Useful Traceability Matrices

Useful Traceability Matrices

Various traceability matrices may be utilized throughout the system life cycle. Useful ones include:

* Functional specification to requirements document: It shows that each requirement (obtained from a preliminary requirements statement provided by the
customer or produced in the Concept Definition stage) has been covered in an appropriate section of the functional specification.

* Top level configuration item to functional specification: For example, a top level configuration item, Workstation, may be one of the configuration items that
satisfies the function Input Order Information. On the matrix, each configuration item would be written down the left hand column and each function would be written
across the top.

* Low level configuration item to top level configuration item: For example, the top level configuration item, Workstation, may contain the low level configuration
items Monitor, CPU, keyboard, and network interface card.

* Design specification to functional specification verifies that each function has been covered in the design.

* System test plan to functional specification ensures you have identified a test case or test scenario for each process and each requirement in the functional
specification.

Although the construction and maintenance of traceability matrices may be time-consuming, they are a quick reference during verification and validation tasks.