Product Configuration is a Collaborative Task

1
Towards a Framework for Collaborative and
Coordinated Product Configuration
Marcilio Mendonca, Krzysztof Czarnecki, Toacy
Oliveira, Donald Cowan marcilio,dcowan_at_csg.uwa
terloo.ca, czarnecki_at_acm.org, toacy_at_inf.pucrs.br
OOPSLA 2006
A framework to support collaborative and
coordinated software product configuration.
Product Configuration is a Collaborative Task
but Support for Collaborative Configuration is
Lacking in Software Product Lines
We Propose a Framework for Collaborative
Configuration
Manufacturing
Product Selection
A Typical Product Configuration
Software Product Lines General Framework
How can we effectively support Collaborative
Product Configuration while enforcing the proper
Coordination of the configuration decisions?
Products
Product Configuration
Product Configuration
Product Line Core Assets
Product Configuration Process
Product Decisions
Decision Model
Digital CameraProduct Line
product requirements
configuration actions
Semi-automated
Production
Configuration Decisions
Configuration Decisions
Application Engineer
Fully-automated
Mappings
Variability
Stakeholders
Configuration Agents Technical Business
APPLICATION ENGINEERING
DOMAIN ENGINEERING

• Current approaches to Product Configuration fail
  in supporting Collaboration
• Put heavy burden on application engineers
• Are difficult to scale and time-consuming
• Waste configuration knowledge
• Conflict management is complex
• Lack support for collaboration

Market Requirements
Market Segments
Feature Models are Extended to Support
Collaboration (Collaborative Feature Models)
Illustration Collaborative Configuration of a
Web Portal Product Line
Decision Coupling and Dependencies
Configuration Views

• Feature Modeling is a widely accepted technique
  in Software Product Lines to represent software
  commonalities and variabilities (variability
  management)
• Products are specified by selecting desired
  features on a Feature Model
• Unfortunately, Feature Models were not created
  with Collaboration in mind

Conventional Feature Model
Web Portal
Configuration Space Web Portal (active)
Project Manager
Domain Concept
Web Portal
Performance
Persistence
GUI
Security
Web Portal
Network
Performance
System Admin.
MsSecMin
1..
1
GUI
1
Performance
GUI
Security
Web Designer
Resolution
XML
Database
Ms
Transfer
Templates
Resolution
Transfer
Sec
Min
Auth.
Data
GUI
Protocol
Ms
Templates
1..
?
Decided
Requires
?
Undecided
Decided
Undecided
Decided
X
User Login
GUI
Security
Performance
Network
?
Persistence
?
Https
Network
Requires
Example of a Feature Model for a Car
Collaborative Configuration Phases
User Login
Header
AuthDataTransfer
http
ftp
https
Https
Requires
Auth
Excludes
Persistence
Security
Transfer
WD
SS
SA
SS
Feature model
Annotated feature model
Network Administrator
Database
Data
Car
Mandatory feature
Optional feature
Collaborative Feature Model
Database Manager
CCPC Spec Tool
Security Specialist
Project Manager
Project Manager
Web Portal
Specifying Priorities to Support Conflict
Resolution
Configuration Space Security (inactive)
Engine
Seats
Transmission
Cruise Control
Transmission
1
1
Performance
?
Undecided
GUI
Security
Security
Persistence
1..
Network
PM
1..
Project Manager
Database Manager
Project Manager
1
1

1..
CCPC Execution Tool
Manual
Automatic
Normal
Manual
Database
4.0
Leather
3.0
XML
Templates
Resolution
Transfer
Sec
Min
Ms
Transfer
Auth.
Data
Protocol
Security Specialist
Security Specialist
Security Specialist
1..
Requires
?
Undecided
?
Undecided
?
Undecided
Excludes
Auth.
Data
Transfer
WD
requires
NA SA
DM
Requires
User Login
Header
Product Specification
http
ftp
https
System Admin.
Database Manager
Web Designer
Network Administrator
PM(WD)
Requires
Security Specialist
System Administrator
Network Administrator
Web Designer
Security Specialist