Software Process Definition using Process Lines: A Systematic Literature Review

Software processes have been the focus of discussion in literature, but defining a software process remains a challenge. The Software Process Line (SPrL) technique offers a systematic process reuse approach that identifies processes' similarities and variability. This study aims to characterize the state-of-the-art of the software process definition using SPrL. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted and 26 papers were identified to be studied in depth. The results indicate a concentration of approaches that use mapping/rules techniques to support variability resolution and the need for integrated supporting tools. In addition, three problems that affect the software process definition using SPrL were observed: (1) low understanding of SPrL models complexity and their impact, (2) lack of understanding about the impacts of the defined software process, and (3) experts' knowledge dependence issues in decision-making to solve variability.