Feature modeling: A meta-model to enhance usability and usefulness

Abstract

A feature model captures the stakeholder-visible aspects and characteristics of a product line. By revealing a product line’s inherent commonalities and variabilities, it acts as a key driver in the creation of core assets. Usability and usefulness, however, are important qualities for a feature model to possess in order to fulfill its role. In our opinion, these qualities can be ensured by building upon an adequate meta-model. The purpose of this article is to describe an extended meta-model for feature modeling. Meta-model elements, such as features and inter-feature relations, are presented in detail. We propose automated model analysis as the way of extracting information encapsulated in a feature model: algorithms are suggested for the identification of the commonality and variability in the modeled product line and for the automated consistency checking of products.