A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering ISO 27001 for Data Team Leads in Regulated Sectors
A complete system for producing regulator-ready evidence, audit-first time, and resilient data governance under efficiency pressure.
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Producing audit-ready evidence under tight cycles without last-minute scrambles.
The situation this course is for
Data leaders in regulated environments face recurring pressure to deliver compliant, accurate, and defensible outputs during M&A due diligence, regulator inquiries, and internal audits. The cost isn't just time, it's credibility when artifacts require revision or escalation. The deeper issue is inconsistent evidence packaging, unclear ownership of control mappings, and reactive responses to requests that should be routine. This course eliminates that friction by institutionalizing a repeatable, evidence-first workflow.
Who this is for
Victor is a Data Team Lead at CGI, a global IT and business consulting firm operating under multiple compliance regimes. He leads a team responsible for data governance, quality, and integrity across client engagements, many of which involve regulated sectors (financial services, healthcare, government). With efficiency pressure mounting at CGI, Victor needs to deliver higher-quality compliance outputs with fewer resources. His credibility hinges on clean handoffs during M&A integrations, regulator-facing reviews, and peer escalations, all of which demand documented, defensible processes anchored in standards like ISO 27001.
Who this is not for
This course is not for junior data analysts, developers building pipelines, or teams focused solely on data modeling without governance responsibilities. It's not for firms without compliance obligations or those not undergoing M&A, audits, or regulatory scrutiny.
What you walk away with
- Produce regulator-ready audit evidence packages that pass first-time review
- Own the ISO 27001 Statement of Applicability (SoA) with confidence and source-backed rationale
- Reduce rework cycles on control mappings by 70% or more
- Become the internal reference for cross-functional data governance handoffs
- Deliver board-prep materials with documented lineage and control traceability
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. The ISO 27001 Foundation for Data Leaders
Build a working mastery of ISO 27001’s structure, clauses, and control objectives as they apply specifically to data governance in consulting environments. Focus on Clauses 4, 8 and Annex A controls relevant to data classification, access, and integrity.
12 chapters in this module
- Understanding the scope of ISO 27001 in multi-client data environments
- How data governance fits into Information Security Management Systems
- Key differences between ISO 27001 and data privacy standards like GDPR
- The role of data teams in defining and maintaining the SoA
- Mapping data lifecycle stages to ISO 27001 control requirements
- How consulting firms interpret Annex A controls differently than product firms
- Establishing ownership boundaries between security and data teams
- Common misinterpretations of control A.10.1 (cryptography) in data contexts
- Using ISO 27001 to strengthen data quality assurance protocols
- Documenting data handling practices for auditor review
- Integrating ISO 27001 with existing data governance frameworks
- Preparing for auditor walkthroughs with evidence-first thinking
Module 2. Building the Data-Specific Statement of Applicability
Learn how to construct a defensible, living SoA that reflects actual data practices, not theoretical controls. Includes templates, real-world examples, and peer-reviewed rationale patterns.
12 chapters in this module
- Why most SoAs fail at the data layer during audits
- Identifying which Annex A controls apply to data workflows
- Documenting control implementation for data masking and anonymization
- Justifying exclusions with data-specific reasoning
- Linking control ownership to data stewards and pipeline owners
- Using tiered risk assessments to prioritize data controls
- Versioning the SoA for multiple clients and engagements
- Avoiding over-documentation while maintaining defensibility
- Incorporating third-party data processors into the SoA
- Handling dynamic data environments where controls shift weekly
- Auditor expectations for evidence behind each control
- Worked example: SoA for a healthcare data integration project
Module 3. Evidence Packaging for Regulator-Ready Reviews
Design a repeatable system for collecting, validating, and presenting audit evidence, so nothing gets kicked back. Covers formats, timing, and stakeholder alignment.
