing them to specify their needs and to customize a service-oriented system based on contextual information in variability models. [Context and motivation] Product line variability models have so far been primarily used for product configuration purposes. We suggest that such models contain information that is relevant for early software engineering activities too. [Question/Problem] In this research preview paper, we propose using such models to support requirements elicitation. Service-oriented approaches allow providing customized software systems. However, current requirements elicitation approaches do not focus on the cost-effective identification of individual end-user needs. [Principal idea/results] The planned research investigates on how end-users can be empowered to document their individual needs themselves. We propose a tentative solution which facilitates end-users requirements elicitation by providing contextual information codified in software product line variability models. [Contribution] We present the idea of a “smart” tool for end-users allowing them to specify their needs and to customize a service-oriented system based on contextual information in variability models.