by John Simpson and Eric Winquist

What is traceability? It sounds complicated. Why do teams do it? It sounds like a lot of work. Is it really worth the effort? Good questions. The short answer: Yes. And, here’s why it’s so important: Change happens.

If managed poorly, change will wreak havoc on even the most talented and experienced development teams. If managed skillfully, using tools like traceability, teams are better equipped to assess the impact of changes, track the full history, keep everyone in sync and (deep breath) consistently improve the quality of the products being built – every project, every release. Sign me up.