Not every governance item is a policy. This hierarchy separates management intent, control baselines, operating instructions, governed records, and runtime evidence.
| Artifact type | Meaning | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Policy | States what must be governed and why. | Management rule |
| Standard | Defines the minimum required controls. | Control baseline |
| Procedure | Explains how to implement, approve, operate, or retire something. | Step-by-step process |
| Registry / Data Record | Captures required metadata proving governance exists. | Governed asset record |
| Evidence | Runtime proof that policy and standards were followed. | Logs, traces, approvals, evals |