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Requirement Tracing to Test Script


Bob Zurn (61162) | asked Apr 28 '09, 12:48 p.m.
In RQM, I can trace a requirement to a Test Plan and to a Test Case but not to the actual Test Script. I would like to be able to trace to a step in a Test Script, insert the Test Case Requirement into the step. We may have 20 requirements in a test case and we need to verify that those 20 are incorporated. And automatically update (or indicate) the requirement text when change happens. I would also need metrics on # requirements actually incorporated in at Test Script. This would provide full tracking of the requirement. Is there any plans to provide this capability? Thanks.

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Douglas Lott (112) | answered Mar 01 '11, 10:15 a.m.
Currently the process is Human checking that 1)requirement is in script and 2)script tests the requirement. #2 can't be automated. #1 can at least to show the requirement in the script (and I can tell which Test Cases are Draft/Reviewed/Approved...). If #1 is automated to show which requirements are incorporated in the Script, life is much better. We used to run VBA scripts against MS Word documents to see if the requirement was actually in the Word document, and not missing or in another document.

Hope this helps- thanks,



Was this submitted as an RFE? I have had several customers ask for this capability. (Associate requirements to Test Scripts)

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Marc van Lint (852129) | answered Mar 03 '11, 12:43 p.m.
JAZZ DEVELOPER
... Even if you could associate a requirement with a script, you'd have the exact same problem: you need a reviewer to verify that the implementation is correct (that the script actually tests the requirements that have been associated with it).


I fully agree with Dan. I don't see the benefit of linking Scripts to Requirements (and/or back). It's the other way around: A test case is there to capture all these "meta data" of a test goal. It's not only the requirements, but also supporting files, pre-reqs etc. All needed to test a certain GOAL.

The implementation is done in a script. Or even maybe multiple scripts. One script can be executed to validate only the high value points, where an other script might validate many more points (taking more time, is somewhat costly). Clearly the same GOAL can be achieved by a manual script or a automated script. Assuming we maintain the same test case design approach.

It's human knowledge (as far as I know), who's able to tell if the linked requirements are (enough) covered by a certain script (manual or automated).

Adding links from requirements to the actual script is redundant and will certainly cause errors (differences between TC references and TS references to requirements).

Still I'm pleased to follow the discussion, while it forces me to think about usage of RQM. Thanks.

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Andrew Mohl (16112) | answered Mar 04 '11, 3:51 p.m.
JAZZ DEVELOPER


Was this submitted as an RFE? I have had several customers ask for this capability. (Associate requirements to Test Scripts)


I concur with Doug that this is not an uncommon request or desire. For customers I speak with it goes even further than traceability of requirements to test scripts. They want to be able to trace an individual requirement to a specific test script STEP. That way they can provide granular reporting on the pass/fail status of a requirement based on the result of the test step during test execution.

If a test case has 10 requirements associated with it, in the current tracing paradigm they would all be "passed" or "failed" based on the roll-up result of the TER. Whereas if requirements could be traced to test script steps, the requirements status results could be very granular... i.e. 7 passed and 3 failed based on the results of the test steps that the requirements were traced to.

There is an RFE for this type of traceability. Please add your comments if this is something of interest to you or your user base.

http://jazz.net/jazz02/web/projects/Rational%20Quality%20Manager#action=com.ibm.team.workitem.viewWorkItem&id=35263

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