goakhter wrote Has anyone created a Requirements Traceability Matrix? Even though I have seen and used a couple of formats, but wasn’t quite impressed with those. Trying to have a discussion here to see how this format can be improved by sharing inputs from all of us.

Like any other endeavor a business analyst undertakes, (s)he must first ask "Why?"  Don't use a traceability matrix because everybody else is or because you think you should.  Ask yourself, what problem did I encounter and which I'm trying to solve.  If the traceability matrix solves your problem then go ahead and use it.  Otherwise, you will not be impressed at all.

For example, I've heard so many people who are not happy with use cases because "Use cases don't work!"  only to find out they are trying to utilize the use cases to show data flow in their application.  Of course - use cases won't work.  Use the right tool for the right task.

But I digress...

Back to the traceability matrix...

There are indeed many formats, styles, and ways to use a traceability matrix and the format which you might end up using depends on the task at hand:

• If you just need to track relationships between two types of things (ex: business goals to business requirements, requirements to features, etc.) then a simple table would do where the columns are labeled with one type and the rows are labeled with a different type.
• If you need to track multi-dimensional relationships (ex: goals map to requirements and requirements map to features and requirements map to user stories and requirements map to test cases) then you might consider a professional requirements management tool (metadata tool) such as RequisitePro.

Do you have a specific problem you are trying to solve or a goal you need to achieve?

- Adrian

"the requirements I am capturing are subjected to changes frequently and this is going on for quite sometime."

If I may.... this sounds like the major issue impacting you. There is no value in doing change management or traceability if the Requirements to be managed/traced are not stable. Trying change management in this case will just annoy everyone involved.

So, what is happening that is causing unstable requirements? Is there a target date for requirements, and for the project overall?

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