Flexible software process lines in practice: A metamodel-based approach to effectively construct and manage families of software process models

Process flexibility and adaptability is a frequently discussed topic in literature, and several approaches propose techniques to improve and optimize software processes for a given organization- or project context. A software process line (SPrL) is an instrument to systematically construct and manage variable software processes, by combining pre-defined and standardized process assets that can be reused, modified, and extended using a well-defined customization approach. Hence, process engineers can ground context-specific process variants in a standardized or domain-specific reference model that can be adapted to the respective context. In this article, we present an approach to construct flexible software process lines and show its practical application in the German V-Modell XT. The presented approach emerges from a 10-year research endeavor and was used to enhance the metamodel of the V-Modell XT and to allow for improved process variability and lifecycle management. Practical dissemination and complementing empirical research show the suitability of the concept. We therefore contribute a proven approach that is presented as metamodel fragment for reuse and implementation in further process modeling approaches.