RequirementsTraceability

Requirements traceability is the ability to link a requirement to its origins and to track its progress through the development life cycle. It connects requirements to design decisions, implementation artifacts, test cases, and verification results, and to the rationale behind decisions. This linkage helps stakeholders see how a need is satisfied and why a change was made.

Key concepts include unique identifiers, sources, owners, status, and rationale for each requirement. Forward traceability follows a requirement to downstream artifacts such as design, code, and tests, while backward traceability traces back from tests and implementations to the originating requirement. Bidirectional traceability combines both directions. A traceability matrix or a linked artifact system is used to visualize and manage these links.

Process and practices: during requirements elicitation, assign IDs and capture acceptance criteria. As design, development, and testing progress, maintain links; perform impact analysis when requirements change; validate that every requirement is verified by at least one test. Regular audits ensure coverage and detect orphaned or unmapped requirements.

Tools and standards: organizations use requirements management tools (for example IBM DOORS, Jama Connect, Jira with traceability plugins, Polarion) to automate links and reporting. Standards such as ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148, DO-178C in avionics, and ISO 26262 in automotive shape traceability expectations.

Benefits and challenges: good traceability improves transparency, regulatory compliance, risk management, and change control; it enables impact analysis and reduces rework. Challenges include tool integration, keeping links up to date, managing large volumes of artifacts, and ensuring scope clarity.