Planning software reuse

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Software organizations increasingly need to create numerous product variants to meet diverse customer needs. While many still develop one product at a time, successful firms have shifted to an integrated approach for their entire product range. By systematically exploiting existing reuse potential, they can achieve significant cost savings and quality enhancements. Historically, the incremental introduction of a product line approach relied heavily on the experience of personnel due to a lack of systematic methods. This dissertation presents a structured approach for planning software product line development. It facilitates (1) the identification of an incremental transition plan that optimizes the sequence and scope of introduction based on benefit-and-risk assessments, and (2) the determination of software components that should be designed for reuse, aligned with the organization’s specific business objectives. By explicitly considering company-specific goals, this approach ensures that the product line strategy is effectively aligned with the overall corporate strategy, enhancing both efficiency and alignment with organizational aims.