Scenario Matrix Template

About

A Scenario Matrix Template for Compliance Testing is used to define and track test cases that ensure a system adheres to industry standards, legal regulations, internal policies, and contractual requirements. The focus is on verifying that the application meets mandatory compliance criteria for security, privacy, accessibility, financial operations, or industry-specific rules.

This matrix ensures:

• All applicable laws, regulations, and standards are identified and tested against

• The system is audit-ready with appropriate documentation and evidence

• Non-compliance risks are detected early to avoid penalties and reputational damage

• Processes and configurations meet certification requirements where applicable

Compliance testing scenarios often include data protection checks (GDPR, HIPAA), accessibility compliance (WCAG), security standard adherence (ISO 27001, PCI-DSS), and regulatory workflow validation.

Template

Scenario ID	Scenario Description	Preconditions	Test Data / Inputs	Steps to Execute	Expected Result	Priority	Remarks
CMP-01	GDPR data deletion compliance	GDPR guidelines available	User personal data	Request data deletion	Data removed from all systems	High	Privacy regulation compliance
CMP-02	HIPAA privacy rule validation	HIPAA checklist ready	Health records data	Access restricted health data	Unauthorized access denied	High	Health data security check
CMP-03	PCI-DSS payment handling compliance	PCI-DSS standards in place	Payment transactions	Process credit card payment	Data encrypted and tokenized	High	Financial security compliance
CMP-04	Accessibility (WCAG) compliance	Accessibility tools ready	Application UI	Run WCAG accessibility audit	Meets all WCAG criteria	High	Ensures inclusivity
CMP-05	ISO 27001 security policy adherence	ISO documentation ready	Security configurations	Compare configs with ISO controls	All required controls implemented	Medium	Information security certification
CMP-06	SOX financial reporting compliance	SOX guidelines ready	Financial transactions	Generate and review reports	Reports meet audit requirements	Medium	Financial accuracy validation
CMP-07	Industry-specific standard adherence	Industry rules documented	System workflows	Run workflows against rules	All requirements satisfied	Medium	Sector-specific compliance
CMP-08	Data retention policy compliance	Retention policy defined	Historical data	Review stored data retention	Data matches retention limits	Medium	Prevents over-retention risks
CMP-09	Encryption standard compliance	Encryption standard documented	Secure data	Verify encryption algorithms	Meets required encryption strength	High	Protects sensitive data
CMP-10	Regulatory audit simulation	Auditor checklist ready	Application environment	Simulate compliance audit	All checks passed without findings	Medium	Audit readiness test