Announcing Cradle-7.7 - start your free trial here

play video

Cradle® is our requirements management and systems engineering software tool that integrates your entire project lifecycle in one, massively scalable, integrated, multi-user product.

Whether your projects are small and local, large and distributed, or anywhere in between, Cradle can solve all your agile, requirements management, model driven development, defect tracking and test management needs in one place. With its unrivalled feature set, incredible flexibility, simple configuration and low cost, Cradle is the ideal choice if you are new to agile methods, requirements management or systems engineering.

If you are a veteran, moving to Cradle will bring welcome relief from the constraints of other tools and the difficulties of maintaining links between multiple databases. You will finally be free to fully exercise your engineering skills and do what you do best, be creative and inventive. Cradle will become an integral part of your information security and information assurance strategies.

READ MORE

From Concept to Creation

Requirements Capture

Requirement statements can be captured from external documents by Document Loader. It reproduces the document structure in a hierarchy of items. Each item is linked to its origin in the document. Figures are loaded automatically. Tables can be captured into items, images, Word objects or rich text. Document Loader finds differences in new versions of documents. Loading the new version will update items and their links. Coverage analyses between documents and database items are provided. Full version management of source documents is provided. Regression to previous versions is supported, with reversal of all changes. Requirements and other items can be loaded from Word, Excel or other tools using plug-ins, data exchange or direct interfaces.

Cradle Document Loader screenshot
Cradle Workbench screenshot

Requirements Management

Individual locking of each requirement allows direct editing through forms and allows multiple users to concurrently edit. Requirements can be linked to test data, safety and other critical issues, risks or any project data. When used with the Cradle-SYS module, user stories and requirements can be linked to functional, behavioural, UML, analysis, architecture and design models organised into any number of model hierarchies in both analysis and design domains. Learn More

Requirements Management

Individual locking of each requirement allows direct editing through forms and allows multiple users to concurrently edit. Requirements can be linked to test data, safety and other critical issues, risks or any project data. When used with the Cradle-SYS module, user stories and requirements can be linked to functional, behavioural, UML, analysis, architecture and design models organised into any number of model hierarchies in both analysis and design domains. Learn More

Cradle Workbench screenshot

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is the formalised application of modelling to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later lifecycle phases. Cradle has over 20 diagram notations that can be used to specify the system. The user selects a diagram type to define system behaviour and a diagram type to define system architecture. The meta-data associated with the models are captured in the project repository for use in analyses and document generation. Learn More

Model Based Systems Engineering diagram
Change Management diagram

Review your Progress

Items evolve through versions that are managed in baselines and controlled by a build-in CM system, with mechanisms for review, baseline and version control, full change control, and audit trails. Cradle can track all changes. Edits can be reversed selectively or by group. Items can be compared across edits and in baselines. Edits can raise alerts to users, and mark related items as suspect. All edits are permanently available, for change logs. Learn More

Review your Progress

Items evolve through versions that are managed in baselines and controlled by a build-in CM system, with mechanisms for review, baseline and version control, full change control, and audit trails. Cradle can track all changes. Edits can be reversed selectively or by group. Items can be compared across edits and in baselines. Edits can raise alerts to users, and mark related items as suspect. All edits are permanently available, for change logs. Learn More

Change Management diagram

Publish Formal Documents

Document Publisher produces complete, high quality, documents directly from the database. It can publish documents that include cover pages, Table of Contents, List of Figures, sections and subsections with mixtures of hierarchical paragraphs, bullet lists, figures and tables. Powerful data filters and parametrics can be defined to supplement database querying or specify conditions under which particular attributes are to appear in the output. Formal documents of baselined information can be produced, with full traceability of which item instances appear in which issues of these documents. All functionality is provided via a simple, intuitive user interface, which is seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Word. Learn More

