Representing Process Variation with a Process Family

Abstract

Abstract. The formalization of process definitions has been an invaluable aid in many domains. However, noticeable variations in processes start to emerge as precise details are added to process definitions. While each such variation gives rise to a different process, these processes might more usefully be considered as variants of each other, rather than completely different processes. This paper proposes that it is beneficial to regard such an appropriately close set of process variants as a process family. The paper suggests a characterization of what might comprise a process family and introduces a formal approach to defining families based upon this characterization. To illustrate this approach, we describe a case study that demonstrates the different variations we observed in processes that define how dispute resolution is performed at the U.S. National Mediation Board. We demonstrate how our approach supports the definition of this set of process variants as a process family.

Requirements and constructors for tailoring software processes: a systematic literature review

“…Processes are also composed of structuring elements, which act as the glue between single elements, such as control or data/product flows, or predefined element groups such as iterations or components. The process can be also tailored by means of varying these structuring elements, as proposed in: Simidchieva et al (2007), Hesse and Noack (1999), Giese et al (2007), Schnieders (2006), Jaufman and Münch (2005), or Lobsitz (1996), which include variability in control or data flows; Chou and Chen (2000), Biffl et al (2006), Park et al (2006), Madhavji and Schafer (1991), or Dai and Li (2007) propose grouping element variations. Figure 4 shows these proposals that are classified according to the type of element that is varied, namely control and data flow variations, elements, and others.…”

Defect Types and Software Inspection Techniques: A Systematic Mapping Study

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Leveraging CVL to Manage Variability in Software Process Lines

“…Other approaches are similar to ours. One approach [27] proposes to model one process and to augment it with process elements selected according to a process goals specification, in order to obtain a particular process. The notion of process goals specification is close to our notion of requirements of a project.…”