The systematic discovery and exploitation of commonality across related software systems is a fundamental technical requirement for achieving successful software reuse. Domain analysis is one technique that can be applied to meet this requirement. By examining related software systems and the underlying theory of the class of systems they represent, domain analysis can provide a generic description of the requirements of those systems. It can also propose a set of approaches for implementation of new systems in the class.
The development of complex aerospace software systems requires a clear understanding of desired system features and of the capabilities of those features. Software reuse, which has long promised improvements in this development process, will become feasible only when the features and capabilities within the domain of a particular system can be properly defined in advance of formal software development of the system. Thus, the need to develop domain analysis technology and apply it within specific software development programs is a factor that can promote software reuse for those programs.