Abstract
This paper introduces an approach to mine field-tested design solutions when defining the architecture of a new product line. The design comparison approach (DCA) compares design solution alternatives implemented in existing systems and analyzes their advantages and drawbacks. This explicit comparison and analysis enables the development of high quality product line architectures by incorporating field-tested, proven concepts and strategies. We show the applicability and usefulness of the approach in two case studies concerned with the design of Eclipse plug-ins.