Testing is a ‘determination of one or more characteristics of an object of conformity assessment, according to a procedure,’ as defined by ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment – Vocabulary and General Principles.

Testing is carried out by laboratories to verify that products, materials, systems or services meet specified requirements. This may involve physical, chemical or biological analysis depending on the sector.

Medical testing laboratories perform diagnostic tests to support healthcare decisions and must meet high standards of accuracy and reliability.

Many testing and medical laboratories seek accreditation to standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189, to demonstrate their technical competence and ensure confidence in their results.