Macro-level traceability via media transformations

Abstract

This paper proposes an alternative approach to the examination of artifacts whose contents must be traceable to promote software quality. The approach places emphasis on media use and media transformations. We suggest that one cannot begin to assign and sustain traceability relations at a micro-level between units of content if the sign systems that have been created and transformed to represent this content are not considered at a more macro-level. Our approach is anticipatory, feasible to automate and exemplified. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.