Project-level reuse factors: Drivers for variation within software development environments

Systematic reuse can dramatically improve software development productivity and quality even though a software reuse methodology may require substantial investments. Some projects may fail to achieve the targeted amounts of reuse within organizations that are overall successful in employing reuse. To explain such variation, this research explores the effects of project-level factors in the success of software reuse. A model that relates project factors to project reuse success is developed using an information-rich case study approach. The results are based on the insights obtained in a nominal group technique session, triangulated with structured interviews and comparative case studies. Success factors identified by the study relate to client influence, project culture, project attributes, and developer reuse experience. An organization that can successfully identify the factors affecting potential software reuse will be able to better target investments for the improvement of its reuse methodology and thus positively affect its software development productivity and quality.