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INTERVIEW QUESTION:

What is a Requirements Traceability Matrix?

Posted by Emy

// 12435 Views // 4 Additional Answers & Comments

Categories: Business Analysis, Systems Analysis, Requirements Analysis (BABOK KA), SDLC, Process, and Methodologies

ANSWER

First of all, let’s talk about requirements traceability in general. Requirements traceability is the ability to follow and audit the life of a requirement, in both a forward and backward direction: from its origins, through its realization in the design and functional specifications, to its eventual development and deployment and use, and through subsequent rounds of modification and refinement.

A Requirements Traceability Matrix is just one method of performing and maintaining requirements traceability.

A good Requirements Traceability Matrix template or any other robust method for managing requirements traceability for a project can answer a variety of questions and solve numerous problems such as:

How was a specific requirement implemented?
What pieces of code will potentially be impacted by modifying a given requirement?
Which test cases are used to verify what requirements?
If I change a specific feature in the application what are the requirements which need to be looked at for impact?
What are all the places in the system where a given piece of data is being used?
etc.

--
Chris Adams
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ADDITIONAL ANSWERS / COMMENTS

BSApro posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 2:42 AM

It will be greatly helpful if points about "how traceability matrix is implemented" are provided

JOE posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 6:40 AM

The explanation is more practical than the literatures I have read. As a relatively new BA I appreciate this level of explanation.
Chinedu

Simha posted on Friday, April 18, 2008 4:22 AM

Very practical and simple.

arsh posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 3:19 PM

'A Requirements Traceability Matrix is just one method of performing and maintaining requirements traceability.'
What are the other methods to maintain traceability?

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