From e-Gov Web SPL to e-Gov Mobile SPL

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the motivation and present the evolution from a Software Product Line (SPL) in the e-Gov Web (e-Gov Web SPL) domain to a SPL in the mobile domain (e-Gov Mobile SPL).

Design/methodology/approach

The evolution was supported by the Product Line UML-Based Software Engineering approach and the feature model.

Findings

The authors were able to observe that it is feasible to evolve from a SPL for the Web platform to a SPL for the mobile platform, with the intent to port existing Web applications to mobile platforms such that users can have access to the main information and are able to interact with the most important functionalities of Web applications in a mobile device.

Research limitations/implications

As for the main limitations, the authors can point out the small number of instantiations performed until the moment with the support of the e-Gov Mobile SPL, what prevented the conduction of an empirical study.

Practical implications

Using e-Gov Mobile SPL, it is possible to reduce development time and cost.

Originality/value

The existing SPLs do not worry about supporting the development of mobile applications corresponding to existing Web applications, as it is desirable to have access to the information and main features of these applications in mobile devices. We obtained some e-Gov Mobile SPL instantiations corresponding to e-Gov Web SPL instantiations to attend the demands of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation Unit situated at Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.

Citation

Carromeu, C., Barroso Paiva, D. and Cagnin, M.I. (2016), "From e-Gov Web SPL to e-Gov Mobile SPL", International Journal of Web Information Systems, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 39-61. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWIS-10-2015-0036