Chapter 3 Building a requirements model

Defining traceability matrix views

You can link objects to a requirement to confirm that the requirement has been integrated during the analysis and design processes. (See the Traceability Links page of a requirement property sheet)

Traceability matrix views are grids which display the links between requirements (in rows) and their linked objects (in columns).

There are three types of traceability matrix views corresponding to three types of links:

• Between requirements and design objects (objects from other types of models).
  
  These links confirm that the requirements have been integrated in the analysis and design processes
• Between requirements and external files (MS Word, MS Excel, PowerDesigner...).
  
  The links with MS Word are managed automatically. You can also link requirements with pieces of various documents (e.g. a planning)
• Between requirements from different hierarchies.
  
  These links allow you to manage interconnected requirements from different hierarchies. For example, you can start from a customer requirements list, then move to a designer requirements list, and end with specifications. The requirement to requirement matrix view allows you to check that no requirement has been forgotten between the customer list and the specifications

Example of a traceability matrix view with requirements links:

The Current cell properties group box displays the properties of a selected link:

You can also create or delete traceability links with the tool in the upper left corner of the Current cell properties group box. (See Creating a traceability link and Deleting a traceability link)

You can create as many traceability matrix views as you want, by changing the linked objects type or selecting the linked objects.

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