• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.835-846
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• 2005

A Product Line (PL) is a set of products (applications) that share common assets in a domain. Product Line Engineering (PLE) is a set of principles, techniques, mechanisms, and processes that enables the instantiation of produce lines. Core assets, the common assets, are created and instantiated to make products in PLE. Model Driven Architecture (MDA) is a new software development paradigm that emphasizes its feasibility with automatically developing product. Therefore, we can get advantages of both of the two paradigms, PLE and MDA, if core assets are represented as PIM in MDA with predefined automatic mechanism. PLE framework in the PIM level has to be interpreted by MDA tools. However, we do not have a standard UML profile for representing core assets. The research about representing PLE framework is not enough to make automatically core assets and products. We represent core asset in PIM level in terms of structural view and semantic view. We also suggest a method for representing architecture, component, workflow, algorithm, and decision model. The method of representing framework with PLE and MDA is used to improve productivity, applicability, maintainability and qualify of product.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.237-246
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• 2005

Product Line Engineering(PLE) is one of the technologies that develop applications economically reusing core assets. PLE consists of Framework Engineering(FE) and Application Engineering. Framework Engineering is to develop core assets that have common functionality shared by a set of family members. Application Engineering is to develop a specific application by instantiating the core assets. The PLE process increases reusability and efficiency because a specific application is developed by using core assets with less time and effort. Since definition of PLE artifacts and relationship between artifacts are not clear. developers have several troubles to make artifacts based on PLE process, are difficult to maintain consistency between artifacts, and do not use PLE process more practically. In this paper, we define meta-models of artifacts that are produced in PLE activities of PLE process and describe the traceability relationship between artifacts by using traceability map and guidelines that can apply traceability relationship. Finally, we define the way how trace links and guidelines of traceability map are applied.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartD
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• v.13D no.1 s.104
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• pp.51-60
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• 2006

Product Line Engineering(PLE) is an effective software development technique which produces applications using core assets. Because of reusing the core assets, PLE can save cost for developing products in a domain but increase reusability. There are about ten PLE methodologies available, but there are not yet common agreements on PLE process and artifacts. This makes developers harder to choose a methodology and to apply it in practice. A comprehensive technical evaluation and comparison on existing PLE methodologies would be essential for practitioners. In this paper, we present a technical assessment of representative PLE methodologies; FAST, SEI SPL, PuLSE, Bosch's PL proceis, FOPLE, ESAPS, KobrA/PoLITe, Alexandria, COPA, QADA. They are compared in the criteria of process, artifacts, instructions, and special features. And we identify common or variable elements between methodologies and confirm elements to be improved in each PLE methodology. The assessment result would be well utilized in defining a practical methodology for PLE projects and in choosing an appropriate methodology among available ones.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.717-729
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• 2005

Product Line Engineering (PLE) consists of two phases; Core Assets Development and Application Engineering. The core asset development is to model common features of members in a domain and to develop them. The application engineering is to effectively generate an application by instantiating the core asset. Today, PLE research mainly focuses on developing core assets, whereas activities and instructions for application engineering are weakly defined. Moreover, instructions of application engineering are not enough to be practically applied. To widely apply PLE to industry, researches on systematic and practical methods such as instantiation processes, instructions, and artifacts are needed. In this paper, we propose a practical PLE process, instructions, and artifacts about each activity. And then, we also present a case study to show applicability and practicality of the process proposed in this paper.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1008-1021
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• 2006

Product line engineering(PLE) is one of the recent and effective reuse approaches that enables developing a number of applications by instantiating a core asset. Elements of a core asset are product line architecture(PLA), component, and decision model. Among these elements, PLA is the key element since it defines the overall structure of the core asset. Although numerous PLE methodologies have been introduced, it is still unclear what should be the elements of a PLA and how to systematically instantiate it for specific applications. Formal specifications can play a key role in defining detailed and precise instantiation process. In this paper, we first present a meta model of PLA and show how to specify PLA in a formal language, Object-Z. Then, we propose instantiation rules using formal specification and those rules precisely define constraints for instantiating PLA. By applying the proposed formal specification, we believe PLA instantiation can be carried out precisely and correctly, yielding high quality software development.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.449-459
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• 2006

