Collaboration And Versioning Framework - a Systematic Top-Down Approach

CONTEXT: Versioning allows users to efficiently create and evolve artifacts, not only but especially in the domain of model-driven engineering. Due to collaboration tools, the place and time where users jointly work at their artifacts do not play an important role anymore. OBJECTIVE: We systematically elaborated a classification framework for collaboration and versioning tools. The intention is threefold: First, it should be possible to classify existing approaches. Second, deriving from user goals requirements to be met, and capabilities to be supported by a new tool. Third, given a set of capabilities, highlight which user goals can be achieved. METHOD: According to Kang and Lee, we systematically elaborated a problem space and a solution space and created mappings between both spaces and their sub-spaces. To demonstrate the applicability, we classified existing VCS like git, Google Docs, and several MDE-specific approaches. RESULTS: The created feature diagram covers 238 features and contains about 87 constraints. CONCLUSION: The developed framework supports researchers and developers in classifying their tools, revealing new opportunities to improve their tools, and guiding the development of new tools.