Beginning in November 2025, ZenQMS is adopting a new traceability matrix format for its software updates. The change is warranted as a result of improvements we’ve made in the way we log and write system requirements.
In the new format, instead of User Stories and Requirements listed in one single column, one column will be dedicated to User Stories and one column will be dedicated to Requirements. The rest of the Traceability Matrix format is not changing and remains the same.
In the example below the User Story is AI-2, which is an ID in JIRA of an "Epic" type card, User Stories comprise one or more Requirements which will deliver the story, thus, a User Story can appear several times in the traceability matrix. In the example, the User Story has 2 Requirements (AI-4 and AI-11). As in the old matrix format, the 3rd column summarizes the Validation Risk Assessment for each of the requirements and the 4th column shows a list of any regression tests that are linked to this Requirement. If the level of testing is marked "Ad Hoc" (unscripted testing) then regression tests are not applicable.
This change also affects the “Traceability Matrix- Summary of All Requirements” that is always available within the System Release Record for each Major and Minor release. That traceability matrix of all requirements will maintain previously listed user stories and their sub requirements under the column “Requirements” and new assigned User Stories will appear in the User Stories column.