Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST) Practice Test

What does compliance testing ensure regarding a developed system?

1. The system performs as expected under high loads

2. The system is developed following established standards and procedures

3. The system meets user requirements

4. The system can be securely accessed

The correct answer is: The system is developed following established standards and procedures

Compliance testing is focused on verifying that a developed system adheres to established standards, guidelines, and legal requirements. This type of testing is essential in projects where specific regulations or industry standards must be met, such as in financial services, healthcare, or information security. It helps ensure that the processes followed during the development align with predefined protocols, which can cover aspects like coding standards, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance practices. The correctness of the answer lies in the fact that compliance testing goes beyond functional testing (which checks if the system meets user requirements) or performance testing (which evaluates how the system behaves under load). Instead, it is fundamentally about verifying that every aspect of the system's development process complies with external or internal standards and that the product remains within the bounds of compliance as dictated by relevant authorities or guidelines. Focusing on the other options provides context: while performance testing checks system behavior under load and user requirement testing checks for satisfaction of client needs, these functions do not address compliance to standards and regulations which are critical aspects that compliance testing specifically evaluates. Security access testing, although important, does not directly relate to adherence to standards but rather to the implementation of security protocols.