Traceability is about understanding how high-level requirements (objectives, goals, aims, aspirations, expectations, needs) are transformed into low-level requirements, how they are implemented, and how they are verified.

Using traceability can provide the following benefits [HUL05]:

• Greater confidence in meeting objectives

Traceability increases confidence that objectives will be met by permitting coverage analysis to ensure that everything agreed to has been done.

• Ability to assess the impact of change

Traceability allows the impact (cost, schedule, technical) of changes to be assessed before work begins.

• Improved accountability

Traceability provides clarity about how the work contributes to the project as a whole.

• Ability to track progress

Traceability supports project tracking by assuring that requirements are implemented. For example, by verifying that a design artifact and test exists for each requirement.

• Ability to balance cost against benefit

Relating product components to the requirements allows you to compare benefits to costs.