Automating requirements traceability in project documentation using TraceTrend tool: model, design and application

Oleg Odarushchenko, Olena Odarushchenko, Oleksii Striuk, Viacheslav Shamanskyi, Petro Hroza

Abstract


The object of the study is a formalized model of requirements traceability in project documentation for hardware-software systems. The subject matter of the research encompasses the application of mathematical modeling and tool-based approaches to automate the traceability process, focusing on the design and functionality of the TraceTrend software tool. The primary goal of the study is to improve the quality and integrity of requirements management by implementing traceability mechanisms that ensure logical consistency, hierarchical correctness, and complete test coverage across all project documentation stages. The research tasks include: identifying challenges related to manual requirements tracing in safety-critical domains; constructing a formal mathematical model based on set theory, binary relations, and directed graphs; defining binary matrices for requirement inheritance and test coverage; developing automated analysis techniques for traceability conditions; integrating the model into the TraceTrend tool; and demonstrating its applicability through a real-world case study. The study employed the following methods: mathematical modeling of binary relations, model-based testing, static analysis of documentation structures, and the use of Boolean matrix operations for verifying coverage and consistency. As a result of the research, a formal model of requirements traceability was created and implemented in the TraceTrend tool. The tool enables automated extraction of requirement identifiers, construction of traceability matrices, and verification of coverage and logical completeness. The application of TraceTrend has shown its effectiveness in identifying undocumented requirements, broken dependencies, and gaps in test coverage early in the project lifecycle. Conclusions. The integration of formal models and traceability tools significantly strengthens the reliability and auditability of requirements management processes in engineering projects. TraceTrend has proven to be a valuable instrument for improving documentation quality and supporting compliance with standards such as IEC 61508 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148. Although the tool requires initial configuration for requirement markup, its benefits in enhancing visibility, consistency, and verification readiness justify its adoption in high-assurance development environments. The study confirms the necessity of embedding formal traceability analysis into standard project workflows to ensure both structural rigor and regulatory compliance.

Keywords


traceability analysis; mathematical modeling; formal verification; TraceTrend tool; test coverage; documentation consistency; safety standards; automated analysis; system engineering

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.32620/reks.2025.4.16

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