Task: What is requirements traceability

“Requirements traceability refers to the ability to describe and follow the life of a requirement, in both a forwards and backwards direction, i.e. from its origins, through its development and specification, to its subsequent deployment and use, and through periods of on-going refinement and iteration in any of these phases.”
Gotel and Finkelstein

Why is Traceability Important?

•Experience has shown that the ability to trace requirements artifacts through the stages of specification, architecture, design, implementation, and testing is a significant factor in assuring a quality software implementation.
•Ensures that requirements are met
•Understand relationship between requirements and the delivered system
•Lowers risk
•Consistency
•Control
–Change
–Development
–Risk