Artifacts

An artifact is a formal work product that is produced, modified, or used by a task, defines an area of responsibility, and is subject to version control. Artifacts are the tangible outputs of software development activities.

What is an Artifact?

An artifact is a formal work product that:

Is produced, modified, or used by a task
Defines an area of responsibility
Is subject to version control

An artifact can have multiple forms including a model, a model element, or a document.

Types of Artifacts

Models

Formal representations of system aspects:

Use-case model
Design model
Data model
Deployment model

Model Elements

Components within models:

Classes
Components
Interfaces
Packages

Documents

Textual artifacts:

Vision document
Architecture notebook
Test plan
User guide

Artifact Categories by Discipline

Requirements Artifacts

Artifact	Description	Format
Vision	Project goals and scope	Document
Use-Case Model	System functionality	Model
Glossary	Term definitions	Document
Requirements Spec	Detailed requirements	Document

Architecture Artifacts

Artifact	Description	Format
Architecture Notebook	Key decisions	Document
ADRs	Decision records	Documents
Component Diagram	System structure	Model
Deployment Diagram	Infrastructure	Model

Development Artifacts

Artifact	Description	Format
Source Code	Implementation	Files
Build Scripts	Build automation	Files
Design Document	Component design	Document
API Documentation	Interface specs	Document

Test Artifacts

Artifact	Description	Format
Test Plan	Testing strategy	Document
Test Cases	Test specifications	Document
Test Results	Execution records	Report
Defect Reports	Issue tracking	Records

Project Management Artifacts

Artifact	Description	Format
Project Plan	Overall schedule	Document
Iteration Plan	Sprint plan	Document
Risk Register	Risk tracking	Document
Status Report	Progress tracking	Document

Artifact Lifecycle

States

Artifact Lifecycle States

State	Description
Not Started	Artifact not yet begun
In Progress	Actively being developed
Under Review	Submitted for review
Rework	Changes required from review
Approved	Review passed
Baselined	Frozen for release

Version Control

All artifacts should be version controlled:

artifact-v1.0.0  (Initial release)
artifact-v1.0.1  (Bug fix)
artifact-v1.1.0  (Minor enhancement)
artifact-v2.0.0  (Major revision)

Artifact Relationships

Input/Output Relationships

Artifact Input/Output Relationships

Traceability

Artifacts must be traceable to support:

Requirements verification
Impact analysis
Audit compliance
Change management

Traceability Matrix Example:

Requirement	Design	Code	Test
REQ-001	DES-001	src/auth.ts	TC-001
REQ-002	DES-002	src/user.ts	TC-002

Artifact Quality

Quality Attributes

Attribute	Description
Complete	Contains all required information
Consistent	No internal contradictions
Correct	Accurately represents intent
Unambiguous	Single interpretation
Traceable	Linked to source requirements
Verifiable	Can be validated against criteria

Review Criteria

Before approval, artifacts should be reviewed for:

Completeness - All sections filled
Accuracy - Information is correct
Clarity - Easy to understand
Consistency - Aligns with other artifacts
Standards - Follows templates and guidelines

Artifact Templates

Using templates ensures consistency and completeness. NUP provides templates for all standard artifacts.

Template Benefits

Consistency: Same structure across projects
Completeness: Prompts for required content
Efficiency: Faster creation
Quality: Built-in best practices

Template Structure

A typical artifact template includes:

# [Artifact Name]

## Document Control
- Version: X.X.X
- Author: [Name]
- Date: [Date]
- Status: [Draft/Review/Approved]

## 1. Purpose
[Why this artifact exists]

## 2. Scope
[What this artifact covers]

## 3. [Content Sections]
[Main content organized by topic]

## 4. References
[Related documents and resources]

## Revision History
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---------|------|--------|---------|

Artifacts for Regulated Software

In regulated environments, artifacts require additional rigor:

FDA/HIPAA Requirements

Document Control: Formal versioning and approval
Change History: Complete audit trail
Electronic Signatures: Where applicable
Retention: Per regulatory requirements

Traceability Requirements

User Need → Requirement → Design → Implementation → Test → Validation

Each link must be documented and verifiable.

Artifact Reviews

Artifact Type	Review Type	Participants
Requirements	Formal	Stakeholders, QA, Dev
Design	Technical	Architects, Leads
Code	Peer Review	Developers
Test	QA Review	QA, Dev, Stakeholders

Best Practices

Creation

Use templates consistently
Start with minimum viable content
Iterate as understanding grows
Get early feedback

Maintenance

Keep artifacts current
Archive obsolete versions
Review periodically
Update traceability

Storage

Use version control (Git)
Organize by project structure
Apply consistent naming
Enable search and discovery

Artifact Naming Conventions

[Project]-[Type]-[Name]-[Version].[ext]

Examples:
NUP-REQ-UserAuthentication-v1.0.docx
NUP-DES-APIArchitecture-v2.1.md
NUP-TST-IntegrationTestPlan-v1.0.xlsx

Compliance

This section fulfills ISO 13485 requirements for control of documents (4.2.3), control of records (4.2.4), and traceability (7.5.3), and ISO 27001 requirements for documented information (A.7.5) and documented procedures (A.5.37).

View full compliance matrix

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