Can DITA be used for generating compliance documentation required by regulatory authorities (e.g., PCI DSS)?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

DITA is well-suited for generating compliance documentation required by regulatory authorities, including standards such as PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). Compliance with these regulatory standards is crucial for organizations dealing with sensitive data, and DITA’s structured approach can greatly assist in creating and managing such documentation.

Using DITA, organizations can define specialized content models and elements for documenting compliance requirements. For instance, specific DITA elements can be created to represent PCI DSS controls, their implementation, audit procedures, and evidence of compliance. This structured approach ensures that all aspects of compliance documentation are well-documented and consistent, making it easier to satisfy the requirements of regulatory authorities.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA can be used to structure compliance documentation for PCI DSS:


<!-- PCI DSS Compliance Documentation -->
<topic id="pci-dss-doc" spec-type="PCI-DSS-Spec">
  <title>PCI DSS Compliance Documentation</title>
  <shortdesc>This document outlines the PCI DSS compliance requirements for our organization.</shortdesc>
  <body>
    <section id="controls">
      <title>PCI DSS Controls</title>
      <p>Here are the PCI DSS controls that our organization must adhere to.</p>
    </section>
    <section id="implementation">
      <title>Control Implementation</title>
      <p>This section describes how each PCI DSS control is implemented within our systems.</p>
    </section>
    <section id="audit">
      <title>Audit Procedures</title>
      <p>Details on the audit procedures for ensuring PCI DSS compliance are provided here.</p>
    </section>
    <section id="evidence">
      <title>Compliance Evidence</title>
      <p>This section includes evidence of our organization's compliance with PCI DSS standards.</p>
    </section>
  </body>
</topic>

With this structured DITA approach, organizations can streamline the process of creating and maintaining compliance documentation, making it easier to demonstrate adherence to regulatory standards like PCI DSS.