5. Requirements Traceability
J. John Jones
• At UPS-SCS since
July 2013
• Nearly 36 years at
Eastman Kodak
• Began as Programmer
• Added Designer
• Added Analyst
• BS in Computer Science
Pennsylvania State University
• CBAP® in May 2014 UPS BA Certification in August 2014
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/jjohnjones
Email: jjohnjjr@yahoo.com
10. Requirements Traceability
We like to connect things.
Connect the dots.
Sometimes because of the
complexity and lack of
framework, it’s hard to get
the picture until we draw all
the lines.
11. Requirements Traceability
We like to connect things.
Connect the dots.
Sometimes because of the
complexity and lack of
framework, it’s hard to get
the picture until we draw all
the lines.
13. Requirements Traceability
We like to connect things.
Genealogy
Look back to know where we
came from
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
14. Requirements Traceability
We like to connect things.
Genealogy
Look ahead to see the
possibilities of where
we are going.
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
16. Requirements Traceability
Business Analysis – Trace Requirements
BABOK® Guide 1.6 Draft
REQUIREMENTS
MANAGEMENT & PLANNING
MANAGE REQUIREMENTS
SCOPE
Structure Requirements for
Traceability
Description:
Requirements traceability
supports the ability to trace a
requirement through the
development life cycle. The
ability to track the requirements
is an important technique used
to detect missing functionality
or identity if implemented
functionality is not supported by
a specific requirement.
17. Requirements Traceability
Business Analysis – Trace Requirements
BABOK® Guide 1.6 Draft
REQUIREMENTS
MANAGEMENT & PLANNING
MANAGE REQUIREMENTS
SCOPE
Structure Requirements for
Traceability
Description:
Requirements traceability
supports the ability to trace a
requirement through the
development life cycle. The
ability to track the requirements
is an important technique used
to detect missing functionality
or identity if implemented
functionality is not supported by
a specific requirement.
BABOK® Guide 2
REQUIREMENTS
MANAGEMENT &
COMMUNICATION
Manage Requirements
Traceability
Description:
Requirements are related to
other requirements, to solution
components, and to other
artifacts such as test cases.
“Tracing” a requirement refers to
the ability to look at a
requirement and the others to
which it is related. Tracing links
business requirements to
stakeholder and solution
requirements, to other artifacts
produced by the team, and to
solution components
18. Requirements Traceability
Business Analysis – Trace Requirements
BABOK® Guide 1.6 Draft
REQUIREMENTS
MANAGEMENT & PLANNING
MANAGE REQUIREMENTS
SCOPE
Structure Requirements for
Traceability
Description:
Requirements traceability
supports the ability to trace a
requirement through the
development life cycle. The
ability to track the requirements
is an important technique used
to detect missing functionality
or identity if implemented
functionality is not supported by
a specific requirement.
BABOK® Guide 2
REQUIREMENTS
MANAGEMENT &
COMMUNICATION
Manage Requirements
Traceability
Description:
Requirements are related to
other requirements, to solution
components, and to other
artifacts such as test cases.
“Tracing” a requirement refers to
the ability to look at a
requirement and the others to
which it is related. Tracing links
business requirements to
stakeholder and solution
requirements, to other artifacts
produced by the team, and to
solution components
BABOK® Guide 3
REQUIREMENTS LIFE CYCLE
MANAGEMENT
Trace Requirements
Description:
Requirements traceability
identifies and documents the
lineage of each requirement,
including its backward traceability,
its forward traceability, and its
relationship to other requirements.
Traceability is used to help ensure
that the solution conforms to
requirements and to assist in
scope, change, risk, time, cost,
and communication management.
It is also used to detect missing
functionality or to identify if there
is implemented functionality that is
not supported by any
requirement.
20. Requirements Traceability
Why trace requirements?
Impact Analysis If requirement J changes, what else has to
be reviewed for potential change?
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
21. Requirements Traceability
Why trace requirements?
Impact Analysis
Discovery of
inconsistencies and
gaps
If requirement J changes, what else has to
be reviewed for potential change?
Why does requirement G says the opposite
of related requirement H?
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
22. Requirements Traceability
Why trace requirements?
Impact Analysis
Discovery of
inconsistencies and
gaps
Insight into scope and
complexity of a
change
If requirement J changes, what else has to
be reviewed for potential change?
Why does requirement G says the opposite
of related requirement H?
If requirement J changes, how much work is
needed to update all related requirements?
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
23. Requirements Traceability
Why trace requirements?
Impact Analysis
Discovery of
inconsistencies and
gaps
Insight into scope and
complexity of a
change
If requirement J changes, what else has to
be reviewed for potential change?
Why does requirement G says the opposite
of related requirement H?
If requirement J changes, how much work is
needed to update all related requirements?
Assessment of
addressed and
skipped requirements
If requirement D has a related requirement,
but requirement E does not.
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
28. Requirements Traceability
What do we trace? From BABOK® Guide 3
Process Traceability Software Requirements Traceability
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
30. Requirements Traceability
What do we trace? When working in Agile
Acceptance Criteria traces to User Story
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
31. Requirements Traceability
What do we trace? When working in Agile
Acceptance Criteria traces to User Story
written on the same card
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
32. Requirements Traceability
What do we trace? When working in Agile
Acceptance Criteria traces to User Story
written on the same card
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
Relationships between
Epic and Feature
Feature and User Story
User Story and Iteration
34. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability?
• Don’t explicitly
• Let the structure of your repository show the
relationship
• Let the attributes of the requirement show the
relationship
36. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability? (Coverage Matrix)
Spreadsheet
Simplest form
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
37. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability? (Coverage Matrix)
Spreadsheet
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
38. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability? (Coverage Matrix)
Spreadsheet
Multiple levels of traceability add difficulty to recording
A possible solution is to start with
rows of all requirements
columns of possible connections
a cell is marked if there is a connection.
Additional sheets will look for marked intersections to
highlight.
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
39. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability?
Requirement Management Tool
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
40. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability?
Requirement Management Tool
• Possible relationships are defined in the tool, noting
those that are required for completeness.
• As a requirement is defined, relationships are built to the
predefined connections.
• Tool reports will show either established relationships
(impact analysis) or missing relationships (requirement
coverage).
• Repository of related requirements provides impact
analysis of the next project.
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
41. Requirements Traceability
How can we record the traceability?
Genealogy software?
Relation from one level to the next level down is a parent-
child relation.
• From a Business Requirement to Functional
Requirements
Relation between items at the same level is difficult to
show
• Between Functional Requirements
Relations that relate from two levels is difficult
• From a Project Objective to a Business Requirement
• From an Essential Business Process to the same
Business Requirement
43. Requirements Traceability
What are some best practice suggestions?
• Define your necessary relationships
• Limited
• Sensible directionality
• Think of use by BAs and consumers
• Document relationships as elicitation progresses, not at
the end
• Store Traceability Matrix with the requirements
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
44. Requirements Traceability
The Tie That Binds
• Relate requirements logically to each
other
• Use those relationships in verifying
coverage of deliverables or impact
analysis of a change
• Maintain the relationships for reference
in the next project
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
45. Requirements Traceability
The Tie That Binds
Questions?
(for me or each other!)
J John Jones
Building Business Capability - November 2, 2016
