Modules as requirement specifications

Essentials of IBM Rational DOORS Next Generation V4.01
Modules as requirement specifications 1© Copyright IBM Corporation 2013
Course materials may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of IBM.
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2013
Modules as requirement specifications
Contents
Module overview -2
Capture requirements throughout
the lifecycle -3
Topics -4
Exploring a module -5
Changing the perspectives by switching views -7
Glossaries -9
Editing a module -10
Editing module attributes -11
Lab 1: Module attributes and history -13
Editing contained artifacts -14
Adding artifacts (no hierarchy) -16
Requirement reuse -19
Used in Module attribute -20
Lab 2: Requirement reuse -21
Create and Add an artifact at the end of the
module -22
Module structure -24
Artifact hierarchy -25
Adding artifacts hierarchically -27
Sections -28
Lab 3: Create a new module and convert it to a
template [Task 1 – 4] -39
Moving artifacts -40
Removing artifacts -46
Lab 3: Create a new module and convert it to a
template [Task 5 – 9] -50
Edit artifacts from within a module -51

2 © Copyright IBM Corporation 2013
Module overview
When you complete this module, you should be able to
do these tasks :
• Explore the content of a module
• Analyze the information in a module
• Create, move, edit and delete artifacts in a module
• Identify and implement hierarchical data structures in a
module

Capture requirements throughout the lifecycle
Use-case
model
Vision
Supplementary
Specifications
• Features
• Functional requirements
• Non-functional requirements (including
constraints)
• Use cases or user-story elaborations
User
perspective
Solution
space
System
perspective • User interface specification
• User interface
• Storyboard
• Software specification
• System/subsystem specification
UI Sketch
High-level business
requirements
,
• Business goals and objectives
• Business processes (as-is versus to-be)
• Stakeholder needs
• Glossary
• Business rules
Glossary
Business
perspective
Stakeholder
needs
Business
processes
Problem
space
Storyboard
System
specification
System requirements
Software
specification
Modules can be used to capture
requirements.
At the business level for example,
modules can be used to capture the
users perspective and stakeholder
needs. This information can further
be supported and elaborated by
business process diagram
Vision documents and usecase
specifications can be represented by
modules
System and software specifications
can also be captured in modules.
The modules support the project
lifecycle and the teams efforts, by:
- individually managing artifacts
(links, attributes, comments)
- allowing for in place editing of
artifacts
- showing linked information in
columns, supporting efforts to
manage scope creep or dropped
requirements

Topics
> = Current topic
> Exploring the content of a
module
 Editing a module

Exploring a module
Sidebar: Module
attributes, links,
comments..
Content: Logically and
hierarchically organized
artifactsNavigation pane:
Filters/ views
Show links, tags, and
comments from base
module artifacts
Level 1 section
Level 2 section
Edit the module
properties
Artifact summary
Artifact ID
A module is organized like a project,
but instead of folders, a module uses
sections to logically and
hierarchically organize its contained
artifacts.

Exploring the content of a module
Use Views to quickly
change perspectives
of the module
content
Specify the columns to display
Open an artifact to
explore or edit it.
Filter the
attributes that are
displayed in the
module
Edit artifact attributes
directly in view
Search the artifacts that are
in the module
Click to view the
editing options

Changing the perspectives by switching views
Stakeholder System Sub-system
Dropped?
Scope
creep?
Example: Multi-Level tracing
You can use a view that displays link
information in columns to identify
scope creep or dropped requirements.
Such views are possible at the project
level or at the module level.
If you are working with modules,
remember that tags, links, and
comments are scoped to the module.
Therefore , you must create views at
the module level.
Remember that when you create a
view, you can save it for all of the
modules so that you can provide a
consistent perspective for analyzing
information.

Scrolling through the content of the module
Preview of module
content.
Not all artifacts are loaded in the
module at the same time, especially
in large projects.
While you scroll through the module,
a preview identifies your location in
the module.

Topics
> = Current topic
 Exploring the content of a
module
> Editing a module

Editing a module Edit the module
• Attributes
• Links
• Tags
• Comments
1
Hierarchy of
contained artifacts
2.b
Edit the module content
2
Editing each
contained artifact
• Content
• Attributes
• Links
• Tags
• Comments
2.a
Create views
3
Editing a module consist of:
1.Editing the module attributes,
links, tags, comments
2.Editing the content of the
module by
a.Editing the contained
artifacts’ attribute values,
adding module specific
links, tags, comments
b.Considering the hierarchy of
the module and
• Promoting or demoting
artifact hierarchically
• Adding, and removing
artifacts
• Moving artifacts
3.Creating views
NOTE: Create views and links are
discussed in other areas.

