Glossary for Compliance Assessment

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The computation or mapping whereby one or more test results are combined into a single measure (metric). There are many options for such computations: linear combinations (including weighted trees and analytic hierarchies), circuits and networks, logic operations, and similar.

In some instances, metrics can be combined with tests to compute a new metric.

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The result of an assessment, optionally contextualised using a benchmark. An assessment can result in more than one dimension of assessment - for example cost and benefit rankings.

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A context-dependent judgment or contextualisation of a metric value, a test value, or an assessment result. Preferably, benchmarks for metrics and assessments, standards for tests.

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A method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to alternatives either because it produces results that are better or because it has become a standard way of doing things. If best practices are recommended via some mandated authority or expert entity, it becomes a recommendation.

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A community or legally mandated entity that endorses, validates, or reviews assessments. with a view to give assessments the requisite trustworthiness.

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The criteria or provisions that indicate the basis of compliance or alignment with a principle or objective. Criteria need to be specific in three ways:
1. It must be clear how the criterion can be assessed
2. It must be clear if compliance or alignment is mandatory, optional, or conditional
3. It must be clear which stakeholders are responsible for fulfilment

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The dimensions of assessment, of which there can be more than one.

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An entity that owns or provides one or more objects for assessment. This entity can be an organisation or institution, an initiative, an association, or a consortium or federation. It may be useful to constrain entities to legal entities.

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A guideline on how to implement best practices and recommendations to achieve a specific level of performance

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The measure whereby alignment or compliance with a criterion or requirement will be determined, or a measure of performance. Often repeated over time (for example if the metric forms part of an indicator).

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There can be many motivations for (or origins of) the need for assessment, and these have been categorised in the model using a Motivations Typology.

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A physical or digital obsect or service being assessed.

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A mechanism for determining the most suitable solution from a number of assessments acriss one or more dimensions.

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A set of Principles or Objectives to support a Motivation.

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The differentition of applicability of criteria, dependent on actor role, domain, affiliation, or any other property of an entity (context). Many other elements are modified or selected based on this context, including tests, guidance, benchmarks, metrics, and criteria. In principle, a role can contain combinations of actor, domain, affiliation, etc. to determine unique cases.

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The method whereby metrics for criteria are combined into a single assessment result. This may involve go/ no-go conclusions, ranking, and/ or mapping to a benchmark, among many possibilities.

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A standardised set of instructions whereby a test can be conducted, confirming steps, input data, and expected output data or values. In software testing, this is equivalent to a test schedule with individual test steps. Some test procedures are standardised, or expressed as a specification or request for comment.

The objectives of standardisation include maximising reproducibility, comparability, precision, and accuracy.

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Tests provide a result based on one or more inputs. Such a result can be one of a number of variants, and tests can be based on any one of a number of generic Test Types

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Specification of the inputs, execution conditions, testing procedure, and expected results that define a single test to be executed to achieve a particular testing objective. The set of instructions wherby a test can be conducted, confirming steps, input data, and expected output data or values.

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The type of test - whether it is qualitative, quantitative, for exzmple.

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A service or application collecting a number of tests, and potentially benchmarks, metrics, and assessments into a whole in support of a motivation.