traceability-auditor_skill

Overview

This skill validates complete requirements traceability across the full development lifecycle, enforcing Article V (Traceability Mandate) that requires 100% mapping at each stage. It inspects EARS-format requirements through design, tasks, code, and tests, then generates coverage metrics, a traceability matrix, and gap reports. The output highlights orphaned items, untested code, and actionable recommendations to reach full compliance.

How this skill works

The auditor collects artifacts (requirements, design docs, task lists, source files, and tests) and performs forward and backward traceability analysis. It checks Requirement→Design, Design→Tasks, Tasks→Code, and Code→Tests mappings, calculates coverage percentages, detects gaps (orphaned requirements/tests, unimplemented tasks, untested code), and emits a traceability matrix plus a prioritized recommendations list. Reports are produced section-by-section so partial results are preserved on errors.

When to use it

• Before merging a feature branch to verify Article V 100% traceability compliance
• During release gating or QA sign-off to ensure no orphaned requirements or tests
• After requirements, design, or task changes to detect introduced gaps quickly
• In CI/CD pipelines for continuous auditing and automated coverage blocking
• When producing audit evidence for compliance or regulatory reviews

Best practices

• Run traceability-auditor after each major change and as a CI gate
• Keep REQ-IDs consistently referenced in design, tasks, code comments, and tests
• Fail merges when overall traceability < 100% to enforce Article V
• Automate artifact discovery using steering files (structure, tech, constitution)
• Deliver clear, actionable recommendations that assign remediation owners

Example use cases

• Generate a forward/backward traceability matrix for a new authentication feature
• Detect orphaned tests and unimplemented requirements before release
• Block a release when a high-priority requirement lacks code or tests
• Produce an audit report showing coverage percentages and remediation steps
• Integrate with orchestrator to trigger missing-skill workflows for fixes