Quality audit: how automated testing facilitates compliance (ISO, RGAA, GDPR, etc.)

In today's digital environment, where regulatory compliance has become crucial, quality auditing is essential for ensuring service reliability and user confidence.

Ensuring compliance of processes, applications, and systems is therefore no longer optional. According to a study by the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of non-compliance for organizations that have encountered problems is approximately $9.4 million. This is serious business.

Faced with the increasing complexity of standards such as ISO, RGAA, and GDPR, organizations are seeking more effective solutions to maintain a continuous level of compliance.

It is in this context that automated testing proves to be very useful. Indeed, it allows for quick, accurate, and repeatable checks to be carried out in order to maintain the quality of platforms and applications. It does not replace a quality audit, but it facilitates its preparation, reinforces continuous monitoring, and reduces the workload associated with manual checks.

This article explores how automation modernizes compliance tracking, effectively supports audit processes, and reduces operational risks.

Understanding compliance requirements in a quality audit

ISO standards

ISO 9001 defines the requirements for quality management systems, with an emphasis on continuous improvement, process control, and customer satisfaction.

For its part, ISO 25010 proposes a quality model for software products and systems, detailing characteristics such as reliability, maintainability, performance, and security.

Together, these standards provide a solid framework for evaluating and auditing the quality of processes and software solutions within an organization.

These international standards guarantee a structured and globally recognized approach.

The RGAA (General Accessibility Improvement Framework)

The RGAA imposes specific criteria to make digital content accessible to all, particularly people with disabilities or learning difficulties.

This legal obligation in France is based on compliance levels (A, AA, AAA) that assess a website's ability to be used by as many people as possible.

The criteria focus on technical aspects such as color contrast, keyboard navigation, and compatibility with screen readers.

The GDPR or RGPD (General Data Protection Regulation)

The GDPR is a binding legal framework governing the collection, processing, and storage of personal data.

Organizations must demonstrate their ability to protect sensitive information, obtain informed consent from users, and guarantee their right to data erasure or portability.

These regulatory requirements demand constant vigilance and rigorous verification processes.

The central role of automated testing in compliance

Automated testing plays a key role in preparing for and maintaining compliance ahead of quality audits. It does not replace audits by experts, but it greatly facilitates regular checks and allows discrepancies to be identified more quickly.

Where manual checks require weeks of concentrated effort, automation now delivers results in a matter of hours.

This speed does not come at the expense of reliability. Automated testing reduces the risk of human error associated with repetitive tasks and ensures consistent application of verification criteria.

Financial impact

Repetitive checks, which used to be time-consuming, are now performed without constant human intervention, freeing up teams for higher value-added tasks.

This efficiency translates into a measurable return on investment, which is particularly evident during recurring audits.

Integration into agile methodologies

Automated testing fits naturally into short development cycles, enabling frequent checks at each iteration.

This proactive approach detects compliance gaps as soon as they arise, preventing the accumulation of technical debt.

Essentially, automated testing creates a permanent safety net that accompanies the continuous evolution of systems.

Automated testing and RGAA compliance: ensuring digital accessibility

Since the law of February 11, 2005, on equal rights and opportunities, digital accessibility has been a legal requirement for all public websites in France.

The General Accessibility Improvement Framework (RGAA), aligned with international WCAG 2.1 standards, defines specific criteria that web platforms must meet.

Automated RGAA WCAG 2.1 accessibility tests then become valuable allies in quickly identifying deviations from levels A and AA.

These tools automatically analyze hundreds of checkpoints:

• The contrast of colors
• The presence of text alternatives for images
• Keyboard navigation
• The semantic structure of pages
  

Where a manual audit would take days, automated accessibility testing scans an entire site in a matter of hours.

They instantly identify non-compliance issues and generate detailed reports, enabling teams to quickly correct any problems detected, thereby contributing to an inclusive experience for all users.

Ensure GDPR compliance with automated testing

The General Data Protection Regulation imposes strict requirements that automated testing can effectively monitor.

These tools enable regular verification of user consent when collecting personal information. They check that cookie banners are working correctly and that visitor preferences are being recorded and applied.

Data anonymization is another crucial area where automation provides valuable support by ensuring that sensitive information is properly masked or deleted in accordance with legal deadlines.

IT security is a fundamental pillar of personal data protection. Automated tests scan systems to quickly detect potential vulnerabilities such as SQL injection flaws, encryption issues, or unauthorized access to databases.

This regular vigilance makes it possible to identify and correct weaknesses before they become gateways for data breaches, thus avoiding the considerable financial penalties provided for by the GDPR.

The contribution of automated testing within the framework of ISO standards

ISO standards related to quality, in particular ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 25010 for software quality assessment, encourage rigorous process control and systematic product validation.

In this context, automated testing ensures the repeatability, reliability, and traceability of checks, while providing objective evidence of compliance with the requirements defined by these standards.

Automated testing supports these requirements by enabling regular, structured monitoring of critical processes without constantly mobilizing human resources.

Rather than waiting for traditional annual audits, companies can now deploy automatic daily or weekly checks that scrutinize important processes.

This approach facilitates the implementation of regular checks that contribute to sustainable compliance. Automated systems generate detailed reports documenting each verification, providing traceability that is appreciated during ISO 19011 audits.

Anomalies are reported immediately, enabling rapid corrective action before they become major non-conformities. This monitoring effectively supports process control and ISO audit preparation.

Concrete benefits of automated testing for quality auditing

Automated testing greatly facilitates the preparation of quality audits and strengthens continuous monitoring.

The time saved is undoubtedly the most immediate benefit.

Where teams used to spend weeks manually checking each compliance criterion, automation now allows these checks to be completed in a matter of hours.

This acceleration is accompanied by a substantial reduction in audit costs, as human resources can focus on analyzing results rather than collecting data.

Rapid detection of non-compliance is another major advantage. Automated tests instantly identify deviations from ISO, RGAA, or GDPR standards, allowing for immediate correction before a problem escalates.

This responsiveness avoids regulatory sanctions and preserves the company's reputation.

Automation also generates reliable, traceable, and time-stamped documentation, which serves as valuable support during audits and simplifies exchanges with certification bodies. This documentary precision reinforces the credibility of compliance efforts.

Mr Suricate Automate your regulatory compliance

In the landscape of QA compliance automation solutions, Mr Suricate as an automated testing tool that is particularly well suited to regulatory compliance challenges.

Mr Suricate allows you to maintain complete control over user journeys through test automation and real-time monitoring of insights from your web and mobile applications.

This QA compliance automation fits perfectly with the traceability requirements of standards by documenting each test performed and generating detailed reports that can be used during official audits.