Safety-oriented process line engineering via seamless integration between EPF composer and BVR tool

The integration between process engineering and variability management is required for tailoring of safety-oriented processes with variabilities to individual projects in a similar manner to the product lines. Previous studies have not adequately established the Safety-oriented Process Lines (SoPLs). This paper focuses on the seamless integration between Eclipse Process Framework (EPF) Composer and Base Variability Resolution (BVR) Tool. The former supports the major parts of the OMG's Software & Systems Process Engineering Metamodel (SPEM) Version 2.0, while the latter is a simplification and enhancement of the OMG's revised submission of Common Variability Language (CVL). The proposed integration is implemented as Eclipse plugin. It provides support for importing backend folders and files within the method library of EPF Composer, resolving problems with the files for variability management with the BVR Tool, and exporting back the resolved process models to the EPF Composer. The applicability of the implemented plugin is demonstrated by engineering an ECSS-E-ST-40C compliant SoPL for the space projects and applications.