Dialogue-specified reuse of domain engineering work products

This paper reports on experience gained in implementing a search and retrieval strategy for reusable software work products stored in a domain-specific reuse library. The strategy utilizes a knowledge base associated with a domain architecture, together capturing domain knowledge. Both the architecture and the knowledge base are maintained in the library. The work products (reusable parts, knowledge base, domain architecture, etc.) are created and managed by domain engineers (domain experts). The same items are utilized by application engineers to instantiate a specific application/system within the domain. Reuse of the domain engineering work products can be automated to support specification of what to retrieve and adapt through a dialogue between the library and the application engineer.