What is the purpose of Requirement Traceability Matrix?

A Requirement Traceability matrix is a document that demonstrates the relationship between the requirements and other artifacts. As the name gives us an idea that the RTM is a document that is used to trace the fulfillment of the Requirements. It is used to prove that the requirements are being fulfilled. It typically documents the requirement, test, test results and issues. RTM is important to effectively manage one’s requirements. Meeting Goals, running the rights tests, making right decisions are some other beneficial factors of creating the Requirement traceability matrix.

There are variety of RTMS. The most common types are:

Forward Traceability: This type of RTM used to make sure that the project progresses according to plan. It makes sure that the project has all the appropriate requirements applied to it going forward, and that each requirement is adequately tested.

Backward Traceability: this type of RTM is used to ensure that the project stays on track. It provides traceability to the original requirements to mitigate scope creep and that unnecessary additional code, features and tests aren’t added to the project.

Bi-directional traceability matrix: This RTM is a combination of both forward and backward traceability matrix. It tracks and ensures test coverage of all the requirements. It is also used to determine the impact of changes in associated project requirements.

The beneficial factors of Requirement Traceability Matrix are:

• It helps in meeting the desired Goal/objective.
• It helps in managing and running the right test cases and test results
• Hels in making right decisions
• Project estimations are turned in a much simpler variation
• The effectiveness of the development is increased.

RTM is important in a project because it helps in tracking the requirement of each iteration additionally it allows the Project manager to estimate the requirements of the resources related to the Project

The RTM reduces the possibilities of any such risks of defects and an objective, or a requirement being missed or left out.

The Purpose of the Requirement Traceability Matrix is:

It is prepared to make sure that every requirement is covered in the form of a test case so that we don’t miss out on any testing. In RTM document we map all the requirements and corresponding test cases to ensure that we have written all the test cases for each condition.

It is used to understand what we need to develop(software) and test. And that helps us to track test and test results.

It is used to measure the ensureity that the software completely meets the customer’s requirements. It is used to show the missing requirements or any conflicts in the documents.

It is also used to detect the root cause of any bug.

It is used to get visibility into risk also it is used to analyse a risk and decide what to do about that risk and allows the user/team to manage that risk before it turns into a problem that will later affect the scope of the project.

RTM helps in releasing the Iterations much faster, understanding the project status, Prove the compliances and pass audits.