How are changes tracked and documented for audit purposes in IT documentation projects using DITA?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Tracking and documenting changes for audit purposes in IT documentation projects using DITA XML is essential for ensuring transparency, compliance, and accountability. DITA provides a structured framework that simplifies the process of recording changes, making it easier for organizations to maintain an audit trail. Here are key aspects of how changes are tracked and documented in DITA-based projects:

1. Version Control: DITA XML content is often managed using version control systems. Each change made to DITA topics is recorded, and previous versions are preserved. This version history serves as an audit trail, allowing organizations to track who made the changes, when they were made, and the nature of the modifications.

2. Change Tracking Elements: DITA provides built-in elements for tracking changes, such as the <revhistory> element. This element can include details of revisions, including dates, authors, and a description of the changes. Using these elements ensures that every change is well-documented within the content.

3. Metadata and Attributes: DITA allows you to embed metadata and attributes within topics. These can include information about the document’s status, such as draft or final, and details about who reviewed and approved the content. This metadata is essential for auditing and compliance purposes.

Example:

Here is an HTML-friendly example illustrating how changes are tracked and documented within a DITA XML topic:


<topic id="topic123" status="final">
  <title>Network Configuration Guide</title>
  <revhistory>
    <revision>
      <revnumber>1.0</revnumber>
      <date>2023-03-15</date>
      <author>John Doe</author>
      <revremark>Initial version</revremark>
    </revision>
    <revision>
      <revnumber>1.1</revnumber>
      <date>2023-04-05</date>
      <author>Jane Smith</author>
      <revremark>Updated security section</revremark>
    </revision>
  </revhistory>
  <body>
    <p>This document provides guidelines for network configuration.</p>
  </body>

In this example, the <revhistory> element within the DITA topic records the changes made to the document. Each revision includes a version number, date, author, and remarks, providing a clear audit trail of the document’s evolution.