This paper investigates the nature of the requirements traceability (RT) problem, a significant concern in requirements engineering (RE). The authors conducted empirical studies involving over 100 practitioners and evaluated current support tools. They introduce the distinction between pre-requirements specification (pre-RS) and post-requirements specification (post-RS) traceability to highlight the multifaceted nature of the problem and the need for a comprehensive solution. The majority of RT issues are attributed to inadequate pre-RS traceability, which is crucial for improving quality and economic leverage. The paper identifies barriers to improving pre-RS traceability, such as conflicts between providers and end-users, and proposes solutions, including increasing awareness of information, obtaining and recording information, organizing and maintaining information, and improving access and presentation. The authors conclude that addressing pre-RS traceability is essential for progress in RT and recommend continuous modeling of the social infrastructure involved in requirements management.This paper investigates the nature of the requirements traceability (RT) problem, a significant concern in requirements engineering (RE). The authors conducted empirical studies involving over 100 practitioners and evaluated current support tools. They introduce the distinction between pre-requirements specification (pre-RS) and post-requirements specification (post-RS) traceability to highlight the multifaceted nature of the problem and the need for a comprehensive solution. The majority of RT issues are attributed to inadequate pre-RS traceability, which is crucial for improving quality and economic leverage. The paper identifies barriers to improving pre-RS traceability, such as conflicts between providers and end-users, and proposes solutions, including increasing awareness of information, obtaining and recording information, organizing and maintaining information, and improving access and presentation. The authors conclude that addressing pre-RS traceability is essential for progress in RT and recommend continuous modeling of the social infrastructure involved in requirements management.