Topics
> = Current topic
 Exploring the content of a module
> Editing
• Module attributes
• Contained artifacts
• Adding artifacts (no hierarchy)
• Module structure
• Adding artifacts hierarchically
• Removing artifacts
• Edit artifacts from within a module

Editing the module’s attributes
Included links, tags,
and comments from
base artifacts
Module attributes can be edited form the
project level, or from within the open module.
Once you open the module, you will
notice an edit button on the top right
hand corner.
By clicking on the edit button, you
can edit the module attributes.
The content of the module is
modified by adding new or existing
artifacts
Included links, tags, and comments
from base artifact does not make
much sense for a module since it can
not be included in other modules.
However, the same button become
very significant when working with
artifacts opened from within the
module.
The content of the module is not
effected when pressing the edit
button.

Lab 1: Modifying a module's attributes and viewing its history
At the end of this lab you will be able to:
• Modify the attributes of a module
• Explore how a change effected the module’s history

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Edit the module’s content - Artifact editing options
Open an artifact to
explore or edit.
Artifact links
Artifact Comments
Selected artifact
Artifact editing
options
Options for adding
additional attributes
to the module
It is important to realize that both the
module and the contained artifacts
have links, comments, attributes.
Artifacts contained in the module can
be modified in several ways, most of
which are accessible from the
artifacts edit options.
It is also important to note that there
are several ways to add new artifacts
to the module, or remove artifacts that
are already part of it.

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Adding the first artifact in an empty module
Options Available only for empty module
Add artifacts at the end
of the module
Add existing artifact
Create and Add a
new artifact

Adding Existing Artifact
Filter by folder,
attribute, tag, or
project level view
Select one or more
artifacts to add.
Focus on project area
Search by name
Information is
displayed in pages
A base artifact can be reused in one
or more modules

Requirement reuse
Same artifact Reused
in multiple modules

Used in Module attribute
Every artifact is aware in which
modules it is being used. This
information is collected in the Used
in Module attribute.
Displaying the Used in Module
attribute in a column will place a
“recycling” icon for each artifact that
is used in multiple modules.
Here we see an artifact that is used in
three modules.

Lab 2: Requirement reuse
• Reuse an artifact in multiple modules

Create and Add an artifact at the end of the module
Create an artifact with
attributes window.
Click Create
Artifact, or click
the menu arrow,
and select the
type of artifact to
create. If the type
is not on the list,
click More.
1
The way artifacts are created in a
module, is similar to the way they
are created at the project level.
1. Create Artifact of a specific type,
will allow you create an artifact
and add it to the module. The
artifact will be added at the end of
the module. The artifact will be
detailed in the Create an artifact
with attributes window,

Creating an artifact using the one-click create method
Create artifacts quickly with the one-click
create method.
Then define the artifact in the artifacts
display table.
2. The one-click create method is
most useful to create artifacts of the
same type quickly. With the one-click
create method, you can create several
artifacts rapidly and with a minimal
number of keystrokes and mouse
movements.
To edit the added artifacts, it is useful
to display needed attributes in
column, thus allowing you to edit the
artifacts directly in the Artifacts table.
You can use a saved view to get the
correct columns to display.

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Artifact hierarchy
Structure as a “Family”:
parent Artifact A has hierarchical children artifacts B and C.
child Artifacts D and E have B as their hierarchical parent.
siblings Artifacts B and C share a hierarchical parent artifact A.
ancestors Artifacts G has F, C, and A as hierarchical ancestors.
descendants Artifacts C has F, G, and H as hierarchical descendants.
Artifacts within a modules are
organized hierarchically. Artifacts are
organized into structured hierarchical
relationships. Artifact hierarchical
relationships can be structured as a
family or as a tree.
In the requirements management
application, all artifacts within a
module have a property Section
which reveals their hierarchy within
the module

Check module hierarchy
Show Hierarchy list to
a particular level
Display section
attribute
Expand sections
Some benefits of the hierarchy
include:
1.Organized sections that are
collapsible and expandable. This
helps with categorizing your
requirements and find them quickly.
2.Easily move sections around with
confidence that all content of the
section are included

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Creating a section
Sections are the first step to
organizing your module.
When you toggle “Display as
Heading”, the artifact forms a section
at the level that it is. Subsequent
sections are automatically
renumbered.
Sections can contain subsections and
other artifacts.

Removing sections

Demoting artifacts (1/2)
Artifacts are at same level
Artifacts to demote
Demoting an artifact will make it the
hierarchical child of the section above
it.
If there is no section above it, then it
will make it the child of the artifact
above it.
If the artifact has children, then the
children will move with it.
You can demote one or more artifacts
at the same time.