12 chapters in this module
- The anatomy of a first-time-pass evidence package
- Defining evidence requirements per control objective
- Standardizing screenshots, logs, and policy references
- Creating evidence calendars aligned to audit cycles
- Assigning evidence ownership across data and engineering teams
- Using automation to reduce manual evidence collection
- Validating completeness before submission
- Handling auditor follow-ups with pre-packaged responses
- Documenting exceptions with mitigation plans
- Template: Evidence checklist for data access reviews
- How to escalate unresolved evidence gaps
- Audit simulation: testing your package before review
Module 4. Control Mapping for Data Workflows
Translate ISO 27001 controls into specific data pipeline behaviors, ownership, and monitoring points. Eliminate vague mappings that trigger auditor follow-ups.
12 chapters in this module
- Why generic control mappings fail in data audits
- Mapping control A.9.2.3 to actual access review logs
- Linking data lineage tools to control A.12.4.1
- Documenting change management for ETL pipelines
- Assigning control owners to data product teams
- Using data catalogs as evidence of asset inventory
- Control A.10.1: When encryption applies to data at rest vs. in transit
- Handling data exports and shadow copies under A.13.3
- Monitoring for unauthorized data movement
- Automating control validation with data observability tools
- Version control for data transformation logic
- Worked example: mapping controls to a customer analytics pipeline
Module 5. Managing M&A Data Due Diligence
Lead data integrity assessments during mergers and acquisitions with confidence. Deliver clean handoffs that accelerate integration and reduce risk.
12 chapters in this module
- Common data risks uncovered in M&A due diligence
- Assessing target firms' ISO 27001 compliance posture
- Reviewing data handling practices across jurisdictions
- Identifying shadow data systems and undocumented pipelines
- Evaluating data quality and lineage documentation
- Assessing access controls and segregation of duties
- Data retention and deletion practices in acquired firms
- Integrating data governance frameworks post-acquisition
- Communicating findings to integration leads
- Template: Data due diligence scorecard
- Handling data sovereignty conflicts
- Post-merger audit readiness roadmap
Module 6. Responding to Regulator-Facing Reviews
Turn regulatory inquiries into opportunities to demonstrate leadership. Deliver timely, accurate, and well-documented responses.
12 chapters in this module
- Understanding the scope of regulator reviews in data contexts
- Classifying review types: routine, targeted, or incident-driven
- Assembling cross-functional response teams
- Drafting responses with clear sourcing and evidence
- Handling follow-up questions without escalation
- Maintaining consistency across multiple regulators
- Using past responses to build a reference library
- Managing timelines under regulatory deadlines
- Communicating status to senior leadership
- Template: Regulator inquiry response playbook
- Avoiding over-disclosure while maintaining transparency
- Post-review debriefs to improve future readiness
Module 7. Peer Escalations and Cross-Team Governance
Become the go-to resolver for data governance conflicts. Use ISO 27001 as a neutral framework to align teams and de-escalate disputes.
12 chapters in this module
- Why peer escalations land on data leaders during audits
- Using ISO 27001 to mediate control ownership disputes
- Resolving conflicts between security and data engineering
- Handling disagreements on data classification levels
- Documenting rationale for governance decisions
- Creating escalation playbooks with peer teams
- Running joint control validation sessions
- Building trust through consistent, neutral frameworks
- Template: Escalation response workflow
- Using control mappings to prevent future conflicts
- Communicating decisions to non-technical stakeholders
- Maintaining governance momentum post-escalation
Module 8. Automating Compliance for Data Pipelines
Embed ISO 27001 compliance into data pipeline design and monitoring, so controls are enforced, not just documented.
