Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
Integrating Domain Specific Modeling
into the Production Method of a
Software Product Line
Gary Chastek
John D. McGregor
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 1
Research Question
How can product production be engineered to achieve the
goals of a software product line?
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 2
Overview
Brief introduction to product production in a software
product line (SPL)
Method engineering in a SPL
Our use of domain-specific modeling (DSM) in product
production
SPL connections to domain modeling
Summary
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 3
Product Production
Software
Product Line Production Production Production
Development Strategy
Method
Plan
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Product 1
Product 2
Product 3
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© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 4
Goal-driven Method Engineering
Method engineering is the systematic definition of software
development methods.
A method captures the processes, techniques, and models
required to execute a software development effort.
For example, an object-oriented software development
method defines specific modeling notations, languages,
and iterative processes that work together to support
effective software development.
Goal-driven means that method definition is driven by the
specific goals to be achieved.
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 5
Method Engineering in a SPL
The production method is derived from the production
strategy and the production techniques are based on the
specific product production goals
For example
• if the production strategy includes the goal to enable
domain knowledgeable individuals to build products
• the method
- must support complete specification of a product
using only domain vocabulary
- must enable building a product automatically from that
domain-based specification
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 6
Arcade Game Maker (AGM)
Research SPL developed at Clemson
• 3 games (Brickles, Pong, and Bowling)
• 3 targets (PC, Wireless device, Customized)
Third increment of AGM
• Customized “giveaways”
• Based on the domain expertise from the previous
increments, used domain modeling approach
• Used MetaEdit+
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 7
DSM and SPLs
Current connections:
• FODA developed at SEI
• Product Line Analysis based on feature modeling
• Understanding Relevant Domains (URD) is one of the 29
practice areas defined in the SEI SPL Framework
• URD used in the What to Build Pattern
• Our preliminary work using DSM in product production
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 8
Our Open Questions
When is DSM the most appropriate technology for a
software product line?
• When production goals relate to domain knowledgeable
personnel?
• When the domain is sufficiently well specified?
Are there explicit limitations when the method engineer
should not choose DSM for the production method?
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 9
Summary
Conclusion so far: SPLs should be engineered by
• explicitly setting product production goals
• considering product production early (before core asset
design)
• focusing on domain knowledge
• merging these concerns
Conjecture: SPLs might be better designed and
implemented by
• domain modeling
• using a domain-specific language that supports an
aspect-like mechanism for dealing with product variability
© 2004 by Carnegie Mellon University
page 10