How are audit trails and documentation history managed in DITA for IT security and compliance documents?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Managing audit trails and documentation history is a critical aspect of IT security and compliance documents in DITA. DITA provides mechanisms to maintain a clear record of changes made to documents and the history of those documents. Here’s how audit trails and documentation history are managed in DITA:

1. Change Tracking: DITA allows authors to track and document changes made to documents. This includes the ability to highlight modifications, add comments, and record who made the changes and when they were made. This change tracking feature ensures transparency in the editing process and helps maintain an audit trail of revisions.

2. Revision History: DITA documents often include a “revision history” section that details the document’s evolution. This section typically lists previous versions of the document, including revision numbers, dates, and a brief description of changes. It serves as a historical reference and is a common requirement for compliance documentation.

3. Metadata: Metadata elements in DITA can be used to capture information about a document’s history, including the date of creation, authorship, and version details. This metadata helps in managing and documenting the history of documents for compliance purposes.

Example:

Here’s an example of managing audit trails and documentation history in DITA:


<!-- Compliance Document - IT Security Policy -->
<topic id="it-security-policy">
  <title>IT Security Policy</title>
  <revisionHistory>
    <rev>
      <revnumber>1.0</revnumber>
      <date>2023-01-15</date>
      <author>John Doe</author>
      <changes>Migrated from the old policy document.</changes>
    </rev>
    <rev>
      <revnumber>2.0</revnumber>
      <date>2023-03-05</date>
      <author>Jane Smith</author>
      <changes>Updated access control section.</changes>
    </rev>
  </revisionHistory>
  <body>
    <p>This document outlines our organization's IT security policy.</p>
    <!-- Content here. -->
  </body>

In this example, the “IT Security Policy” document includes a revision history that lists previous versions, their revision numbers, dates, authors, and brief descriptions of changes made. This provides a clear audit trail and documentation history for compliance and accountability.