12 chapters in this module
- Shifting from manual to automated compliance checks
- Using data observability to monitor control effectiveness
- Automating access review attestations for data sets
- Enforcing data classification in pipeline metadata
- Monitoring for unauthorized data exports
- Automated alerts for policy violations
- Integrating compliance checks into CI/CD pipelines
- Using infrastructure-as-code to enforce controls
- Template: Automated control validation playbook
- Validating automation with auditor expectations
- Balancing automation with human oversight
- Scaling compliance across hundreds of data pipelines
Module 9. Data Classification and Handling Procedures
Implement a consistent, defensible data classification system that supports ISO 27001 control requirements and reduces audit friction.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining classification levels for regulated data
- Mapping classification to access controls
- Documenting handling procedures per classification tier
- Training teams on classification expectations
- Auditing classification accuracy over time
- Integrating classification into data catalog tools
- Handling exceptions and temporary access
- Using classification to drive encryption decisions
- Template: Data handling policy by classification
- Responding to auditor questions on classification
- Reviewing and updating classification annually
- Worked example: classification for customer PII
Module 10. Incident Response for Data Security Events
Lead data-centric incident response with clarity and compliance. Ensure breaches are contained, documented, and reported per ISO 27001 and regulatory requirements.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying data security incidents vs. false positives
- Activating incident response protocols for data breaches
- Containing unauthorized data access or exfiltration
- Documenting incident timeline and root cause
- Notifying regulators and stakeholders per policy
- Preserving evidence for forensic review
- Conducting post-incident audits and control reviews
- Updating controls to prevent recurrence
- Template: Data incident response checklist
- Coordinating with legal and PR teams
- Reporting to leadership with clear metrics
- Learning from near-misses
Module 11. Continuous Improvement for Data Governance
Turn audit findings and peer feedback into a cycle of improvement. Keep your data governance mature and resilient.
12 chapters in this module
- Analyzing audit findings for root causes
- Prioritizing remediation based on risk and effort
- Tracking improvements over time
- Incorporating lessons into training and documentation
- Running internal mock audits
- Benchmarking against peer organizations
- Updating the SoA and control mappings
- Engaging stakeholders in improvement planning
- Template: Improvement backlog tracker
- Measuring maturity over time
- Celebrating wins and reinforcing accountability
- Planning for next audit cycle
Module 12. Scaling Trusted Data Governance Across Engagements
Replicate your success across client projects and internal teams. Build a system that survives leadership changes and grows with demand.
12 chapters in this module
- Why one-off governance efforts fail at scale
- Building reusable templates and playbooks
- Training new team members on compliance expectations
- Standardizing evidence collection across projects
- Creating a center of excellence for data governance
- Mentoring junior data leaders on ISO 27001
- Using feedback loops to improve the system
- Documenting practices for onboarding
- Template: Governance onboarding kit
- Measuring team-wide compliance maturity
- Reducing time-to-readiness for new engagements
- Handing off governance during team transitions
How this maps to your situation
- Regulator-facing review cycles
- M&A due diligence for data assets
- Peer team escalations on control ownership
- Efficiency pressure on compliance output
Before vs. after
Before
Spending weeks compiling audit evidence, reacting to peer escalations, and revising control mappings under regulator or M&A pressure.
After
Producing regulator-ready outputs in days, owning the SoA with confidence, and receiving high-stakes reviews as a sign of trusted leadership.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 90 minutes of focused reading and implementation planning, designed to be completed over a weekend or across two weekday evenings.
If nothing changes
Without a structured, evidence-first approach to ISO 27001, data leaders risk repeated rework, loss of credibility during audits, and reactive governance that consumes team bandwidth. In a climate of efficiency pressure, this can lead to being bypassed for strategic initiatives or seen as a cost center rather than a value driver.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic ISO 27001 training, this course is tailored to data leaders in consulting firms, focusing on real-world deliverables like the SoA, audit evidence, and M&A due diligence. It skips theoretical overviews and delivers actionable systems for producing trusted, defensible outputs on demand.
Frequently asked
Is this course suitable for someone who isn’t the CISO or security lead?
Yes. This course is designed specifically for data leaders like you who own governance outcomes but don’t report into security. It focuses on the artefacts you control and the handoffs you manage.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will this help me during M&A or regulator reviews?
Yes. The course includes templates and workflows specifically for responding to due diligence requests and regulatory inquiries, exactly the kind of work that lands on your desk first.
$199 one-time. Approximately 90 minutes of focused reading and implementation planning, designed to be completed over a weekend or across two weekday evenings..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours