Requirement artefacts: finding the missing link, framework to support requirement traceability for software developers

Software systems have essential software requirements in order to function and to provide value to users. Traceability is used by software developers to identify requirements and, in order to enhance this process, artefacts of the development process need to be linked to requirements. One problem related to working with artefacts is the potential ambiguity of information, resulting in inconsistency. This research aimed, therefore, to develop an understanding of requirement artefacts by defining them and identifying the conceptual links related to them, the stakeholders involved, the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), and associated risks. This was done through the development of a conceptual framework to show the different types of relationships that exist throughout the SDLC. The data collection in this research involved two phases. First, a review of the literature was undertaken to identify gaps and case study interviews were conducted before the tool proposed in the research was implemented. The second phase of data collection took place after development of the tool and involved a focus group, observation and interviews to validate and evaluate the tool. As the research involved both quantitative and qualitative methods, a pragmatic approach was chosen.The framework of this research provides calculations of possible risk if any of the requirement artefacts were to be absent. Ontology models were also generated and the different scenarios show the different types of relationship. The concepts were then evaluated through the creation of a standalone tool developed to improve traceability for software developers. The testing was carried out with a company called Meshilogic, as it is a small-to-medium-sized enterprise with a frequent need to redesign its projects due to traceability issues. The evaluation was conducted on the basis of an interactive focus group. The feedback received during the research validated the importance of the tool and the concepts provided in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.This research makes theoretical and practical contributions. The theoretical contribution is the definition of the links and types of relationships between requirement artefacts. The practical contribution is the implementation of an ontology that includes different concepts related to requirement artefacts, such as stakeholders and risk. The framework was developed to help software project developers understand what artefacts are and how they link to each other, thus facilitating better traceability. It is also intended to help developers solve issues and decrease risk impact if any requirement artefacts are missing or there are misunderstandings regarding their use.