Requirement Traceability Matrix

Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) is a document that traces and maps user requirements with test cases or test scripts and check if all the requirements are addressed, implemented and tested. Requirement ids from requirement specification document are mapped to the test case ids. In traceability, the relationship of requirements to test cases can be one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-one. Traceability requires unique identifiers for requirements and test cases.

Requirement Traceability Matrix document is prepared to ensure clients that the coverage done is complete as end to end. It consists of Requirement/ Base line document, Reference number, Test case or Conditions, and Defect/Bud id.

Using Requirement Traceability Matrix document the one can track the Requirement based on the Defect id.

Disadvantages of not using Requirement Traceability Matrix [some possible impact]:

• Loss track of any new or changed requirements
• Poor or unknown test coverage, more defects found in production
• It will lead to miss some bugs earlier test cycles which may arise later in test cycles
• Difficult project planning and tracking
• Misunderstanding between different teams over project dependencies, delay etc

Benefits of using Requirement Traceability Matrix:

• Make obvious to client that the software or application is being developed as per the requirements
• To make sure that all the requirements included in test cases
• To make sure that developers are not creating features that no one has requested or there is no such requirement specified by client in requirement specification document
• Easy to identify the missing functionalities
• If there is a change request for a requirement, then we can easily find out which test cases needs to update
• The completed system may have “Extra” functionalities that may have not been specified in the design document, resulting in wastage of manpower, time and effort.

Types of Requirement Traceability Matrix:

• Forward Traceability- Mapping of Requirements to Test cases
• Backward Traceability- Mapping to Test cases to Requirements
• Bi-Directional Traceability- A good traceability matrix is the reference from test cases to basis documentation and vice versa.

Tools used for Traceability Matrix:

MS Excel, HP Test Director, HP Quality Center, Rational Clear Ques