Intelligent design of product lines in Holmes

Software product lines are a promising approach to develop multiple products by providing reduction in rework and a systematic way to exploit the synergistic relationships between products. Many software product line efforts risk failure by ignoring non-reuse aspects of software product lines. One should also consider how to increase the perceived value of each product in the line compared to competitors. Product characterization refers to the analysis of existing and potential products of a firm and their comparison with existing and potential products in the market place. The results of product characterization are essential for defining appropriate goals for a software product line. Holmes is a software product line support tool that addresses the full software product line life cycle by supporting all phases of the Sherlock method. This includes specific targeted and integrated support for product characterization