Link types in requirements projects

Requirements projects include several predefined link types for traceability.

Administrators can view the link types for a project and create link types on the Link Types page, which they can access by clicking the Administration menu and then clicking Manage Project Properties > Link Types. If you have configuration management enabled for your project, on the Administration menu, click Manage Component Properties.

Note: For traceability to work in cross-project links, link types in both the projects or components must specify the same external RDF URIs. See Creating link types to learn how to assign an URI to a link type.

The following table provides descriptions of most of the traceability link types in the Requirements Management (RM) application.

Table 1. Requirements management link types
Incoming link type	Outgoing link type	Description
Constrained By	Constrains	Captures the relationship between requirement artifacts when one artifact limits or holds back the other artifact. For example, an artifact can be constrained by a requirement that it must conform to.
Embedded In	Embeds	Tracks a containment relationship between RM artifacts. These types of relationships occur when you complete operations such as inserting an artifact and inserting an image for a text artifact.
Extracted From	Extracted	Extraction captures when the content of a requirement artifact was created from the contents of another requirement artifact. This type of link is created during extraction-based operations; for example, when you create an artifact by saving an existing artifact as a new artifact.
Illustrated By	Illustrates	Illustrates the relationships between graphical and text artifacts.
Link From	Link To	Tracks a general relationship between requirement artifacts.
Mitigates	Mitigates	Captures the relationship between requirements and risks. A requirement mitigates one or more risks, and a risk is mitigated by one or more requirements.
Parent Of	Child Of	Decomposition captures part-whole relationships between requirement artifacts. Typically, these types of links represent artifact hierarchies.
Satisfied By	Satisfies	Captures how the different levels of requirements are elaborated. For example: an approved vision statement in a vision document can be satisfied by one or more stakeholder requirements.
Synonym	Synonym	Relates requirement term artifacts that are synonymous. This link type is bidirectional. The link is shown as Synonym from either endpoint.
Term Referenced From	References Term	Artifact Term Reference captures glossary-based relationships between requirement artifacts. This type of link is created during term-based operations for text artifacts, such as when you create a term.

Link types in RM also include links to other IBM® Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) applications. This link type is available only through an OSLC integration. For more information about OSLC link type definitions, see The OSLC Requirements Management (RM) Vocabulary and RM Resource Definitions. Incoming links are when the link is created in the RM application and Outgoing links are when the link is created outside of the RM application.

Important: To make sure that all the link types that are described in the following table are available in a project:

Establish project association definitions. See Adding associations.
Integrate RM with the other application.

In addition, Outgoing link types are shown only if the link is created by the other application. Such as an Affects link is visible only if the link is created in the change management application.

Table 2. Requirements management link types across ELM applications
Incoming link type	Outgoing link type	Description
Change and Configuration Management (CCM) application
Affected By	Affects	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and a change management work item that affects the implementation of the requirement artifact. For example, a defect in the Change and Configuration Management (CCM) application can affect the implementation of a requirement artifact. Note: The Affected By link type is not available for modules and collections.
Implemented By	Implements	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and a change management work item that describes the implementation of the requirement artifact. For example, a story in the CCM application can describe the implementation of a requirement artifact. In the CCM application, links of this type are shown as Implements links. Note: For modules and collections the Implemented By link type is only available to plan items in the CCM application.
Tracked By	Tracks	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and a change management item that tracks the implementation of the requirement artifact. For example, a plan item in the CCM application can track the implementation of a requirement artifact. In the CCM application, links of this type are shown as Tracks links. Note: The Tracked By link type is not available for modules and collections.
Architecture Management (AM) application Note: As of version 7.0.0, DM is no longer part of the ELM solution.
Derives Architecture From Element	Derives Architecture Element	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and an model element. For example, a UML use case in an architecture management application can represent a requirement artifact. The requirement artifact derives from the UML use case.
Refined By Architecture Element	Refines Architecture Element	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and a design element. Design resources can be linked to requirements management artifacts by using the Refined By Architecture Element link type. These link types are visible in RM as the Refines Architecture Element link type.
Satisfied By Architecture Element	Satisfies Architecture Element	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and an architecture management item that represents a model of the requirement artifact.
Traced By Architecture Element	Trace Architecture Element	Traces the relationship between a requirement artifact and an architecture management item that traces the model element to the requirement artifact.
Links in another RM instance or another RM project area
Referenced By	References	Tracks a relationship between requirement artifacts. These types of relationships occur when requirement artifacts reference requirement artifacts in another RM instance or another project area.
Quality Management (QM) application
Validated By	Validates	Captures the relationship between a requirement artifact and a test artifact that validates the implementation of the requirement artifact. For example, a test plan in the Quality Management (QM) application can validate the implementation of a requirement artifact. In the QM application, links of this type are displayed as Validates links. Validated By links point from the RM application to IBM Engineering Test Management (ETM).