A Software Process Line (SPrL) is potentially suitable for constructing software development methodologies by reusing core assets. However, adopting this approach without prior assessment of its suitability can lead to failure. The aim of this paper is to identify a set of requirements that can be used for deciding whether to adopt the SPrL approach in an organization. Identification of the requirements was accomplished in two stages: the characteristics important in method tailoring were first identified via a Systematic Mapping Study (SMS) that focused on analyzing 43 primary studies; the degree of importance of the identified characteristics was then determined using a questionnaire survey in which 31 experts participated. By analyzing the results of the SMS and the survey, we have identified 12 product-related, 22 project-related, and 10 organization-related requirements. In addition to these requirements, we have also identified two relevant requirements by studying previous research on Software Product Lines (SPL) and Business Process Lines (BPL). The requirements thus identified can help organizations decide on whether to adopt the SPrL approach: the more an organization satisfies the requirements, the more frequently method tailoring occurs in that organization, and hence, the more justified it is to adopt the SPrL approach.

This study presents a process‐driven view on the use of model‐based testing (MBT) in agile/lightweight processes. It argues that process‐related aspects of MBT and agile processes should be explicitly considered in any practical MBT approach intended for use in agile development (AD). It demonstrates that an effective MBT approach for lightweight processes has to specify how MBT activities are integrated into a development process, how and when MBT artefacts are generated in relation to other development artefacts, and who would carry out MBT activities. Accordingly, a set of integration criteria is introduced for complete incorporation of MBT into agile/lightweight processes. The integration criteria demonstrate the specific characteristics of an appropriate MBT process for AD processes, and help identify the benefits and shortcomings of existing methods on the use of MBT in such processes. Evaluation of existing works based on the proposed integration criteria shows that they have all focused on minimal modelling , and only one method has considered the ‘evolution’ of test models and the ‘reuse’ of test cases, whereas ‘evolution’ and ‘reuse’ are essential characteristics of agile processes, which have to be addressed in any MBT approach intended for such processes.

Situational Method Engineering (SME) is a branch of software engineering which helps develop bespoke methodologies to fit the specific characteristics of the software project at hand. As in software development, SME too involves rigorous Requirements Engineering (RE), so much so that if requirements elicitation and definition is mishandled in any way, methodology development will most likely fail as a result. In this paper, we propose a Feature-driven methodology for SME; in this SME methodology, the requirements of the target methodology are captured as Features. First introduced in the agile FDD (Feature-Driven Development) methodology, Features are fully object-oriented and provide all the benefits that the object-oriented paradigm has to offer. Due to the object-oriented nature of Features and the rest of its deliverables, our proposed Feature-Driven Methodology Development (FDMD) process is fully seamless; this also facilitates the development of tool support for the methodology which is produced by applying FDMD.

Agile Product Line Engineering (APLE) is a relatively new approach which has emerged as the result of combining two successful approaches: Software Product Line Engineering and Agile Software Development. The goal of this combined approach is to cover the weaknesses of each of the two approaches while maximizing the advantages of both. Several methodologies exist which provide a practical process for applying APLE. In this paper, a select set of these methodologies are evaluated using a criteria-based approach, the results of which highlight each methodology's strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation framework and the results can be helpful in selecting, comparing, and modifying APLE methodologies; they can also be used for developing bespoke APLE methodologies, tailored to fit the specific needs of organizations and projects.

The Software Product Line (SPL) approach is a paradigm for systematic reuse of software products, and a Software Factory is a SPL aimed at the industrialization of software development. Based on the notion that a software/RE process can be developed via an engineering process (much akin to engineering other types of software), this research aims to provide a feature-based RE process factory to develop RE processes based on the characteristics of the project at hand (project situation). In our approach, the project situation is modeled as the problem domain through using the i* modeling language (resulting in a situation model). A feature model can encapsulate all the features in an SPL; therefore, the abundant riches of the RE field -- results of decades of research -- have been explored for extracting the variations and commonalities among existing RE processes, the results of which are represented in the form of a feature model, considered as a model of the solution domain. In order to demonstrate the validity of the proposed feature model, it has been compared against RE-related activities found in prominent software development methodologies. A mapping for translating the situation model to the RE process feature model is proposed with the specific aim of promoting traceability and rationality in the selection of RE process features. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated through an RE process development example.

In high-integrity systems, certain quality requirements have gained utmost significance in such a way that failing to satisfy them at a particular level may result in the loss of the entire system, endangerment of human life, peril to the organization's existence, or serious damage to the environment. High-integrity computer systems should incorporate top-quality software in order to adequately address their stringent quality requirements. The methodologies used for developing high-integrity software must possess special characteristics in order to ensure successful realization of the requirements.

