Research Preview: Supporting End-User Requirements Elicitation Using Product Line Variability Models

Abstract

[Context and motivation] Product line variability models have been primarily used for product configuration purposes. We suggest that such models contain information that is relevant for early software engineering activities too. [Question/Problem] So far, the knowledge contained in variability models has not been used to improve requirements elicitation activities. State-of-the-art requirements elicitation approaches furthermore do not focus on the cost-effective identification of individual end-user needs, which, for example, is highly relevant for the customization of service-oriented systems. [Principal idea/results] The planned research will investigate how end-users can be empowered to document their individual needs themselves. We propose a tentative solution which facilitates end-users requirements elicitation by providing contextual information codified in software product line variability models. [Contribution] We present the idea of a “smart” tool for end-users allowing them to specify their needs and to customize, for example, a service-oriented system based on contextual information in variability models.