In this study, we propose enhancing UML connectors with additional behaviors. Associated behaviors add capability to specify exogenous coordination and capability to resolve ambiguities when n-ary connectors are used to coordinate more than two entities. We identify the challenges specific to specification of behaviors for connectors and we propose solutions for them. We argue with examples that this kind of behavioral specification suits well for reusability of both connected elements and the connectors.

The results of a systematic literature review conducted for variability modelling in software component models are analysed and presented here. A well‐planned protocol guided the screening of 3230 papers that resulted in the identification of 55 papers. Reviewing these papers, 23 of them were considered as primary studies related to our research questions. A comparison framework is introduced to further understand, assess, and compare those selected papers. Observations about the important aspects of component models that support the variability capability are summarised. Prominent trends and approaches are discussed along with a comparative analysis of the component models. Only a few component models were found to be explicitly accommodating variability concerns. The identified variability modelling problems require further research for attaining better reuse capabilities.

UML ports are widely used in the modeling of real-time software due to their advantages in flexibility and expressiveness. When realizing UML ports in object oriented languages, using objects for each port is one option. However, this approach causes runtime overhead and renders significant amount of additional generated code. To meet the performance constraints and decrease the costs of code reviews required in development of safety-critical real-time embedded software, more efficient approaches are required. In this article, we propose an approach, which introduces relatively less runtime overhead and results in more compact source code. A structural model defined with UML ports is transformed into a model that uses associations instead of objects to efficiently implement the UML port semantics with less lines of code. Achieved improvements and validation of the proposed approach is demonstrated by a case study; the design of an existing avionics software.

Compliance check between code and design is a labor-intensive job to do, since it requires the code to be reverse engineered and checked versus design manually. On the other hand, investigation of the design-code compliance would give some valuable information to software development and maintenance managers. In this study, an approach for employing software repository analysis and text mining techniques to extract and analyze compliance levels of design and code efficiently is presented.

Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE) is a prominent paradigm for the assembly of a family of products using product line core assets. The modeling of software assets that together form the actual products is critical for achieving the strategic benefits of Software Product Lines (SPLs). We propose a feature-based approach to software asset modeling based on abstractions provided by Domain-Specific Kits (DSKs). This approach involves a software Asset Metamodel (AMM) used to derive Asset Modeling Languages (AMLs) that define reusable software assets in domain-specific terms. The approach also prescribes a roadmap for modeling these software assets in conjunction with the product line reference architecture. Asset capabilities can be modeled using feature diagrams as the external views of the software assets. Internal views can be expressed in terms of Domain-Specific Artifacts (DSAs) with Variability Points (VPs), where the domain-specific artifacts are created using Domain-Specific Kits. This approach produces loosely coupled and highly cohesive software assets that are reusable for multiple product lines. The approach is validated by assessing software asset reuse in two different product lines in the finance domain. We also evaluated the productivity gains in large-scale complex projects, and found that the approach yielded a significant reduction in the total project effort.

In this paper we consider merging of feature models arising from different viewpoints. We propose a normative procedure to merge basic feature models by applying local rules. Our procedure can merge basic feature models and feature models with cross-tree relationships between sibling features.

In general, a common reference architecture can be derived for Software as a Service (SaaS). However, while designing particular applications one may derive various application design alternatives from the same reference SaaS architecture specification. To meet the required functional and nonfunctional requirements of different enterprise applications it is important to model the possible design so that a feasible alternative can be defined. In this paper, we propose a systematic approach and corresponding tool support for guiding the design of SaaS application architectures. The approach defines a SaaS reference architecture, a family feature model and a set of reference design rules. Based on the business requirements an application feature model is defined using the family feature model. Selected features are related to design decisions and a SaaS application architecture design is derived.

Although service-oriented computing holds great promises, it is still not clear when and how the existing systems will exploit this new computational model. The problem is particularly severe for the software having several years of use. This work provides a roadmap for the migration of legacy software to service-oriented computing by means of right levels of abstraction. The key idea is having integration even at the presentation layer, not only at backend layers such as application or data. This requires re-inventing the popular MASHUP technology of Web 2.0 at the enterprise level. Domain- specific-kits and choreography engine concepts that were originally introduced by the software factory automation approach have been reshaped as another enabling technology towards migrating to the service harmonization platform. The paper also exemplifies the proposed approach on a simple case problem.