Demoting artifacts (2/2)
Indicator that section
contains other artifacts
Hierarchical children of
section 4
Looking at the Section attribute value
of artifact 488, we note the following:
•The 4 indicates the section
•.0 indicates that this artifact is not a
section
•-2 indicates that it is the second
added artifact in this section

Promoting artifacts
Promoting an artifact will move it up
a level.
If the artifact has children, then the
children will move with it.

Add a new (similar) artifact
Type of artifact to be created
Note the type of artifact to be created.
If this is not the artifact type you want
to create, then use the Create New
Artifact option.

Add a new (similar) artifact - After

Add a new (similar) artifact - Before

Add a new (similar) artifact - Below (as a Child)
Indicator that artifact has
hierarchical children
Note the odd number
It is a best practice to typically not
allow non-heading artifacts to be
hierarchical parents of other artifacts.
The one exception may be when
creating a numbered or bulleted list.

Add a new artifact
We already saw how to add a new
artifact.
By selecting an artifact from the
module’s content, you can add an
artifact before, after or below the
selected artifact.

Add an existing artifact
We already saw how to add an
existing artifact.
By selecting an artifact from the
module’s content, you can add an
artifact before, after or below the
selected artifact.

Lab 3: Create a new module and convert it to a template [Task 1 – 4]
 Create a new module
 Create new artifacts inside a module
 Hierarchically organize artifacts within the module
 Create a module template
 Remove an artifact from the module
 Create a module from a template
Only complete Task 1 through Task 3.

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Moving artifacts – (1/5)
Artifacts and their sections can be
moved to a different location in the
module.
In this case, we want to move
Heading B (and all its hierarchical
children), and make it the new section
1.1, making Heading C, section 1.2.
To do this we do the following….

Moving artifacts - (2/5)
Select the artifact to move,
and from its edit menu
select Cut Artifact
The artifact and all of its
children appear grayed out.
1
2
When an artifact is cut, it is still part
of the module. One can navigate out
of the module and the cut artifact will
still be remembered.
•A cut can be canceled from the edit
options of the artifact.
•Cutting another artifact within the
module will undo the first cut.
•You cannot cut an paste across
modules

Select the artifact that you
want to move relevant to,
and from its edit menu
select Paste Special

Moving artifacts - (4/5)
Paste selection after artifact this
artifact, will make our section 1.2.
Paste selection below this artifact
(as a child) will make our section
1.1.2
Paste selection before this artifact
will make our section 1.1, and the
current 1.1 will be renumbered to 1.2

The result

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Remove an artifact (1/3)
Select the artifact you want to remove and from its edit
options select Remove Artifact.

Removing the Artifact from the module
does not delete it. Artifact will still be
part of the project
When you try to remove an artifact
from a module, you will get a
confirmation window, because there
is a risk of losing information, such as
module specific links, tags, coments.

If the removed artifact is not
referenced in any other modules, then
you get an option to delete it.
Deleting an artifact should not be
taken lightly.
It is an action that can not be undone.

Lab 3: Create a new module and convert it to a template [Task 5 – 9]
 Create a new module
 Create new artifacts inside a module
 Hierarchically organize artifacts within the module
 Create a module template
 Remove an artifact from the module
 Create a module from a template
Continue with Task 4 through Task 8.

Topics
> = Current topic
> Editing

Edit an artifacts attributes from the module content pane (1/3)
Double-click on column to edit.
Temporary lock is placed on artifact.
Clicking away will save the change
If an attribute is editable and
displayed in the form of a column,
then you can edit it directly in the
column.

Changed attributes remain in edit mode
Changes to the artifact will not
take effect until you save the
artifact.
You can edit the Artifact Row. And
even cancel out of your edit.

All editable attributes can be accessed
from the attributes edit menu, by
selecting Edit attributes. The pop-up
window will allow you to select and
edit the attributes.

Edit the attributes of multiple artifacts
You can select and edit the attribute
value of multiple artifacts, at the
same time.

From the module, open the artifact and edit it
The attribute was opened from the module
Edit the attribute like you normally
would, but remember that this
attribute was opened from the
module. So any links, tags,
comments are module specific.

Review
 What type of artifacts can a module
contain?
 How can you tell if an artifact is used in
more than one module?
 What are three ways to edit the module
attributes?
 How do you create a section in the
module?
 What is meant when say that attributes
within a module can be organized
hierarchically?
 What are two ways to create a
hierarchical child to an artifact?
 Why is module hierarchy important?

Module summary
In this module you learned to:
 Create a module
 Edit a module and its contained artifacts
 Create new artifacts from within the module
 Use existing artifacts inside a module
 Organize the module in hierarchical sections
 Remove an artifact from within the module
 Delete an module or artifact from the project

Modules as requirement specifications

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