SCRT: A Smart Contract-Based Requirements Traceability Method

Abstract

With the globalization of the software industry, requirements traceability has become increasingly critical in the software development process. However, the development of large-scale, complex software systems by cross-organizational research teams often faces challenges due to diverse organizational backgrounds, multi-site environments, conflicting objectives, and organizational boundaries. These factors can lead to trust issues, complicating the implementation of requirements traceability. To address these challenges, this study proposes a Smart Contract-Based Requirements Traceability (SCRT) framework. Smart contracts, which are executable code deployed on a blockchain, exhibit properties such as enforceability, tamper resistance, and verifiability. These characteristics empower the SCRT framework to enhance collaboration, communication, and trust among stakeholders while potentially improving the efficiency and quality of software development. Within the SCRT framework, a novel Requirements Traceability Information Model (RTIM) is introduced, which categorizes the links between new and existing artifacts. This model serves as a guide for the smart contract module, delineating which software artifacts to trace and the relationships to establish.