The document summarizes a presentation given at a Business Analyst Conference on requirement traceability matrices. It defines what a traceability matrix is, describes the components of requirements that need to be traced, and provides an example matrix. It explains why traceability is important for requirements management, change impact analysis, and ensuring quality. While traceability was once seen as a paperwork exercise, it now enables better project control and process improvement when used with requirements management tools.

1. Business Analyst Conference
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Julen C Mohanty
Citigroup Technology Services
Requirement Traceability

2. Table of Content
 What is Traceability Matrix
 Components of Requirement
 How to Trace
 Traceability Matrix Example
 Why is it Required
 The Myth
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3. What is Traceability Matrix
A Traceability Matrix is a document, usually in the form of a table, that
correlates any two baselined documents that require a many to many
relationship to determine the completeness of the relationship. - WIKI
I would say: Traceability Matrix is a document, where we would like to
be able to trace back and forth how and where any work product
fulfills the directions of the preceding (source) product.
Contd..
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4. What is Traceability Matrix
User
Functional Rqmt Business
Rqmt Rqmt
Test
Rqmt
Contextual links between the various Requirements
&
Relationship between Work Products developed CODE
Test
TDD Plan
BRD
FRD Test
Effective Implementation and Verification of Cases
Requirements
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5. Components of Software Requirements
Business
Requirements
Vision & Scope Document
User Quality
Requirements Attributes
Nonfunctional
Use Case Document Requirements
Functional Constraints
Requirements
System
Requirements
Software Requirement Specification
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6. How to Trace
• Has at least one to one relationship
• Makes relationship between requirements & within requirements
• Document the functions next to each of the Requirements they are related to
• Same way Tech Design next to each functions and that’s how till
implementation
• Customer can give inputs when things are ambiguous.
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7. Traceability Matrix - Example
Requirement Traceability Matrix
Project
Name:
Project ID:
Project Team:
Requirement BRD FRD TDD Dev Test Plan UAT
Description
Category Sections Sections Sections Sections Sections
Level 1
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8. Traceability Matrix - Example
Develop
Requirements Functions Design ment Testing
Datab Develop
Business Technical User Unit
Sub se ment
Require Requirem Require Func. LLD HLD Testin SIT UAT
Func. Desig module
ment ents ments g
n No.
Level 2
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9. Traceability Matrix - Example
REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX
Project
Project Name:
Name:
National
National Center:
Center:
Project
Project Manager
Manager
Name:
Name:
Project Project
Descriptio Descriptio
n: n:
Technical
Ass Architectural/ System Test
Assumption(s) Functional Technical Software Tested Implement Verificati Additional
ID oc Status Design Compone Case
and/ or Customer Requirement Specification Module(s) In ed In on Comments
ID Document nt(s) Number
Need(s)
001 1.1.1
002 2.2.2
003 3.3.3
004 4.4.4
005 5.5.5
006
Level 3 – Working
Attached Template for use, by Audience
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10. Why to use Traceability Matrix
• Has relationship back & forth from Requirement to Implementation
• Makes relationship between requirements & within requirements
• Traces back a function to it’s requirements, or technical design to it’s function, or
even a code to it’s technical design/ function / requirement
• Can check whether any requirement has at least one design solution and by
checking the solution(s) you may see whether the requirement is sufficiently
solved by this (or the set of) connected design(s)
• If you have to change any requirement, you can see which designs are affected.
And if you change any design, you can check which requirements may be affected
and see what the impact is.
• Identify those areas with a higher number of defects and analyze the root causes
Contd..
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11. Why to use Traceability Matrix
• In a Design-Code Traceability Matrix you can do the same to keep track of how
and which code solves a particular design and how changes in design or code
affect each other.
Take e.g. the Requirement of UserFriendliness (UF).
• If a design solution does not solve any requirement, it should be deleted, as it is
of no value
• It shows has the system been adequately tested
• It helps to minimize scope creep
• Customer requirements through development and testing verifies that the
customer requirements are implemented and tested
• Most important : It says things that can be reused
• It’s a Six Sigma project management matrix table
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12. Previous Stage v/s Current Stage
Previous Stage
• Traceability is just to check required Capabilities
• Check system Capabilities
• Mere Exercise in Thoroughness & Completeness in project
• To show the delivered features & functionalities
• Sometime as just Customer asks
Current Stage
• Advent of Requirement Management tools it has helped support project management
• Helps in Impact Analysis
• Takes care of change management
• Easy to handle Defect management
• Process improvement substantially
• Effective team communication
• Better Project Control
• Assured quality
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13. Summary
Traceability is “the ability to follow the life of a requirement, in both
forwards and backwards direction, i.e., from its origins, through its
development and specification, to its subsequent deployment and
use, and go through periods of ongoing refinement and iteration in
any of these phases”.
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14. The Myth
Do your duty to the best of your ability, result will
automatically follow.
You may be doing your duty to the best of your ability, but without proper
direction it maybe of no use. Use traceability Matrix…
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15. Thank You
julenmohanty@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/julenmohanty
Julen C Mohanty
www.linkedin.com/in/julenmohanty
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