Posted By Kevin
Hello Ernest, I have experienced the downside of auditing, the problem stems from what type of audit system you use and to whether the organisation/company actually wants the audit. Clearly nobody wants bad news, the scope and how the audit is conducted play an important part in achieving the required result. You as a professional need to ensure that the audit system, concept, and scope are understood.

The difficulty comes when a large organisation splits into its various sections and those sections are then audited as seperate entities. The results are then flagged up as good, bad or indifferent and are used by managers as a tool or a bargaining chip for resources. This in turn attracts bad feeling between sections and allagations of audit bias.

The trick is not to lose sight of what the audit is for , what it actually is and how it works. Selling the notion on these issues makes life a little bit easier post-result.

Posted By Ian Waldram
Agree with previous points, here are some more.

Audit should be one step in an overall SYSTEM, which is intended to drive improvement. If the auditees (or auditors) treat it as a pass/fail exercise, rather than an opportunitiy to get useful feedback from outsiders, then it's an opportunity lost.

If the auditors, rather than auditees, are expected to monitor the agreed improvement actions, that can impose a heavy tracking burden on them. If there is no priority system, including a separate process for tracking any "critical findings", then organisations can become loading with low-priority improvement actions.

If there isn't a strong INTERNAL audit process in place before some EXTERNAL body is asked to audit, and typically 'Certify' the system by issuing some form of Certificate stating compliance with an external standard, then the organisation often relies purely on this external audit, and can develop a 'tick in the box' mentality. The strongest audit teams typically comprise a mix of internal and external auditors.

If an audit is completed by a lone auditor, the results may not be reliable. In most cases, a single person doesn't have either the range of competence, nor the concentration, needed for a really challenging audit process - teams are much better. Typically auditors work best in pairs, with one taking the lead in questioning, the other observing and recording. They can reverse roles at the next interview.

Posted By Gordon Robson
A very important aspect of using a tailor made audit system is to ensure it fits the job before you start.

A few years ago I was Safety Manager for an international joint venture on a major contract in Hong Kong. We were audited by the employer who dly arrived with a copy of "Construction CHASE".

The joint venture was in place for this one-off project, but we gained a negative marking because we did not have a system in place for the future use of subcontractors and other aspects one would expect to find in a "normal" construction company.

Any audit system must be able to be flexible enough to take into account the building of a brick outhouse, the redevelopment of Wembly Stadium or or the construction of the Tsing Ma Bridge and be used appropriately.

Gordon Robson