This blog post is intended to help anyone who still creates requirements specifications with Word and Excel. I myself have long used the "market leader" for requirements engineering and can only recommend switching to a tool. But why are tools useful, and what are the disadvantages of Word and Excel?
As long as you're developing small, manageable systems, Word is certainly manageable. It becomes problematic when you have several hundred or thousand requirements and want to map different levels (system, hardware, software, mechanics). Then you reach your limits with Word. And I've experienced this myself several times. Problems that can arise include:
- A customer requirement changes. What impact does this requirement have?
- Have we derived all design requirements from the specifications?
- Does each requirement have a test case and does it pass or fail?
- How can I find out who changed what and when?
- Can I create the traceability matrix automatically or do I have to fill out an Excel spreadsheet manually?
If these problems sound familiar to you, then I recommend using a requirements engineering tool. There are various tools on the market and you should take your time to find the right tool for your company. In this blog article, I would like to introduce a tool that is often not recognized as such at first glance. It is Enterprise Architect from Sparx Systems. The tool is particularly widespread in software engineering and is used for UML modeling. The tool also supports SysML, which makes it possible to manage requirements in a model. The cost of the tools plays a key role, especially for small and medium-sized companies. Enterprise Architect has the advantage that its prices, at around €200-600 per license, are very reasonable compared to other tools. Many companies already use the tool for modeling. In this case, it only makes sense to also utilize its requirements engineering capabilities.
How does requirements engineering work with EA?
This functionality will be demonstrated using an example. The following image shows Enterprise Architect.
|
|
| Dipl.-Ing. Goran Madzar, Partner, Senior Systems Engineer E-mail: madzar@medtech-ingenieur.de Phone: +49 9131 691 240 |
|
Do you need support with the development of your medical device? We're happy to help! MEDtech Ingenieur GmbH offers hardware development, software development, systems engineering, mechanical development, and consulting services from a single source. Contact us. |
|
The model is located in the top right of the Project Browser. This is where elements, diagrams and data are located. The folder structure is used to separate levels hierarchically or to create chapters within documents. A document (e.g. a specification or test specification) can be derived from a folder or package in the Project Browser. The diagrams (shown in the middle) represent a view of a model. In this example, requirements are linked to one another. The requirement is documented in the Notes field. Each requirement has a unique ID and a title. In the Toolbox (left-hand side), elements or links can be dragged into a diagram to create them. The traceability of the selected requirements is visible on the right-hand side. Here you can quickly see where the requirement comes from, what it leads to and how it is tested.
What are the benefits of Enterprise Architect?
- All requirements and test cases automatically receive a unique ID.
- Requirements can be linked across different levels (system, software, hardware, mechanics).
- The linking is done graphically in a SysML model.
- Consistent traceability makes it clear where requirements originate and what lies behind them. This makes it easier to manage changes.
- The traceability matrix can be created automatically at any time.
- It is easy to determine if requirements are not linked or test cases are missing.
- Specifications and test specifications can be generated from the model.
- Every change in the model (who changed what, when?) is documented in an audit trail.
- Model and requirements are mapped in one tool.
- Requirements can be imported and exported from the model.
- With costs of approximately €200-600 per license, the tool is extremely affordable.
What are the disadvantages of Enterprise Architect?
- The tool was originally created for software developers and isn't suitable for everyone. Experience with modeling tools is required.
- The tool doesn't offer all the functionality out of the box. This isn't the case with any other tool. It's necessary to configure the tool and adapt it to your own needs.
My conclusion
Enterprise Architect is a great tool to work with. And once you've appreciated its advantages, you'll avoid Word or Excel in the future. It's important to note, however, that implementing a tool initially takes time and effort. In my experience, an organization needs about a year to get used to a tool. These changes can initially lead to resistance. It's important to take your time with the implementation.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss things with me, I am happy to help and advise you.
I welcome feedback and would love for you to contact me. Feel free to leave a comment on the article. If you know someone who might also be interested in the blog, I'd be very happy if you would recommend it.
Best regards
Goran Madzar
Further interesting links on the topic
Enterprise Architect cost overview
Blog: Polarion in Medical Technology
Blog: What types of requirements documents are there and why?