Mentor Graphics ReqTracer automates requirements tracking and reporting for broad range of electronic design projects

WILSONVILLE, USA: Mentor Graphics Corp. has introduced the ReqTracer tool to address the critical need to automate the capture of requirements and match verification results to those requirements.

Achieving verification closure through requirements tracking and reporting is imperative in delivering high-quality, cost-effective electronic products.

The ReqTracer tool is architected to support disciplines ranging from electronic system level design, to electronic hardware design to software design, and fits naturally into existing design, verification and implementation flows to provide a significant cost savings with little-to- no investment.

The goal of good project management is to trace and manage design requirements completely from specification through implementation. With design complexity rising exponentially, it has become impractical to manage requirements tracking and reporting with traditional manual methods.

The ReqTracer tool automates the task enabling a complete, predictable requirements management process with a high level of visibility. With this automated approach, project teams can focus more effort on implementation and verification, and more quickly achieve verification closure (the point where the team has validated that all requirements are met).

This equates to significant benefits for all projects, but especially for safety-critical applications and mandatory for DO-254 certification, where product failure could result in injuries or fatalities.

The ReqTracer tool links, manages and tracks requirements from multiple sources throughout the design process, provides easy documentation and reports at any stage, and manages the impact of requirement changes. This level of traceability enables visual tracing across all documents and results data, clear tracking of requirements status, and the analysis of engineering change orders (ECOs).

To ensure ease of use and streamline the requirements tracking process, the ReqTracer tool is integrated with commercial requirements management and version and configuration management tools. The result is better control, simplified design reviews, predictability of design schedules and improved overall product quality.

“ReqTracer allows us to track design requirements and design verification test results throughout the entire product development cycle, ultimately providing real-time measurement of progress,” said Bob Pellegrino, principal electrical engineer, Elbit Systems of America. “With ReqTracer, it all comes together in one easy format.”

“The core technology in ReqTracer has been used successfully in a software environment for many years,” said Guy Moshe, general manager, Design Creation Division, Mentor Graphics. “By extending the technology to support a broader scope of electronic design projects, Mentor is serving a large and growing market that is currently underserved by any other provider.”