Empirical Assessment of the Perception of Software Product Line Engineering by an SME before Migrating its Code Base

2025-12-02

AI Summary

This study investigates software development teams’ awareness, attitudes, and readiness for organizational change prior to migrating to Software Product Line (SPL) engineering in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders across multiple roles, we conducted a qualitative study grounded in an SPL implementation framework and applied thematic analysis. Results indicate unanimous recognition of the migration’s strategic benefits, confirming the critical role of early stakeholder engagement in mitigating transition risks. Based on empirical findings, we propose a three-dimensional strategy to alleviate resistance to change: sustained cross-functional communication, incremental adoption of existing practices, and inclusive, collaborative implementation. This work addresses an empirical gap by systematically assessing pre-migration organizational cognition within SMEs—contextually distinct from large enterprises—and delivers actionable, context-sensitive change management guidance tailored for resource-constrained software organizations undertaking SPL adoption.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Software Engineering
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Action, Change, and Causality
• Machine Learning: Hardware-aware ML

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web learning to rank, online learning, and counterfactual learning for ranking
• Responsible Web: Social and technical mechanisms of refusal for web technologies and applications

Abstract

Migrating a set of software variants into a software product line (SPL) is an expensive and potentially challenging endeavor. Indeed, SPL engineering can significantly impact a company's development process and often requires changes to established developer practices. The work presented in this paper stems from a collaboration with a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) that decided to migrate its existing code base into an SPL. In this study, we conducted an in-depth evaluation of the company's current development processes and practices, as well as the anticipated benefits and risks associated with the migration. Key stakeholders involved in software development participated in this evaluation to provide insight into their perceptions of the migration and their potential resistance to change. This paper describes the design of the interviews conducted with these stakeholders and presents an analysis of the results. Among the qualitative findings, we observed that all participants, regardless of their role in the development process, identified benefits of the migration relevant to their own activities. Furthermore, our results suggest that an effective risk mitigation strategy involves keeping stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the process, preserving as many good practices as possible, and actively involving them in the migration to ensure a smooth transition and minimize potential challenges.

Problem

• Evaluating SME perceptions before migrating to a software product line
• Assessing anticipated benefits and risks of code base migration
• Identifying stakeholder resistance and strategies for smooth transition

Innovation

• Conducted in-depth evaluation of development processes
• Interviewed stakeholders to assess perceptions and resistance
• Implemented risk mitigation through stakeholder engagement and involvement