Software Product Line Engineering describes the development of a series of software products based on a common foundation of components and a unified architecture. This strategy is particularly beneficial in scenarios where multiple software products require similar functionalities but need individual customizations or variants. A notable example can be found in the Human-Machine Interfaces within the manufacturing industry, where a variety of customer-specific workflows interact with different hardware configurations.

The presentation explains the theoretical foundations of Software Product Line Engineering and demonstrates, using a practical example from the manufacturing industry, how such an architecture can be realized. The focus is on creating reusable and scalable software components that allow a wide range of product variations in different combinations.

Furthermore, the presentation addresses the efficient management of the variety of variants in software product lines. It discusses how a balanced relationship between the standardization of software modules and the necessary flexibility for customer-specific customizations can be achieved.