Introduction to Software Product Line Adoption

The tremendous benefits of taking a software product line approach are well documented. Organizations have achieved significant reductions in cost and time to market and, at the same time, increased the quality of families of their software systems. However, to date, there are considerable barriers to organizational adoption of product line practices. Phased adoption is attractive as a risk reduction and fiscally viable proposition. This tutorial describes a phased, pattern-based approach to software product line adoption. A phased adoption strategy is attractive as a risk reduction and fiscally viable proposition. The tutorial begins with a discussion of software product line adoption issues and then presents the Adoption Factory pattern. The Adoption Factory pattern provides a roadmap for phased, product line adoption. The tutorial covers the Adoption Factory in detail, including focus areas, phases, subpatterns, related practice areas, outputs, and roles. Examples of product line adoption plans following the pattern are used to illustrate its utility. The tutorial also describes strategies for creating synergy within an organization between product line adoption and ongoing CMMI or other improvement initiatives.