Decision-makers in organizations need transparent and authoritative information to secure assets and address cybersecurity compliance challenges. While the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) has been widely used to assess cyber compliance, it is often seen as too broad for business leaders to effectively tackle specific cybersecurity issues. A key challenge is that decision-makers face multifaceted problems that require diverse tools rather than a single solution. To address this, the study aimed to improve cybersecurity leadership decisions by developing a Cybersecurity Compliance Index (CCI) tailored to explore strategies and trends for enhancing decision-making. The CCI model draws on elements from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework and the Global Index Framework Standards. The Design Science Research (DSR) approach was used to design the CCI, as it allows for the creation and evaluation of artifacts to solve real-world problems. The CCI framework was tested within the defense industrial base sector, providing valuable insights that may guide decision-makers in implementing appropriate cybersecurity standards and strategies. The findings offer potential solutions for improving decision-making in cybersecurity compliance, especially for theory-driven applications.