Features of the Traceability Matrix

1. It is a method for tracing each requirement from its point of origin, through each development phase and work product, to the delivered product
2. Can indicate through identifiers where the requirement is originated, specified, created, tested, and delivered
3. Will indicate for each work product the requirement(s) this work product satisfies
4. Facilitates communications, helping customer relationship management and commitment negotiation
5. It ensures, for each phase of the lifecycle, that I have correctly accounted for all the customer’s needs
6. Ensure that all requirements are correct and included in the test plan and the test cases
7. Ensure that developers are not creating features that no one has requested
8. Identifies the missing parts
9. The completed system may have “Extra” functionality that may have not been specified in the design specification, resulting in wastage of manpower, time and effort.
10. If the code component that constitutes the customer’s high priority requirements is not known, then the areas that need to be worked first may not be known thereby decreasing the chances of shipping a useful product on schedule
11. Seemingly simple request might involve changes to several parts of the system and if proper Traceability process is not followed, the evaluation of the work that may be needed to satisfy the request may not be correctly evaluated.