Hewlett-Packard (HP) Analytical Product Group (APG) supplies instrumentation, software and systems for a wide range of analytical techniques including Gas Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Spectrophotometry and Automated Sample Preparation.
Single-user workstations and multi-user data systems with software for instrument control, data analysis, automation and information management are essential elements of APG's business.
APG has divisions at Palo Alto, CA., Avondale, PA. and Waldbronn, Germany. Each site has worldwide business responsibilty for a subset of above techniques, and does research and development (R+D) for instrumentation and software for their business segments.
Sharing of software workproducts across APG organizations began as early as 1982 with voluntary design for reuse and cooperative efforts among design teams. APG's motivation for practicing reuse has two major elements:
1. Enhance value to customers through consistency and compatibility across products
2. Improve productivity by reducing redundant development efforts
In late 1988, the first author was assigned to further stimulate and lead these reuse activities with small project teams at all three sites funded by and reporting to the APG R+D manager.
Activities include improving the infrastructure for multi-site reuse, identification of workproducts for reuse, re-engineering existing workproducts for reuse, new designs for reuse, consultation to projects designing with reuse, and maintenance of reusable and reused workproducts.
Activities are organized in a multi-site program, i.e. a set of related and coordinated, but independently managed projects.