Evidence Plan

Evidence Plan

Design an evidence collection strategy for "$ARGUMENTS" defining what evidence is needed for each control, how to collect it, how often, and who owns it.

Prerequisites

Read .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/00-scope.md. If this file does not exist, tell the user:

Phase 0 (Scope) has not been completed for "$ARGUMENTS". Run /compliance:regulatory-landscape $ARGUMENTS first, or use --skip-checks to bypass.

If --skip-checks is present in $ARGUMENTS, skip this check.

Process

1. Read context files:

   • Read plugins/compliance/shared/grc-lifecycle-guide.md for GRC methodology reference
   • Read plugins/compliance/shared/evidence-catalog-template.md for evidence structure
   • Read .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/00-scope.md for scope and control framework context
   • Read .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/02-remediate.md for control mapping

2. Define evidence per control:

   • For each control: identify evidence type — policy document, configuration export, system log, screenshot, attestation form, training record, meeting minutes, risk register entry
   • Specify format requirements based on auditor expectations (PDF, CSV export, system screenshot with timestamp, signed attestation)
   • Document evidence sufficiency — what makes this evidence convincing to an auditor

3. Collection logistics:

   • Define collection frequency per evidence item — continuous (automated), monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually
   • Assign evidence owner — who is responsible for collecting and maintaining each item
   • Define storage location — GRC tool, shared drive, document management system
   • Set retention period per regulation requirement (typically 3-7 years)

4. Evidence collection calendar:

   • Create monthly calendar of evidence collection activities
   • Identify peak collection periods (align with audit windows)
   • Set reminder cadences for recurring collections
   • Flag evidence items approaching expiry or staleness

5. Automation opportunities:

   • Identify evidence that can be collected automatically (config scans, access reviews, log exports)
   • Map to GRC tooling capabilities (Vanta, Drata, Secureframe)
   • Estimate manual effort for non-automatable evidence
   • Calculate total evidence maintenance burden (hours/month)

6. Write the artifact to .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/02-remediate.md (append to existing) with sections:

   • Evidence Catalog — table with control, evidence type, format, frequency, owner, storage, retention
   • Collection Calendar — month-by-month evidence collection schedule
   • Automation Plan — evidence items suitable for automated collection
   • Effort Estimate — total hours/month for evidence maintenance
   • Evidence Gap Alert — controls currently lacking any evidence

Output

The evidence plan appended to .metapowers/compliance/$ARGUMENTS/02-remediate.md. Present a summary to the user highlighting:

• Total evidence items required
• Percentage automatable vs. manual
• Estimated monthly maintenance effort
• Evidence items requiring immediate attention