Magne Syrstad’s PhD-status

Personal background Previous work on architecture and product families at Sintef The Familier project working on these issues.

Software Product Families In focus since the late 1990s First workshop in Europe 1996, in the US 1997 First conference in 2000 Two main driving forces. The Software Engineering Institute The European Esaps/Cafe/Families projects By main European industrial partners.

Software Product Families (2) Challenges Integration – how to make it work Architecture – how to obtain variability Little or no empirical research What works and what doesn’t? Different approaches to integration and architecture Effects of implementing a product family Is maintenance really easier?

Empirical Opportunities (AKVAsmart) Small Trondheim based company Started in the early 1990s Now re-implementing application as a product line Access to historical maintenance data And availability of data for the same functionality on the new product family from 2005/6?

Empirical Opportunities: DNV Software Large existing product line Moving from DCom to .Net Opportunity to observe as existing products are integrated into the product line Experiences with the reengineering from the product-owner’s point of view But product that have moved, that will move, and that are currently moving

Empirical Opportunities - Comparisons Compare different approaches when it comes to Architectural approaches – how to handle variability Integration tactics Proactive vs. reactive Reengineering existing assets or not.

Plans Next 6 months Try to get started with AKVAsmart and DNV Software Write a paper on ATAM experiences with former colleagues at Sintef Continue with state of the art Make an attempt at a simple experiment in the architecture course Continue participation in Familier and Families projects