Derived Properties: a User Friendly Approach to Improving Model Traceability

The paper presents a new approach to improving vertical traceability of UML models by defining derived properties that are calculated by a modeling tool on the fly. The proposed traceability metamodel and framework is implemented in UML CASE tool MagicDraw. The exploratory case study of applying the approach to a particular development process has shown that the approach allows validating completeness of the project, analyzing impact of changes, and, by doing this, avoids typical traceability issues. In contrast to other existing solutions, this approach does not burden users with additional complexity for defining and maintaining traceability in their projects. The approach gives a possibility for UML CASE tool developers to adapt their tools for traceability analysis not overloading them with traceability information, flexibly introducing required derived properties, dynamically calculating them, and analyzing via dedicated and already existing tool-specific means.