Process lines: a product line approach designed for process model development

Standard process models like RUP or the German V-Modell XT are developed to be used in an organizational environment. Yet introducing such a process model into an organization is no simple task. It is usually accompanied by either reorganizing internal processes to comply with a standard process model or by adaptation of the process model to organizational structures. The latter is an approach that can often be found in practice and is subject to this paper. The paper describes a generalization of the process model architecture of the V-Modell XT 1.3. Compared to the previous version 1.2.1.1, its metamodel has completely been revised with respect to a new adaptation concept. We will see how this concept allows the implementation of a so called process line. Software process lines are derived from software product lines and can be used for the adaptation of standard processes during process model development, project initialization and project runtime.