Playbook For Audit Readiness: Step 5: Create Your Remediation Plan

Turn compliance gaps into progress

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Why remediation planning is critical:

Most frameworks (HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001) require documented proof that you're actively closing your gaps.
Gaps expose your organization to threats, regulatory fines, or reputational damage.
Teams can’t fix what they don’t understand—or own. A remediation plan adds clarity, accountability, and urgency.

Outline exactly what must be done, who’s doing it, and how it moves your organization toward audit readiness and stronger security.

6 Steps to a Strong Remediation Plan

How to build an accountable remediation plan that moves you from "to-do" to "done"

Start with Gaps That Matter Most

Gaps that map to high-risk findings
Framework-specific requirements
Controls that auditors typically flag

Tip: Sort gap list into tiers:

Critical (For audit)
Important (> 60 days)
Low (backlog).

Turn Each Gap Into a Specific Task

Each task should include:

Task description
Owner
Due date
Linked control/policy
Success criteria

Tip: Clear = actionable. For example:

"Enforce MFA on all Microsoft 365 admin accounts by 9/21."

Assign Tasks to the Right People

Match tasks with functional owner:

HR policies
- HR lead
Backup procedures
- Infrastructure lead
Privacy training
- Compliance lead

Tip: Clarify expectations. Add context and examples to each task.

Set Deadlines That Drive Momentum

Vague timelines drain urgency. A good cadence:

Critical: 30 days
Important: 60 days
Low: 90+ days or post-audit

Tip: Use calendar reminders, Slack nudges, or a GRC platform with alerts to keep owners on track.

Link Tasks to Controls, Policies, & Evidence

Remediation plan should map to the:

Control (i.e., A.9.2.3 for ISO 27001)
Policy (i.e., Acceptable Use Policy)
Evidence (i.e., screenshot, system log)

Tip: This makes it easier to prove closure during the audit—and repurpose across multiple frameworks.

Track Progress and Remove Roadblocks

Use regular reviews to:

Highlight overdue or stuck tasks
Flag gaps that need additional resources
Review completed remediation for quality

Tip: Use your GRC platform to simplify the tracking and managing of your review progress.

Examples of Good Remediation Tasks

	GAP	REMEDIATION TASK
	No Formal Asset Inventory	Deploy asset management software and document owned systems by 9/15
	Lack of Employee Training	Roll out HIPAA training module and track completion for all staff by 8/30
	MFA Not Enabled	Enforce MFA across all cloud services and verify logs show usage by 9/1
	Missing Risk Register	Use a GRC platform to generate a risk register and review with leadership by 8/10

Compliance Remediation Pitfalls to Avoid

Assigning All Remediation to “IT”

Assign remediation tasks to a named person with specific guidance.

Creating Open-ended Tasks

Use SMART tasks: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

Ignoring Small Gaps

Even minor issues can block an audit—track and address them systematically.

Failing to Revisit Remediation

Build in a review loop before marking any task “complete”

Add a POA&M
(Plan of Action & Milestones)

A POA&M gives auditors a centralized, structured view of your known gaps, your action plan to fix them, and your timeline to do so. Here's what to include:

Identified gap or vulnerability
Associated risk/control requirement
Remediation action you’re taking
Owner and completion date
Milestones or checkpoints
Current status (i.e., In Progress, Complete)

Remediate and Operationalize

With remediation underway, it’s time to operationalize your program.

That starts with formalizing how your organization will behave, protect data, and comply—with policies and procedures your team actually uses.

Remediate & Operationalize

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STEP 5: Create Your Remediation Plan

Close Compliance Gaps With Confidence

Turn compliance gaps into progress