Requirements traceability matrix (RTM) is a critical tool for managing requirements and ensuring alignment between requirements, designs, and testing. As projects and systems grow in complexity, having a robust RTM provides traceability and visibility at every stage. In this article, we’ll explore what an RTM is, its benefits, and how to develop one for your human resource management system project.
What is a Requirements Traceability Matrix?
A requirements traceability matrix is a table that tracks requirements throughout the project lifecycle. The RTM shows the connections between initial requirements, functional specifications, system design, test cases, and other project artifacts. At its core, an RTM allows you to trace requirements back to their origin and forward to related design, code, and test components.
Some key details captured in an RTM include:
- Requirement ID – Unique identifier for each requirement
- Requirement description – Text detailing the requirement
- Source – Where the requirement originated (user, business need, regulation etc.)
- Design/code components – Parts of the system linked to the requirement
- Test cases – Tests verifying the requirement
You can validate all requirements by linking them to downstream project activities. The RTM provides a centralised way to analyse coverage and identify any gaps.
Key Benefits of the Requirements Traceability Matrix
There are several reasons why developing a strong RTM provides value:
Validation of completeness
The RTM allows you to ensure no requirements have fallen through the cracks. You should validate 100% of requirements covered in design and have associated test cases.
Change impact analysis
With traceability established, you can easily analyse the impact of changing certain requirements on other components. This prevents unintended consequences from changes.
Defect tracking
If issues emerge during testing, you can trace back to the originating requirement through the RTM. This helps properly identify and resolve defects.
Audit and compliance
For regulated industries like healthcare and finance, having an RTM facilitates audit and compliance processes. You have artifacts to demonstrate adherence to requirements.
Building a Requirements Traceability Matrix
Here are the steps to build out an effective RTM using a human resource management system project as an example:
1. Requirements elicitation
Requirements elicitation involves gathering requirements from stakeholders through methods like interviews, surveys, workshops, and reviewing existing processes. This step is key to developing the foundation for the RTM.
For a HR system, you may elicit requirements from end-users, HR managers, IT staff, executives, and by reviewing current HR documentation.
2. Requirements analysis
Once gathered, requirements need to be organised, prioritised, checked for conflicts, and approved. Requirements are then documented in detail including a unique ID, description, priority, and additional metadata.
There are many available tools that can support analysis by linking requirements, identifying gaps, and allowing version control and collaboration.
3. Traceability mapping
With requirements fully documented, traceability can be established between requirements and downstream project activities within the RTM. As design specifications are done, test cases written, and code developed – each of these can be linked back to one or more requirements.
Mapping these artifacts can be done manually in a spreadsheet or using an integrated management suite like Jama Connect.
4. Requirements management
Even after initial RTM development, requirements will evolve through the project life cycle. The RTM allows you to continually track these changes and maintain traceability. This involves managing requirements versions, updating traceability links, and generating reports to communicate status.
5. Tools and processes
To support effective RTM use, organisations should define standard processes and select supporting tools. There are several sophisticated tools on the market for requirements management. Excel can also work for smaller RTMs. The key is picking platforms that integrate and provide real-time visibility into requirements.
Examples of Test Cases Linked to HRMS Requirements
The table below shows some very simple examples of test cases that could be linked to requirements in an RTM for an HR system. It shows sample test cases that validate the key requirements for the HR system functionality are met. The RTM links the tests back to the originating requirements to establish end-to-end traceability.
| ReqID | Requirement Description | TestID | Test Case Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR1 | The system shall allow employees to view their payroll information. | TC1 | Validate users can log in and access payroll details page. |
| HR2 | The system shall calculate payroll taxes and deductions accurately. | TC2 | Validate correct federal, state, and local taxes are calculated based on employee profile. |
| HR3 | The system shall enable managers to approve vacation requests. | TC3 | Validate managers receive notification and can approve/deny vacation requests. |
| HR4 | The system shall track employee performance reviews and ratings. | TC4 | Validate performance reviews are created, input, and saved annually for each employee. Validate review data analytics. |
| HR5 | The system shall generate HR and benefits reports. | TC5 | Validate HR dashboard shows headcount, demographics, and benefits utilisation. Validate data exports to PDF/Excel. |
How Change in a Requirement Impacts Other Parts of the ‘Example’ HR System
Here’s an example of how a change in a requirement could impact other parts of the HR system, as traced through the RTM. By tracing the requirement change through the RTM, the full set of downstream impacts can be identified to support proper implementation of the change. This avoids unintended impacts. The RTM provides visibility to analyse change propagation through the HR system design, code, and tests. This change impact analysis is a key benefit of maintaining requirements traceability.
Original Requirement:
| ReqID | Description |
|---|---|
| HR6 | The system shall enable employees to update their personal contact information. |
This requirement is linked to:
- Design specification D23 which outlines the employee profile update screens
- Code modules M16 and M42 which implement the profile edit pages
- Test case TC178 that validates the profile update functionality.
Now if the requirement changes to:
| ReqID | Description |
|---|---|
| HR6 | The system shall enable employees to update their personal contact information, dependent information, and direct deposit details. |
This change impacts:
- Design spec D23 needs to be updated to add dependent and bank account screens
- Additional code needs to be built in M16 and M42 to handle new fields
- TC178 needs to be updated to test additional profile fields
- New test cases may be needed for dependent and direct deposit flows.
Key Takeaways for the Requirements Traceability Matrix
Requirements traceability matrices provide critical visibility and traceability in complex development projects. By linking requirements to downstream design, code, and testing artifacts, RTMs help validate completeness, analyse change impacts, improve defect tracking, and support audit/compliance processes. Developing an RTM requires eliciting and analysing requirements, establishing traceability, and managing updates through project evolution. With the right processes and tools, RTMs can enable organisations to build systems that fully meet initial requirements.
The key takeaways are:
- An RTM tracks requirements through the project lifecycle and links them to downstream design, code, and tests.
- Key benefits of an RTM include validating completeness, enabling change impact analysis, supporting defect tracking, and facilitating audits.
- Developing an RTM involves eliciting and analysing requirements, establishing traceability links, and managing requirements changes.
- RTMs provide end-to-end visibility from initial requirements to final testing to ensure nothing is missed.
- Changes to requirements can be traced through the RTM to identify impacted design, code, and tests that need to be updated.
- RTMs are critical for complex and regulated projects to prove all requirements have been addressed.
- Proper RTM processes and tools are needed to maintain real-time traceability as projects evolve.
Therefore, requirements traceability matrices are a fundamental best practice that should be utilised for managing and validating requirements from their initial inception through to final implementation. The reason being is that RTMs provide end-to-end traceability and visibility across the entire project lifecycle. Consequently, organisations can leverage RTMs to ensure completeness, analyse impacts of changes, track defects, and support audits. By linking requirements to downstream activities, RTMs enable robust requirements management across all stages of development.