The Three Layer Product Model
Jan Bosch · 2018
Despite more than 20 years on research on software product lines and variability, industry continues to experience the topic of strategic intra-organizational reuse and variability management as a challenge. This challenge is exacerbated by the adoption of software ecosystems. The keynote introduces an alternative perspective on this area using the Three Layer Product Model (3LPM). The 3LPM categorizes organizes functionality into three categories, i.e. commodity, differentiating and innovative. Our research shows that organizations, on average, spend 80-90% of their R&D resources on commodity functionality. Also, variability in the commodity layer provides no or little business value. Consequently, the keynote focuses on analyzing this challenge, presenting internal strategies and ecosystem strategies to address this and industrial experiences of using 3LPM.