Introduction
As software testers, a common dilemma is the everlasting question, “How do we know that we have tested everything?”. Without correlating our test cases to the requirements, our QA teams are basically flying blind. And that is exactly where the Requirement Traceability Matrix enters the picture in the world of software testing.
But what exactly is RTM in software testing?
Let’s dig deeper…
What is a Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)?
A Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) in software testing is essentially a tracking document that maps client requirements to corresponding test cases. An RTM serves as the sole document for tracking that all the functions laid out in system specifications have a linked executed test case.
Through this association, our QA team can accurately determine whether each requirement was tested, passed, failed or simply skipped.
The Three Key Types of Traceability
Traceability isn’t just about looking forward; it is about establishing complete horizontal visibility across the project lifecycle. Testers use three primary types of traceability:
| Traceability Type | Direction of Tracking | Core Purpose | Practical Example |
| Forward Traceability | Requirement $\rightarrow$ Test Case | Verifies that every approved requirement is addressed by at least one test case. | Checking that a “Checkout Page” requirement has matching positive and negative test cases. |
| Backward Traceability | Test Case $\rightarrow$ Requirement | Ensures that we are not writing test cases (or code) for features that were never officially requested. | Verifying that an obscure button being tested actually traces back to an approved user story. |
| Bidirectional Traceability | Both Directions (Requirement $\leftrightarrow$ Test Case) | Provides end-to-end visibility, showing how changes in requirements affect testing, and vice versa. | Analyzing how changing a field length in a form affects existing test scripts and user stories. |
The Business Value of RTM in Testing
Why Do Top-Performing Engineering Teams Prefer RTM?
- Ensure complete test coverage With an RTM, we can readily ensure that there aren’t any blind spots in the application before a go-live date.
- Prevents out-of-scope development It is a robust way to flag instances of“gold-plating”-extra features added by developers which weren’t originally specified in the list of requirements.
- Helps with accelerating regression tests When existing code changes, RTMs prove exceptionally useful in helping the QA team identify exactly which test cases require re-testing.
- Assistance in Better Defect Management If a test case fails, RTM assists in quickly identifying which business requirement it violates.
Conclusion
The Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) is much more than just a process – it is a quality assurance powerhouse that empowers our teams to build robust software, resulting in the most frictionless user experience. RTM bridges the gap between business requirements and product launches by ensuring that our tests are directly linked to our business objectives, preventing serious issues from reaching the production.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)
Difference between forward and backward traceability
Forward tracing: When testing against requirements to ensure that we haven’t missed any requirement.
Backward tracing: Testing from the product back to the requirement to verify that no unnecessary requirements are introduced into the product.
What will happen if there is no RTM in software testing?
In the absence of an RTM in software testing, we can assume that the product has following shortcomings: Missed features, wasted testing time on features that do not serve business objectives and production issues that stem from unexplored testing areas.
Do engineers use RTM in Agile Scrum?
Yes. In the Agile environment, RTM is usually tracked within a project management tool like Jira, by linking an Epic to its User Stories and then linking it to its QA Test Tasks.
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