Compliance testing- everything you need to know

Compliance testing definition:

Have you ever thought about “what is Compliance testing”? 

It is an element of conformity assessment that is also known as type testing.

It is a test or other activity that determines whether a process, product, or service meets specifications, technical standards, contracts, or regulations.

Why do you need compliance testing? 

Compliance testing helps identify possible deviations from the company’s standards. They are used to verify the standards and protocols followed in software development and to facilitate product introduction. It also helps in saving the company from having to pay large fines if found to be non-compliant. Compliance testing also helps to develop coding standards and ultimately makes it easier to maintain the code. They also help to identify violations so that timely measures can be taken to reduce compliance risks. 

When to use compliance testing?

Sufficient testing to verify the method and identify violations is the sole responsibility of management, but non-compliance may be due to a lack of understanding of the method or misunderstanding. Management should ensure that the team has a full and clear understanding of standards, procedures, and methods. If necessary, you can organize appropriate team training.

The standard may not have been published correctly, or the standard itself may be of poor quality. In this case, efforts should be made to correct them or introduce new methods. It is important to conduct compliance checks at the beginning of the project, not at a later stage, because if the requirements themselves are not properly documented, it will be difficult to resolve the application.

Compliance testing methodology:

Compliance testing can be conducted by an internal team, or it can be completely outsourced to an external team. An important aspect is that compliance checks can only be performed by authorized personnel or organizations.

Compliance testing standards:

Since each organization follows a different set of standards, the selected team needs to understand the standards, guidelines, and specifications of the system under test.

Forms of compliance testing:

Compliance testing can be conducted internally or externally by other institutions with the necessary authority. Testing can also be required or optional. 

Legal Mandatory testing:

This is performed by an external government or government-designated agency. The certifications obtained from these tests are critical to the company’s legitimate business. Failure to comply with such tests may result in the cancellation of government contracts, fines, damages, and destructive announcements. 

Other required testing:

Another company, independent external organization, or related party that cooperates with the company may require mandatory compliance testing. Failure to do so may result in business loss, reputation damage, and even legal proceedings. 

Voluntary testing: 

Third-party organizations can be entrusted or invited to conduct compliance testing, ensure performance, or obtain certification. 

Internal testing:

Conduct internal testing to ensure the performance and effectiveness of products, services, and processes, and are necessary to ensure the normal operation of the company. These tests are at the discretion of management.

 Benefits of compliance testing: 

• Ensure the correct implementation of the specification.
• Provide portability and interoperability.
• Ensure the correct use of standards.
• Ensure that interfaces and functions work as expected.
• Help determine the areas of compliance testing.

Compliance testing weaknesses: 

Like other types of testing, compliance testing also has some tasks that are difficult to   complete and can become complicated. Some of them are listed below; 

To be able to perform compliance testing effectively, the category of the system to be tested and the corresponding methodology must be defined.

The specifications are classified according to configuration files, levels, and modules.

Predefined values.

Development of extensions, Options, and methods to successfully test. 

Conclusion:

The compliance test not only verifies the finished product but also ensures that each stage of development (including documentation) meets requirements and adheres to specific agreements. Software compliance requirements can be a bit complicated and require proper planning and execution. Experience and sufficient training are required before the exam. Before finally selecting a supplier for a compliance audit, it is recommended to evaluate and analyze its case studies, report format, and overall overview and evaluation.