Requirements View

[EA_Nj]

Is there a way to assign dynamic heirarchy numbers to each requirement in the Requirement View? It would be very nice to keep entering requirements and let EA assign the numbers.

I know that this is not core UML but since you've already added the interface, why not make it easier for a development team to start entering requirements.

[gsparks]

Hi,

Could you give a little example of the sort of thing you would like and how the numbering would work. For example, is the number a global number - or is it tied to the package level that a new requirements is placed in?

Geoff Sparks

[kiwi]

Yes numbering schemes for requirements could be cool... but it gets complicated doesn't it because you want hierarchies of requirements to have nested numbers, and then this implies an order to the hierarchy and, well how do you rearrange them etc... and then they change so traceability gets screwed up when you have things outside EA referring to them.

Perhaps a global numbering scheme would work best, with optional prefix field per diagram (e.g. UCD for diagrams, UC for use cases etc like exemplified in EAExample). The main problem being that you must be able to assign a requirement a unique id that's permanent throughout time, to assist in traceability (that was requirement 14! no -that- was requirement 14!). How exactly this works with hierarchical numbers I'm not sure: moving them around makes them horribly complicated.

I think perhaps then a global, persistent requirement number with optional prefix and postfix chars would make the most sense.

[gsparks]

Hi,

Yeh - the numbering can get complicated, when you have to take into account requirements being moved from one package to another etc. A UCD prefix is OK - except when you move it to a Custom package - or Logical view etc.

Each requirement already as a unique GUID assigned - but these are not human friendly ... but would make it possible to differentiate between the old and the new Requirement #14.

Global numbers are OK too - maybe with a Project defined prefix: eg.   OLBS0001, OLBS0002, OLBS0003  etc. for On-Line Book Store requirements #1, #2 and #3 ... but if you delete OLBS0002 the first question that gets asked is "why is there no OLBS0002"

Another suggestion would be to copy the GUID to the Keywords or Alias field when a requirement is generated - this provides a visible unique ID to cross reference at a later date. You could also search on this field

In the meantime Ill give it some more thought

Geoff Sparks