What is the primary purpose of a requirement traceability matrix (RTM)?

The primary purpose of a requirement traceability matrix (RTM) is to trace requirements through the project lifecycle. This tool serves to establish and maintain the links between requirements and their corresponding deliverables throughout the different phases of a project. A well-structured RTM allows project teams to verify that every requirement is accounted for at each stage, ensuring that they are successfully traced from initial conception to final implementation and testing.

By tracking requirements in this way, the RTM helps to ensure that nothing is overlooked and that all requirements are fulfilled as part of the project’s output. It also assists in managing changes to requirements, as it provides a clear documentation trail that shows how each requirement relates to various components of the project, including design, development, and testing. This comprehensive visibility is essential for maintaining project scope and delivering a product that meets stakeholders' needs.

In contrast, while documenting requirements, prioritizing them based on feedback, or assessing feasibility are important activities in the business analysis process, they do not encompass the overarching role of the RTM, which is specifically focused on tracing and validating the fulfillment of requirements throughout a project's lifecycle.