Hi Sergio,

This is a highly relevant topic. In Software Engineering (my perspective), it is, however, under-researched. Nevertheless, we have some approaches. It started with Dieter Rombach's paper on integrated software product and process lines (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221421676_Integrated_Software_Process_and_Product_Lines), which is the basis for some research on process variability. Among other, process line approaches address organizational change and capability improvement (from the SE perspective, e.g., development, testing, and management).

Basically, we distinguish between two approaches:

1) variability analysis (of past projects/actual processes) to develop new/improved processes to better address company needs. Contributions on that topic were made, e.g., by the group around Jürgen Münch (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juergen_Muench). For example:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221045895_Process_Model_Difference_Analysis_for_Supporting_Process_Evolution

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220542201_Rationale_modeling_for_software_process_evolution?ev=pub_cit_inc

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221045941_Maintaining_a_Large_Process_Model_Aligned_with_a_Process_Standard_An_Industrial_Example?ev=pub_cit_inc

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221421489_Focused_Identification_of_Process_Model_Changes?ev=pub_cit_inc

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221219312_Connecting_the_Rationale_for_Changes_to_the_Evolution_of_a_Process?ev=pub_cit_inc

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228884912_Delta-P_Model_comparison_using_semantic_web_standards?ev=pub_cit_inc

2) pro-active and directed variability. This is closer to Dieter's proposal, i.e. variability instruments are part of a process metamodel. Variability instruments are then used to derive a particular process variant from a reference process. A good overview of variability instruments can be depicted from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220635753_Requirements_and_constructors_for_tailoring_software_processes_a_systematic_literature_review

A concrete implementation and empirical study on the feasibility of such constructors can be found here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261296730_Realizing_Software_Process_Lines_Insights_and_Experiences

If you are interested in this topic and how it is handled from the process perspective, hurry up and attend this year's ICSSP (http://www.icsp-conferences.org/icssp2014/). There will be a special panel on that topic (the introduction of the panel can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261798570_Towards_Context-Specific_Software_Process_Selection_Tailoring_and_Composition?ev=prf_pub).

Hope this helps a bit.

Conference Paper Integrated Software Process and Product Lines

Conference Paper Process Model Difference Analysis for Supporting Process Evolution

Article Rationale modeling for software process evolution

Conference Paper Maintaining a Large Process Model Aligned with a Process Sta...

Conference Paper Focused Identification of Process Model Changes

Conference Paper Connecting the Rationale for Changes to the Evolution of a Process

Article Delta-P: Model comparison using semantic web standards

Article Requirements and constructors for tailoring software process...

Conference Paper Realizing Software Process Lines: Insights and Experiences

Conference Paper Towards Context-Specific Software Process Selection, Tailori...

It definitely helps, Marco.

Thanks a lot for the amount of valuable information. I am going through the papers you pointed.

I was not able to attend to ICSSP 2014. I am sure the conference and the panel have been very interesting.

Best,

  Sergio