How to link requirements and source code and get traceability matrices

Oskar Berreteaga (33●1●5) | asked Jun 27 '17, 12:38 p.m.

Let's say we have requirements in DOORS Next Gen and that we have some source code that implements those requirements. That source code can be stored in RTC if it makes things easier.

How do you link those requirements to specific code blocks and get traceability matrices?

Thanks
Oskar

4 answers

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Steven Hovater (84●13) | answered Jun 27 '17, 4:16 p.m.

hey Oskar

If you're in 6.0.4, and turn on GC, you'll be able to link from files in RTC to requirements, as well as to other files. Important to note that this is in the context of a global configuration (GC).

So - that establishes the connection from the file to the requirement.

The only way I see to get to the information is via the API. I'd love it if I'm wrong.

0	permanent link Bas Bekker (1.4k●4) \| answered Jun 28 '17, 12:38 a.m. JAZZ DEVELOPER Think this is not yet supported in DNG. Cannot find the work item where the enhancement is written down...

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Oskar Berreteaga (33●1●5) | answered Jun 28 '17, 3:58 a.m.

Thanks Steven and Bas.

Provided that the feature mentioned by Steven is available, that would solve the traceability issue at file level.

Is there anything else that would help to achieve a more fine grained traceability, let's say to procedure/function or even statement level?

Thanks and regards
Oskar

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Richard Watson (176●1) | answered Jun 28 '17, 10:41 a.m.
FORUM MODERATOR / JAZZ DEVELOPER

It is true that some standards such as DO178C describe a regulation that organisations must manage a relationship from each line of source code back to the requirement that specified it. If there is no requirement for code then the code is not needed. Managing such a scale of traceability is not realistic to maintain individual links from source to requirement but there are more standard techniques that allow you to meet this requirement. If you place your source code under change control each time you change the code you create a task or change set in order to gather sets of changes together to manage as a single entity. If the task or change set is linked with the originating requirement then it becomes possible to demonstrate that for every version of the requirement there is a distinct set of code changes that provided the implementation. Some tools such as the combination of RTC and DNG can enforce that a Change Set and task is required for every code and requirement change.

I hope this helps

Richard
Offering Manager, DOORS Next Generation

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Oskar Berreteaga commented Jun 28 '17, 11:17 a.m.

Hi Richard,

Thanks for your answer, it certainly helps. I see that it requires a disciplined workflow but that's what I would expect from a DO-178C related project development.

Regards
Oskar

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