Deriving variability patterns in software product lines by ontological considerations

Mohsen Asadi, Dragan Gasevic, Yair Wand, Marek Hatala

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference PaperResearchpeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Variability modeling is widely used in software product line engineering to support reusability. Specifically, it is used in the derivation of concrete software products from a reusable solution within a family of products. To help manage variability, several modeling languages have been proposed for representing variability within a family of products. The study and evaluation of languages to model variability has so far focused on practical aspects of such languages. Less attention has been paid to more theoretical approaches to the analysis of variability modeling languages. In developing such approaches it would be of particular interest to explore the ability of variability modeling to represent the information about the real world (application) domain for which the product family is designed. In information systems research, evaluation of expressiveness of conceptual modeling languages has been done based on ontological theories. This paper describes a framework for general analysis of types of variability based on Bunge's ontology and derives a variability framework which is used to evaluate variability modeling languages.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationConceptual Modeling - 31st International Conference, ER 2012, Proceedings
Pages397-408
Number of pages12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Nov 2012
Externally publishedYes
Event31st International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, ER 2012 - Florence, Italy
Duration: 15 Oct 201218 Oct 2012

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume7532 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference31st International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, ER 2012
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityFlorence
Period15/10/1218/10/12

Keywords

  • ontological theory
  • software product lines
  • Variability modeling

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