Following guidelines should be considered through the software planner when reusable components are specified as a resource.

1.    If off-the-shelf components meet project requirements acquire them.   The cost for integration and acquisition of off-the-shelf components will almost always be less than the cost to establishment equivalent software. Additionally, risk is relatively low.

2.    If full experience components are available the risks related with modification and integration is normally acceptable. The project plan should reflect the use of these components.

3.    If the partial-experience components are available their use for the current project must be analyzed in detail. If extensive modification is needed in the previous components can be properly integrated with other elements of the software proceed carefully.  To modify the cost partial experience components can sometimes be greater than the cost to establishment new components.

Statistically, the use of reusable software components is often neglected during the planning process only to become a paramount concern during development phase of the software process.   It is much better to specify software resource requirements previously.  In this way technical evaluation of alternatives can be conducted and timely acquisition can occur.