Quality is one of the most important issues in the context of agile and lightweight methodologies. These methodologies recommend automated testing as the main method for quality assurance; however, they are plagued with several deficiencies in this regard, including complex and difficult-to-maintain test case scripts. Model-based testing is an approach for automating the test creation process through replacing individual test-case design with abstract models. In this paper, we explore a set of patterns based on current methods used in model-based testing which can be used to ameliorate the abovementioned deficiencies in agile/lightweight methodologies. We then demonstrate how these patterns can be applied to a concrete agile methodology – namely Feature Driven Development – to address problematic testing issues while maintaining the agility of the process.

Model-Driven Development (MDD) is a promising approach to software development, mainly due to the pivotal role of models in its process, and the high potential it provides for automated model/software generation. Since software processes can themselves be considered as software, any technique or approach applied in the context of software development is also of potential use in the development of software development processes. Accordingly, the MDD approach can potentially be applied in the context of Situational Method Engineering (SME) - a branch devoted to the study of developing bespoke software development processes and methods based on the specific characteristics of the development project at hand. The authors propose a Model-Driven Situational Method Engineering (MDSME) framework by defining different levels of abstraction for process models, in compliance to the multi-level model abstraction and transformation approach prescribed by the Model-Driven Architecture (MDA). The framework can be used by method engineers to construct custom software development methodologies through an MDD approach that facilitates automation, enhances the accuracy of the development process produced, and improves the portability of process models.

Aspect-Oriented Software Development (AOSD) concentrates on determination and modularization of orthogonal concerns that cut across system modules. An aspect-oriented extension framework helps transform existing methodologies into processes which support AOSD. The authors propose a framework for extending agile methodologies with AOSD features. The stages required for constructing the framework have been identified by scrutinizing existing aspect-oriented methodologies and practices in order to extract the AOSD-specific stages required in each phase of the agile development process. Analysis shows that a methodology extended through this framework can be superior in agility in comparison to a general aspect-oriented methodology.

Various agile software development methodologies, practices, and techniques have been proposed in the last decade, some present novel ideas, while many are simply made up of tasks and techniques borrowed from prominent agile methodologies. Each of these methodologies prescribes a set of practices and techniques which are deemed appropriate for application in a specific context. However, there exists no single method which fits all project situations. This has resulted in the advent of Situational Method Engineering (SME) approaches, which are used for developing software methodologies that are tailored to fit the specific circumstances of the project situation at hand. Since tool support has become an essential prerequisite for widespread adoption of software engineering methods, provision of Computer-Aided Method Engineering (CAME) tools has become a priority. We provide a basis for the application of assembly-based situational method engineering to the development of bespoke agile methodologies. To this aim, a comprehensive set of relevant methodology features has first been identified, spanning the range of possible requirements that a method engineer may define for the agile methodology under development. Based on this set of requirements, a method base has been proposed that contains the method chunks necessary for satisfying these requirements. The proposed method base conforms to the Software Process Engineering Metamodel (SPEM 2.0), and can be immediately plugged into CAME tools which implement this metamodel, including the Eclipse Process Framework Composer (EPFC).

Web Engineering has been enriched with processes and modeling languages that focus on the specific features of web-based systems, taking into account the special requirements and constraints that are associated with this specific context. Process Patterns, on the other hand, represent elements of knowledge and experience in software engineering; they also act as reusable method chunks that can be used for constructing bespoke methodologies that are tailored to fit specific project situations. We propose a set of process patterns based on current web development practices. A number of prominent web development methodologies have been studied, and a set of process patterns has been elicited through abstracting their commonalities and identifying the essential activities required in a web engineering endeavor. Furthermore, a web-based systems development framework has been proposed that organizes these patterns into a generic lifecycle. The process patterns can be instantiated and assembled into a high-level development process based on the generic framework proposed.

It has become essential to scrutinize and evaluate software development methodologies, mainly because of their increasing number and variety. Evaluation is required to gain a better understanding of the features, strengths, and weaknesses of the methodologies. The results of such evaluations can be leveraged to identify the methodology most appropriate for a specific context. Moreover, methodology improvement and evolution can be accelerated using these results. However, despite extensive research, there is still a need for a feature/criterion set that is general enough to allow methodologies to be evaluated regardless of their types. We propose a general evaluation framework which addresses this requirement. In order to improve the applicability of the proposed framework, all the features - general and specific - are arranged in a hierarchy along with their corresponding criteria. Providing different levels of abstraction enables users to choose the suitable criteria based on the context. Major evaluation frameworks for object-oriented, agent-oriented, and aspect-oriented methodologies have been studied and assessed against the proposed framework to demonstrate its reliability and validity.

