Every link typed, in both directions
The trace matrix shows what is covered - and what is not. When one end changes, the link speaks up by itself.
| Unit | Integration | Qualifikation | Abnahme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REQ-0101 | — | |||
| REQ-0102 | — | — | ||
| REQ-0103 | — | — | — | — |
| REQ-0104 |
REQ-0103 hat auf keiner Ebene eine Prüfung — die Lücke steht als Zeile da, nicht als Fußnote.
Traceability rarely fails for lack of will
It fails because links live in documents nobody maintains alongside.
The matrix is yesterday's state
It was built for the last audit. The content has moved on since; the matrix has not.
Links without meaning
An arrow on a slide doesn't say whether something is verified, refined or merely mentioned.
Only one direction maintained
From test to requirement it's written down. From the requirement you see nothing.
Changes without impact assessment
“What depends on this?” is answered today by individual experience - which goes on holiday.
Trace matrix
Rows are requirements. You pick the columns
Verification level, work packages, risks or change requests - the same matrix answers four questions depending on the axis you choose.
| Unit | Integration | Qualifikation | Abnahme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REQ-0101 | — | |||
| REQ-0102 | — | — | ||
| REQ-0103 | — | — | — | — |
| REQ-0104 |
REQ-0103 hat auf keiner Ebene eine Prüfung — die Lücke steht als Zeile da, nicht als Fußnote.
Gerät einschalten
Selbsttest abwarten
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Suspicion
The link speaks up when one end changes
When someone changes a requirement's content, every link attached to it counts as suspect - visible on the edge, in the list and as a key figure. A person acknowledges it or follows up.
Impact analysis
What depends on this? - answered before you change it
A change request shows the affected requirements, their verifications and the work packages behind them. Because everything lives in one system, the analysis doesn't stop at the module boundary.
Questions about traceability
A human makes the statement - what verifies what. Everything derivable is handled by the system: the reverse direction, coverage, suspicion on change and the warning about circular references.
The types are part of the methodology configuration: renameable and switchable per tenant and per project. Their meaning stays fixed so analyses remain comparable across projects.
They go with it. An edge pointing at a deleted object would distort coverage, so the system removes them explicitly.
Yes, as a spreadsheet with a frozen header row or as CSV. The export takes the entire filtered excerpt, not just the visible page, and states which excerpt that was.
Traceability that keeps itself current
See your matrix fill up during the trial.