Towards a compliance support framework for global software companies

Regulated companies are required to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to their industries. An important aspect of these authoritative rules is directly related to the way by which software systems, used by the regulated companies, are built, tested, and maintained. As a result, many regulated companies have turned to their software vendors to request their support in the compliance efforts. For most global software vendors, this new situation represents a significant challenge. From the technological standpoint, the complexity and sheer volume of typical authoritative rules poses a serious obstacle to implementing effective compliance support strategies. From the organizational perspective, the delivery of compliance support activities requires efficient business processes, skilled and valued employees, and a strong governance model with commitment at all management levels. To address these issues, we present a compliance support framework that aims to facilitate the linkage between compliance requirements, software development practices, and business process management. We believe that, if implemented properly, this framework can significantly improve the way software companies handle the increasing customer demand for compliance support. It can turn compliance support into a revenue-generating activity, and possibly a competitive advantage.

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