Why do issue tracking during requirements gathering?

[MGoyal]

Hello,

Is there usually a need to do separate issue tracking during the requirements gathering phase?

I have not used an issue tracking tool during the requirements gathering phase before, but have instead used an "open issues" table within the actual requirements or use case Word document. We captured open issues / action items in the actual requirements documents, as well as their resolution.

You could argue the "open issues" table was in itself an "issue tracking tool," but my point is about needing a separate issue tracking applications.

Is the main benefit the visibility given to issues? Instead of the issues being "hidden" inside their respective documents, the issue tracking software can give you a comprehensive view. What are the other significant benefits?

On a related note, we performed self-managed versioning of the documents by updating files names and a revision history table within the document. Sign off of the requirements documents were handled by separate sign off documents.

Thanks,
Mohit

[jbeatty]

Ok devil's advocate - if you can track open requirement issues in a requirements document, why don't we also track code defects in the code? :)

Seriously though, an open issues list in the requirements document has the following limitations:
It is too easy to have a version get stepped on/overwritten
The issues may get lost in the actual content - i.e. not read and followed up on
It's not easy for multiple people to own issues and be commenting on them
It's hard to track and easily see the current state on any given issue
It's not easy to have and track discussions about an issue (emails get lost)

Requirements management tools may have a good mechanism for tracking issues during requirements phases, however most companies don't use those tools yet either.

And why do we care - early in the process there is a lot of churn, so you have to use your judgement on what to track as an issue. I think every time we table a discussion for someone to go away and figure something out, it's an open issue.

[jbeatty]

There is also a blog post here on this topic:
http://requirements.seilevel.com/blog/2006/11/issue-tracking-for-requirements.html