Phase 1: Planning & Assessment

Phase Overview

The Planning & Assessment phase lays the groundwork for successful DLP implementation. This critical phase focuses on understanding your organization's current state, identifying gaps, securing leadership support, and creating a comprehensive roadmap aligned with PDPA requirements.

Key Objective

Build strong foundation with clear goals, stakeholder alignment, and detailed project plan

Success Criteria

Executive approval, documented gap analysis, and approved project charter

Deliverables

Gap analysis report, project plan, risk assessment, and budget proposal

Key Activities

1. Stakeholder Engagement

Identify and engage key stakeholders across the organization to secure buy-in and support.

Tasks:

Identify executive sponsor and steering committee members
Conduct stakeholder interviews to understand needs and concerns
Present business case highlighting PDPA compliance requirements
Establish project governance structure and reporting mechanisms

Executive Sponsor Business Case Governance

2. Current State Assessment

Evaluate existing data protection capabilities, infrastructure, and processes.

Tasks:

Document current data security controls and technologies
Identify data repositories and sensitive data locations
Review existing data handling policies and procedures
Assess technical infrastructure and network architecture

3. PDPA Gap Analysis

Conduct comprehensive gap analysis against PDPA Act No. 9 of 2022 requirements.

Tasks:

Review PDPA requirements for data protection and privacy
Identify compliance gaps in current practices
Document remediation requirements for each gap
Prioritize gaps based on risk and compliance urgency

PDPA Reference: Use our PDPA Gap Analysis Guide for detailed framework and templates.

4. Risk Assessment

Identify and evaluate data loss risks specific to your organization.

Tasks:

Identify data loss scenarios (insider threats, external attacks, accidental)
Assess likelihood and impact of each risk scenario
Calculate potential financial and reputational impact
Develop risk register and mitigation priorities

5. Project Planning

Create comprehensive implementation plan with timeline, resources, and budget.

Tasks:

Define project scope, objectives, and success criteria
Create detailed project timeline spanning all 5 phases
Identify resource requirements (team, tools, budget)
Develop project charter and secure executive approval

Phase Deliverables

Business Case Document

Comprehensive justification with ROI analysis and PDPA compliance drivers

Current State Assessment Report

Detailed analysis of existing security controls and data protection capabilities

PDPA Gap Analysis Report

Identification of compliance gaps with remediation recommendations

Risk Assessment Matrix

Comprehensive risk register with prioritized mitigation strategies

Project Charter

Official authorization document with scope, objectives, and governance

Implementation Roadmap

Detailed timeline with milestones, dependencies, and resource allocation

Resources & Templates

Business Case Template

Ready-to-use template for building your DLP business case

PDPA Gap Analysis Tool

Interactive tool for conducting PDPA compliance assessment

Project Charter Template

Standard project charter format for DLP initiatives

Success Metrics

Measure your Phase 1 success against these key indicators:

Executive Approval Secured

Project charter signed by executive sponsor with budget approval

Comprehensive Gap Analysis Completed

All PDPA requirements assessed with documented gaps and remediation plans

Team Assembled

Project team identified with clear roles, responsibilities, and time commitments

Governance Established

Steering committee formed with regular meeting schedule and reporting structure

Ready for Phase 2?

Once you've completed Phase 1 deliverables and secured approvals, move to Discovery & Classification.

Continue to Phase 2 View Full Checklist