Traceability
Traceability is the backbone of a Ngenaire project. Trace links connect the artifacts you create across every lifecycle stage so that nothing stands alone: requirements link to the CONOPS and SOW that motivate them, to the test cases and procedures that verify them, to the risks that threaten them, and to the diagrams that realize them.
A complete trace is the deliverable in regulated engineering, and it is the basis for impact analysis: when one thing changes, you can see everything that depends on it.
The requirement hierarchy
Requirements form a parent/child hierarchy. A high-level requirement decomposes into children, which can decompose further, giving you a structured outline from system-level intent down to detailed, testable statements. Parent/child links let coverage and impact roll up and down the tree.
What gets linked
| From | To | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder need / concept | Requirement | CONOPS, SOW |
| Requirement | Sub-requirement | Requirements outline |
| Requirement | Verification (test case / procedure) | RVTM, Coverage Matrix |
| Requirement | SOW object | SOW |
| Requirement | Risk | Risk Register |
| Requirement | Diagram element | Diagram editors |
Requirement-to-verification links
The link from a requirement to the verification that closes it is the most important one in the project, and Ngenaire gives it two dedicated views:
- The RVTM (Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix) is where you establish and read the requirement-to-verification links and the methods used.
- The Coverage Matrix turns those links into a gap analysis — any requirement with no verification is highlighted so you can close the gap.
SOW objects auto-link requirements
In the SOW editor, when your section text mentions a requirement by its code (for example REQ-000042), Ngenaire automatically creates a trace link from that SOW content to the referenced requirement. You don't have to wire those links by hand — writing the code is enough, and the SOW becomes part of the connected graph.
Network View
Network View is a graph that lets you explore the web of links visually. Open it from any object's ID link — click an object code anywhere in the app and choose to view its network. The graph centers on that object and shows its neighbors: linked requirements, tests, risks, diagrams, SOW objects, and CONOPS references. From there you can follow the connections outward to understand how a change might ripple through the project.
Suspect links
When a requirement that other artifacts depend on changes, the links pointing to it can be flagged as suspect. A suspect flag is a prompt to revisit the dependent test, diagram, or child requirement and confirm it is still valid after the change — keeping the trace honest as the project evolves.
Working with the AI Assistant on trace
The AI Assistant can read and write traceability for you. Useful requests:
- List requirements that have no linked verification.
- Propose verification methods for a specific requirement.
- Trace the path from a stakeholder need through to verification for the safety-critical requirements.