Opening up software product line engineering

Abstract

The software industry is experiencing a shift towards more open processes, a globalized market and more active and engaged customers and end users. This change seems natural and inevitable, imposing necessary changes in how software product line organizations plan and drive the development of their products. This paper gives insight into some recent developments in a product line organization and discusses how their efforts have helped them in improving their development processes and their product line. Based on this experience, this paper provides some preliminary guidelines to both industry and research, indicating that software product line organizations should exploit open innovation, engage customers, build communities and simplify processes and organization.