Improving SPL-based information system development through tailored requirements processes

Developing software systems during application engineering (AE) based on a software product line (SPL) is still a time-consuming and expensive task. Especially when a high degree of customizability is required, such as in the information system domain, the non-systematic alignment of customer requirements with SPL characteristics hampers efficiency. In order to increase this alignment more constructively, sound knowledge about a SPL must therefore be available when guiding the requirements elicitation during AE. The scientific contribution of this thesis is therefore an approach that systematically incorporates knowledge about an SPL that is relevant for the AE requirements engineers into a state-of-the-art RE process. The approach includes a precise process tailoring method based on a conceptual AE model as well as meta-models for algorithmically transforming elicited SPL characteristics into capability-aware AERE process guidelines.