Goal-centric traceability for managing non-functional requirements

This paper describes a goal centric approach for effectively maintaining critical system qualities such as security, performance, and usability throughout the lifetime of a software system. In goal centric traceability (GCT) non-functional requirements and their interdependencies are modeled as softgoals in a softgoal interdependency graph (SIG). A probabilistic network model is then used to dynamically retrieve links between classes affected by a functional change and elements within the SIG. These links enable developers to identify potentially impacted goals; to analyze the level of impact on those goals; to make informed decisions concerning the implementation of the proposed change; and finally to develop appropriate risk mitigating strategies. This paper also reports experimental results for the link retrieval and illustrates the GCT process through an example of a change applied to a road management system.