Evaluating scenario-based SPL requirements approaches: the case for modularity, stability and expressiveness




Abstract

Software product lines (SPL) provide support for productivity gains through systematic reuse. Among the various quality attributes supporting these goals, modularity, stability and expressiveness of feature specifications, their composition and configuration knowledge emerge as strategic values in modern software development paradigms. This paper presents a metric-based evaluation aiming at assessing how well the chosen qualities are supported by scenario-based SPL requirements approaches. The selected approaches for this study span from type of notation (textual or graphical based), style to support variability (annotation or composition based), and specification expressiveness. They are compared using the metrics developed in a set of releases from an exemplar case study. Our major findings indicate that composition-based approaches have greater potential to support modularity and stability, and that quantification mechanisms simplify and increase expressiveness of configuration knowledge and composition specifications.




Specifications


Technique R1 R2 R3 R4
Model Templates
MSVCM
PLUSS
VML4RE
         




Metrics

All the Metrics in Excel
Stability of the Compositions
Stability of the Specifications
Stability of the Configuration Knowledge
Expressiveness of the Configuration Knowledge
Expressiveness of the Compositions
Modularity