A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering ISO 27001 for Public Sector Systems Leadership
Develop complete command of the ISO 27001 framework to lead compliance with confidence.
$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.
Failing audits due to incomplete control mapping or unclear rationale
The situation this course is for
Teams invest months in compliance projects only to face pushback during review cycles because documentation lacks authoritative grounding in the standard. Practitioners default to copying frameworks without adapting them, leading to unsustainable overhead and audit findings.
Who this is for
Senior technical leader responsible for designing and defending compliance posture in regulated public-sector environments
Who this is not for
Junior admins, temporary compliance staff, or vendors reselling generic frameworks
What you walk away with
- Produce an internal statement of applicability backed by documented control rationale
- Map ISO 27001 Annex A controls to existing systems with precision
- Justify in-scope and out-of-scope decisions using authoritative references
- Build a reusable control implementation playbook for future audits
- Lead internal reviews with confidence, reducing reliance on consultants
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Understanding ISO 27001 Scope and Context
Establish organizational context and define the scope of the information security management system with alignment to public sector mandates.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining information assets
- Identifying internal stakeholders
- Mapping legal and regulatory overlap
- Setting boundaries for compliance
- Documenting organizational context
- Assessing third-party dependencies
- Creating scope justification
- Avoiding scope creep
- Linking to governance mandates
- Validating scope with leadership
- Common pitfalls in public sector scoping
- Case study: County-level ISMS
Module 2. Risk Assessment Methodology
Apply a repeatable risk assessment process tailored to government IT environments using ISO 27001 principles.
12 chapters in this module
- Selecting risk criteria
- Identifying threat sources
- Assessing vulnerability exposure
- Calculating impact levels
- Assigning risk ownership
- Using qualitative vs quantitative methods
- Documenting risk appetite
- Creating risk registers
- Prioritizing risk treatment paths
- Aligning with NIST CSF
- Adjusting for legacy systems
- Case example: School district network
Module 3. Control Selection Rationale
Make defensible choices when selecting controls from Annex A based on operational reality and risk profile.
12 chapters in this module
- Mapping controls to risks
- Evaluating control effectiveness
- Documenting selection logic
- Handling control exclusions
- Justifying deviations
- Referencing ISO 27002 guidance
- Tailoring for hybrid environments
- Avoiding over-compliance
- Benchmarking control maturity
- Version control for updates
- Cross-referencing with SOC 2
- Case example: Email system controls
Module 4. Statement of Applicability Development
Build a complete and justifiable SoA that withstands internal and external scrutiny.
12 chapters in this module
- Structuring the SoA document
- Listing applicable controls
- Providing implementation status
- Documenting rationale for exclusions
- Referencing policy sources
- Incorporating risk treatment decisions
- Formatting for auditor review
- Versioning and change tracking
- Obtaining sign-off
- Updating after incidents
- Archiving historical versions
- Case example: First internal SoA
Module 5. Security Policy Framework Design
Develop an integrated set of policies that satisfy ISO 27001 while remaining enforceable in practice.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining policy hierarchy
- Writing clear policy language
- Assigning roles and responsibilities
- Incorporating enforcement mechanisms
- Linking to HR policies
- Documenting access control rules
- Creating incident response policies
- Establishing remote work standards
- Updating for cloud adoption
- Gaining leadership approval
- Distributing and attesting
- Case example: Acceptable use policy
Module 6. Internal Audit Preparation
Prepare your team and documentation for Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits with confidence.
12 chapters in this module
- Scheduling audit timelines
- Assigning audit roles
- Collecting evidence packages
- Conducting pre-audit walkthroughs
- Identifying gaps proactively
- Documenting corrective actions
- Preparing auditor question responses
- Organizing document access
- Minimizing disruption during audits
- Using checklists for consistency
- Leveraging past findings
- Case example: Audit readiness week
Module 7. Continuous Improvement Cycle
Implement ongoing review processes to maintain compliance between audits.
12 chapters in this module
- Scheduling management reviews
- Tracking key metrics
- Updating risk assessments
- Reviewing control effectiveness
- Handling changes in scope
- Updating documentation
- Reporting to leadership
- Incorporating feedback
- Maintaining certification
- Planning surveillance audits
- Managing re-certification
- Case example: Annual cycle review
Module 8. Vendor Risk Integration
Extend ISO 27001 controls to third-party relationships with clear oversight.
12 chapters in this module
- Classifying vendor risk levels
- Defining security requirements
- Reviewing vendor attestations
- Conducting vendor audits
- Documenting due diligence
- Managing subcontractors
- Creating vendor questionnaires
- Assessing cloud provider controls
- Monitoring ongoing compliance
- Updating agreements
- Terminating non-compliant vendors
- Case example: EdTech SaaS provider
Module 9. Incident Management Alignment
Integrate incident response practices with ISO 27001 requirements.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining incident categories
- Establishing reporting paths
- Documenting response timelines
- Preserving forensic data
- Notifying stakeholders
- Conducting post-mortems
- Updating controls after events
- Reporting to certifiers
- Maintaining communication logs
- Testing incident plans
- Integrating with SIEM
- Case example: Phishing event
Module 10. Training and Awareness Execution
Deliver role-specific security training that meets ISO 27001 awareness requirements.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying audience groups
- Designing training content
- Scheduling delivery cycles
- Tracking completion
- Measuring effectiveness
- Updating materials annually
- Creating phishing simulations
- Developing role-specific modules
- Documenting participation
- Linking to policy attestation
- Using LMS integration
- Case example: Staff onboarding
Module 11. Document Control Management
Maintain a compliant, version-controlled document system for all ISMS records.
12 chapters in this module
- Classifying document types
- Setting retention policies
- Assigning ownership
- Applying access controls
- Version numbering
- Change approval workflow
- Storing archived versions
- Auditing access logs
- Linking to control mappings
- Automating reminders
- Integrating with existing tools
- Case example: Policy update cycle
Module 12. Certification Audit Execution
Successfully navigate the external certification audit process from start to finish.
12 chapters in this module
- Selecting an accredited registrar
- Preparing stage 1 documentation
- Hosting the stage 1 visit
- Addressing stage 1 findings
- Scheduling stage 2
- Coordinating evidence collection
- Managing auditor interviews
- Responding to non-conformities
- Obtaining certification
- Publishing certification status
- Maintaining public trust
- Case example: First certification
How this maps to your situation
- Leading internal compliance initiatives
- Preparing for external audit
- Justifying control decisions to leadership
- Reducing reliance on consultants
Before vs. after
Before
Spending cycles preparing for audits with inconsistent documentation and unclear control rationale
After
Producing standardized, defensible compliance artefacts on demand
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 3 hours per module, designed for completion in 4-6 weeks with part-time effort
If nothing changes
Continued reliance on external consultants, inconsistent audit outcomes, and increased exposure to compliance findings
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic ISO 27001 overviews, this course delivers specific, public-sector-relevant patterns for control implementation, risk treatment, and documentation that reflect real operational constraints.
Frequently asked
Is this course relevant for non-profit or government IT leaders?
Yes, it was designed specifically for public sector systems leadership with accountability for compliance.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Does this cover NIST CSF alignment?
Yes, module 2 includes direct mapping exercises between ISO 27001 and NIST CSF.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3 hours per module, designed for completion in 4-6 weeks with part-time effort.
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