Product Line Engineering (PLE) has been widely accepted as a representative software reuse methodology by using core assets. As a key element of core assets, product line architecture (PLA) should be generic to a set of applications in the product line (PL). However, the difference between PLA and single system architecture has not been treated well enough, so evaluating PLA still remains as one of the difficult tasks in PLE. In this paper, we identify two intrinsic but overlooked issues in PLA; variability propagation chain and conflicts between architectural elements. And, we present a metric-based methodto evaluate PLA from the perspective of the two issues. We believe that the two issues in PLA and the evaluation method would make designing high-quality PLA more feasible and effective.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartD
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• v.13D no.4 s.107
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• pp.565-572
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• 2006

Product Line Engineering (PLE) is an effective reuse methodology where common features among members are captured into core assets and applications are developed by reusing the core assets, reducing development cost while increasing productivity. To maximize benefits in developing systems, business case analysis for PLE is essential. If the scope for core assets is excessively broad, it will result in high cost of asset development while lowering reusability. On the other hand, if the scope is too narrow, it will result in a limited applicability which only support a small number of members in the domain. In this paper, we propose a process for business case analysis for PLE and for deciding economical analysis of core asset scope. Then, we define guidelines for each activity of the process. Since variability often occurs in PLE, we significantly treat the variability of features among members in detailed level. By applying our framework for business case analysis, one can develop core assets of which scope provide the most economical value with applying PLE.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.277-288
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• 2006

Product line engineering (PLE) is a new effective approach to software reuse, where applications are generated by instantiating a core asset which is a large-grained reuse unit. Hence, a core asset is a key element of PLE, and therefore the reusability of the core asset largely determines the success of PLE projects. A tore asset is a reusable part not a whole system, and supports not only variable functions but also common functions. However, there are limitations to evaluate reusability of core asset that has these unique characteristics. This paper proposes a comprehensive quality system for evaluating the reusability of core assets, based on ISO/IEC 9126. We first identify the key characteristics of core assets, and derive the set of quality attributes that characterizes the reusability of core assets. finally, we define metrics for each quality attribute. In addition, we provide guidelines for applying the metrics and perform a case study based on rental product line. Using the proposed quality system, reusability of core assets can be more effectively and correctly evaluated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2004.10b
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• pp.448-450
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• 2004

제품 계열 공학 (Product Line Engineering, PLE)은 유사한 도메인에 속한 제품들로부터 공통성과 가변성을 분석하여 재사용 가능한 핵심 자산 (core asset)을 만들고, 만들어진 핵심 자산을 사용하여 어플리케이션을 개발하는 제품 개발 기술이다. 그러나 아직까지는 표준화된 방법론이 존재하지 않아 산업계와 학계는 해당 제품에 적합한 방법론 또는 프로세스의 일부를 선택하는 과정에서 어려움을 겪고 있다. 본 논문에서는 재사용성을 강조하는 PLE 방법론의 핵심 자산 구성 요소를 비교하여, 산업계나 학계가 핵심 자산을 개발하는 과정에서 효율성을 높일 수 있는 방법론을 선택하는데 도움이 되는 기반 연구를 한다. 나아가 본 논문은 비교 기준이 된 요소들과 비교 결과가 PLE 방법론을 표준화하는 과정에서도 사용될 수 있도록 정보를 제공한다.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 2005

Product Line Engineering (PLE) has been widely accepted as a representative software reuse methodology by using core assets. Product line architecture (PLA) is a key element of core assets. However, current research works on designing PLA do not provide sufficient and detailed guidelines of defining PLA and reflecting variability in the architecture. In this paper, we present a reference model of PLA and propose a process to design PLA with detailed instructions. Especially architectural variability is codified by describing decision model depending variation points and traced through PLA activities. The proposed process would make it feasible to apply PLE to practice areas.