Document Management diagram

FEATURES

  • Single integrated environment - Supports entire lifecycle in a single environment
  • Process independent - The flexibility to tailor the tool to your process
  • Process support - Embed your process into the Cradle UI, to simplify use, and reduce need for training
  • Agile and phase-based processes - Supports agile, highly iterative processes, and those using longer phases and phase gates
  • Full lifecycle traceability - Allows full end-to-end traceability and coverage analysis across the entire lifecycle from a single tool
  • Integrates project planning - Bidirectional links exchange WBS and actual start/finish dates and progress with external planning tools
  • Document generation - Generate complete, accurate and consistent documentation for the entire project from a single source
  • Progress tracking and metrics - Provides built-in metrics support to track all project activities and products
  • Arbitrarily extensible databases - Project schema defined by point-and-click UI, changed at any time, support smallest or largest of projects
  • External database linking - Connect Cradle database to external data sources, as files, URLs and in other environments
  • Baselines and change control - Supports evolution of database contents through integral configuration management and control system with full change tracking of all edits
  • Single Sign-on - Single Sign-on
  • Multi-platform - Multi-platform
  • Remote access - Citrix, Microsoft RemoteApp, Unix X11, Web client capabilities
  • Multi-user - Client-Server model allows for full multi-user access
  • Open and extensible - Variety of import/export, command-based, API and event-driven interface mechanisms. Support for Cradle, CSV, XML, ReqIF and other exchange formats. Specialist integrations with Office® and other tools.
  • Risk Management - measure, quantify and mitigate risk with a Risk Register, a defined Risk Assessment Matrix and visualise risks with Active Risk, Maximum Risk and Weighted Risk graphs and charts.
  • Test Execution - Test execution and recording is generic testing of a system by people who are prompted to perform a series of steps and indicate the result of each of these steps.
  • Single integrated environment - Supports entire lifecycle in a single environment
  • Process independent - The flexibility to tailor the tool to your process
  • Process support - Embed your process into the Cradle UI, to simplify use, and reduce need for training
  • Agile and phase-based processes - Supports agile, highly iterative processes, and those using longer phases and phase gates
  • Full lifecycle traceability - Allows full end-to-end traceability and coverage analysis across the entire lifecycle from a single tool
  • Integrates project planning - Bidirectional links exchange WBS and actual start/finish dates and progress with external planning tools
  • Single Sign-on - LDAP & Active Directory integration
  • Multi-platform - Cross-platform support with mixed clients & servers supported
  • Remote access - Citrix, Microsoft RemoteApp, Unix X11, Web client capabilities
  • Document generation - Generate complete, accurate and consistent documentation for the entire project from a single source
  • Progress tracking and metrics - Provides built-in metrics support to track all project activities and products
  • Arbitrarily extensible databases - Project schema defined by point-and-click UI, changed at any time, support smallest or largest of projects
  • External database linking - Connect Cradle database to external data sources, as files, URLs and in other environments
  • Baselines and change control - Supports evolution of database contents through integral configuration management and control system with full change tracking of all edits
  • Multi-user - Client-Server model allows for full multi-user access
  • Open and extensible - Variety of import/export, command-based, API and event-driven interface mechanisms. Support for Cradle, CSV, XML, ReqIF and other exchange formats. Specialist integrations with Office® and other tools.
  • Risk Management - measure, quantify and mitigate risk with a Risk Register, a defined Risk Assessment Matrix and visualise risks with Active Risk, Maximum Risk and Weighted Risk graphs and charts.
  • Test Execution - Test execution and recording is generic testing of a system by people who are prompted to perform a series of steps and indicate the result of each of these steps.

DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS

Traceability in Cradle

Video demonstration of traceability features in Cradle, including trees, tables of linked items, nested tables, HIDs and VCRMs

play file

Download File

Viewing and Exploring Traceability

RC074: Explore Traceability

Hierarchy Diagrams

Video demonstrating the creation, viewing and some features of Hierarchy Diagrams (HIDs) in Cradle

play file

Download File

Creating and Using Hierarchy Diagrams

RC075: Hierarchy Diagrams

Play All 3SL Videos

Play all 3SL Videos

play file

All Videos

All Videos

Watch More ...

CUSTOMERS

Cradle is used by hundreds of organisations in many industry sectors.

READ MORE ...

Contact 3SL

Give us a call

Need help? Call us today and speak with our support engineers

+1.256.971.9500


Email us

Get help and tips on any questions that you might have

support@threesl.com


Request a demo

Learn more about how Cradle can help your organisation

Request demo


Start a free trial

Explore for yourself what Cradle can bring for you

Start free trial


 
 
 

3SL Inc3001 9th Ave Suite 207c Huntsville Alabama 35805 USA
Tel: 256 971 9500

support@threesl.com

 

Structured Software Systems Limited is a company registered in England. Registered company number: 02153654.
Registered VAT number: GB 473 2757 28. Registered office address: Suite 2 22a Duke Street, Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1HH
Copyright © 1987 - 2024 Structured Software Systems Ltd. All rights reserved. Cradle® is a registered trademark of 3SL in the UK and other countries.