Research Background

The starting point for the investigation and design of adaptive software development processes in the joint project IOSE-W2 are the characteristics of adaptive systems developed in the CHANGE project funded by the BMBF. In the past, however, little importance was attached to adaptability in the development and operation of standard business software systems. Relevant projects focused primarily on the organizational adaptability of companies or the area of production technology. The research project starts at this point and combines the software development process with the product perspective. The aspects of changeability, distributed and interorganizational cooperation as well as product organization systems are considered.

Research objectives

Adaptability is the ability of a system to adapt itself efficiently and quickly to changing requirements. The goal is to develop a software development process that meets the requirements of mutability and enables the development of new software product lines and versions both in a distributed manner and across organizational boundaries.

The SPOS Tool

The goal of the research work was the development of an integrated consulting tool for the mutable design of distributed, interorganizational software development processes using a reuse-oriented product design based on software product ordering systems. Based on insights gained during the project phases and the resulting requirements, a SPOS software tool was implemented. This tool, as well as the SPOS and WIVSE process models on which the concept was based, were evaluated in several iterations by all project partners and revised and adapted accordingly.

Project partners, funding and data

The BMBF-funded project was carried out by the Chair of Information Systems, Processes and Systems at the University of Potsdam and partners from research and practice. Partners: Technical University of Munich - Chair of Business Administration: Corporate Management, Logistics and Production; Technical University of Munich - Chair of Software & System Engineering; PSPIPENTA Software Systems GmbH; PiSA GmbH; FAUSER AG; alvalis GmbH.