Information systems are expected to satisfy increasingly ambitious requirements, while reducing time-to-market has become a primary objective. This trend has necessitated the advent of development approaches that are better equipped and flexible enough to cope with modern challenges. Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) and Situational Method Engineering (SME) are approaches addressing this requirement: MDA provides promising means for automating the software process, and revitalizes the role of modeling in software development, SME focuses on project-specific methodology construction, mainly through assembling reusable method fragments (process patterns) retrieved from a method base. We provide a set of high-level process patterns for model-driven development which have been derived from a study of six prominent MDA-based methodologies, and which form the basis for a proposed generic MDA Software Process (MDASP). These process patterns can promote SME by providing classes of common process components which can be used for assembling, tailoring, and extending MDA-based methodologies.

The advent of agile methodologies, though contributing much to software development processes, had a more profound impact on project management processes. Through supporting adaptability in their process frameworks, agile methodologies deviated from conventional project management approaches. This novel attitude has resulted in the emergence of an agile framework for project management. The Agile Project Management Framework (APMF) consists of fine-grained project management practices applied in agile methodologies, and is fast emerging as an alternative to the conventional project management framework. However, there are deficiencies in both frameworks that prevent developers from enhancing each framework to embrace the other. A logical solution is to merge the two frameworks into a Unified Project Management Framework (UPMF). With this objective in mind, we propose a project-management methodology metamodel as the common abstract substrate to fuse the standard framework with its agile counterpart. The proposed Agile Project Management Methodology Metamodel (APM3) has been developed through applying abstraction to the fine-grained constituents of APMF. Based on the generic agile metamodel of APM3, an analytical review of the project management processes of seven prominent agile methodologies has been conducted.

New Advances in mobile computer technology and the rapid growth of wireless networks in quality and quantity has introduced new applications and concerns in computer science and industry. The unique requirements and constraints associated with mobile systems have brought new challenges to software development for such environments, as it demands extensive improvements to traditional systems development methodologies in order to fulfill the special needs of this field. We examine the challenges of developing software for mobile systems, starting by reviewing mobile systemspsila characteristics and investigating the status quo of mobile software development methods. It has been shown that Agile methodologies are appropriate methods for the development of such systems; based on this assumption, we identify specific requirements for a mobile software development methodology, based on which a new agile method is engineered using the Hybrid Methodology Design approach. We claim that this methodology, and the approach used for its construction, can facilitate the application of a software engineering approach to the production of mobile software systems.

Agile software development methodologies have been greeted with enthusiasm by many software developers, yet their widespread adoption has also resulted in closer examination of their strengths and weaknesses. While analyses and evaluations abound, the need still remains for an objective and systematic appraisal of Agile processes specifically aimed at defining strategies for their improvement. We provide a review of the strengths and weaknesses identified in Agile processes, based on which a strengths- weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis of the processes is performed. We suggest this type of analysis as a useful tool for highlighting and addressing the problem issues in Agile processes, since the results can be used as improvement strategies.

Agile software development is regarded as an effective and efficient approach, mainly due to its ability to accommodate rapidly changing requirements, and to cope with modern software development challenges. There is therefore a strong tendency to use agile software development methodologies where applicable; however, the sheer number of existing agile methodologies and their variants hinders the selection of an appropriate agile methodology or method chunk. Methodology evaluation tools address this problem through providing detailed evaluations, yet no comprehensive evaluation framework is available for agile methodologies. We introduce the comprehensive evaluation framework for agile methodologies (CEFAM) as an evaluation tool for project managers and method engineers. The hierarchical (and mostly quantitative) evaluation criterion set introduced in this evaluation framework enhances the usability of the framework and provides results that are precise enough to be useful for the selection, adaptation and construction of agile methodologies.

Model-driven approaches to software engineering have expanded their influence in recent years, with Object Management Group's model-driven architecture (MDA) being the major force behind this boost. However, despite its merits, MDA remains insufficient for software system development, in the sense that it does not provide a concrete and comprehensive process for governing software development activities. There is therefore a strongly felt need for new model-driven software development methodologies. In this paper we review a number of existing model-driven methodologies, and propose a general framework for model-driven development (MDD) based on MDA. The framework can be used for assessing and comparing methodologies, engineering new methodologies, and adapting existing ones so that they meet the special requirements of the model-driven approach. We have used the framework herein to show how agile methodologies fare in this model-driven development context.