Evaluating variability modeling languages using a generic quality framework

ABSTRACT

The use of variability modeling to structure and describe capabilities and potentials of software-intensive products is receiving more and more interest from various developing organizations. For resource-sensitive organizations, such as small and medium sized enterprises, it is crucial that modeling efforts are well spent and that steps are taken to ensure that the utility of modeling is as high as possible. Part of this is to determine which modeling approaches and modeling languages that are best suited to the goals of the organization. This paper presents an application of a generic quality framework to an evaluation of approaches for variability modeling. It demonstrates how approaches to determine quality of modeling languages can prove useful for selecting an appropriate variability language and how the generic quality framework can serve as a basis for such efforts.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
        D.2.13 Reusable Software
            Subjects: Reuse models; Domain engineering

Keywords:
domain modeling, feature models, quality evaluation, variability, variability spaces