---
title: "Requirement management process"
subject: "Software Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_5/software_engineering:requirement-management"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/software_engineering/requirement-management
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Requirement management process

Software Engineering · Chapter 1: Software Process and requirements

- Asked in: 2068 Chaitra, 5 marks
- Video: [27  Requirement Management - Steps, Techniques in Software Engineering with Example |SE|](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK8Eyg9IVig) — Trouble- Free
- Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5 on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/software_engineering/requirement-management
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/software_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

Explain requirement management process with necessary illustration.

## Short answer

Requirements management controls changes to requirements through planning, identification, traceability, and a change process: problem analysis, change analysis/costing, and implementation. It maintains links between requirements, design, and tests, using a traceability matrix. This keeps the system aligned with evolving needs.

## Answer

**Requirements management** is the process of understanding and controlling **changes to system requirements** throughout the project. It keeps track of individual requirements, maintains links between dependent requirements, design and code, and assesses the impact of each change before it is approved.

Requirements change as the business, laws, technology and users' understanding change. Sommerville divides them into **enduring** (stable, core business) and **volatile** (mutable, emergent, consequential, compatibility) requirements.

#### Requirements management planning
The plan decides:
1. **Requirements identification**: each requirement gets a unique ID (e.g. FR-12) so it can be referenced.
2. **Change management process**: the set of activities used to assess the impact and cost of changes.
3. **Traceability policies**: what links (traces) are recorded between requirements, sources and design, and how they are maintained.
4. **CASE tool support**: tools for storing requirements, managing changes and maintaining traceability (e.g. a requirements database or tracking tool).

Traceability types: **source traceability** (requirement to the stakeholder who proposed it), **requirements traceability** (between dependent requirements) and **design traceability** (requirement to design modules and code). A **traceability matrix** records these links:

| Req. ID | Depends on | Design module | Test case |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 Login | – | Auth module | TC-01 |
| R2 Place order | R1 | Order module | TC-05 |
| R3 Pay online | R2 | Payment module | TC-09 |

#### Requirements change management process
```text
 Identified problem / change request
             |
             v
 +---------------------------+
 | 1. Problem analysis and   |
 |    change specification   |
 +-------------+-------------+
               v
 +---------------------------+
 | 2. Change analysis and    |
 |    costing                |
 +-------------+-------------+
               v
 +---------------------------+
 | 3. Change implementation  |
 +-------------+-------------+
               v
      Revised requirements
```

1. **Problem analysis and change specification**: the requested change is analysed to check it is valid; feedback is given to the requester, who may give a more specific proposal or withdraw it.
2. **Change analysis and costing**: using traceability information, the effect of the change on other requirements, design, code and tests is assessed and its cost estimated. A decision is then made (often by a change control board) to accept or reject it.
3. **Change implementation**: the requirements document, then the design and implementation, are modified. The document should be organised so that changes can be made without extensive rewriting.

Example: in an online shop, the customer asks to add cash-on-delivery. Traceability shows it affects R3 (payment), the order module and test cases TC-05 and TC-09; the cost is estimated as 3 person-days, the change is approved, and the SRS, design and tests are updated together.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is requirements management?
   A. Understanding and controlling changes to requirements throughout the project
   B. Collecting requirements from users only at the start
   C. Writing the SRS once and freezing it
   D. Managing the project budget
   Answer: A. It tracks requirements, maintains links to design and code, and assesses impact of changes before approval. (Key point: Definition of requirements management)

2. What is the correct order of the requirements change management process?
   A. Change implementation, analysis and costing, problem analysis
   B. Change analysis and costing, problem analysis, implementation
   C. Problem analysis and change specification, change analysis and costing, change implementation
   D. Problem analysis, implementation, costing
   Answer: C. A change is validated, its impact and cost are assessed and a decision made, and only then is it implemented. (Key point: Change process steps)

3. What does a traceability matrix record?
   A. Only the programmers' names
   B. Links between requirements, dependencies, design modules and test cases
   C. The project schedule
   D. User passwords
   Answer: B. The matrix links each requirement to what it depends on, the design module and the test case, to show impact of change. (Key point: Traceability matrix)

4. Which traceability links a requirement to the stakeholder who proposed it?
   A. Design traceability
   B. Requirements traceability
   C. Source traceability
   D. Test traceability
   Answer: C. Source traceability links to the stakeholder; requirements traceability links dependent requirements; design traceability links to design and code. (Key point: Types of traceability)

## Related in Software Engineering

- [Functional versus non-functional requirements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Afunctional-nonfunctional) — Software Engineering, chapter 1
- [Understanding customers; elicitation guidelines](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Acustomer-understanding) — Software Engineering, chapter 1

## Related in other subjects

- [Process management in OS](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fembedded_system%3Aprocess-management) — Embedded System, chapter 6
- [Project management process groups](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Apm-process-groups) — ICT Project Management, chapter 6
- [Procurement management process flow](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aprocurement-process-flow) — ICT Project Management, chapter 13
- [Requirement elicitation and system behavior](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fobject_oriented_analysis_and_design%3Arequirement-elicitation-in-ooa) — Object Oriented Analysis and Design, chapter 2