What are the benefits of a Cross-Functional Internal Audit Team?

Q

QSM_user

What are the benefits of a cross-functional (internal) audit team?
 
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D

db

Re: Cross-functional audit team

What are the benefits of a cross-fucntional (internal) audit team?

First is the "Auditors shall not audit their own work". But more importantly, it gives "fresh eyes" to the audited area. It allows for flexibility in assigning audit processes and allows for audits to be objective and increases opportunities for continual improvement discovery.
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
Re: Cross-functional audit team

What db says plus:
- it allows you to tap more resources
- It gets more particiaption in the QMS across the company
- I allows for professional development of people not normally associated with a quality function.
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Cross-functional audit team

What are the benefits of a cross-functional (internal) audit team?

It depends on the competency of the team members! I've seen a cross functional team that was a waste of time - only one person at any time knew what they were looking at! Tell us more about how you intend to use such a team.
 
Q

QSM_user

Re: Cross-functional audit team

due to recent organizational changes, our internal audit team was reduced to only having quality personnel in it for the last year or so. However, during our last external surveillance audit it was recommended that we should incorporate members from other teams to make it a cross functional team. I have no complaints on the performance of the current team, as they understand the QMS and "process" auditing very well....so the reason for the posting is to get some pointers on the cross functioning (value.)
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Cross-functional audit team

DOH! What was the basis of the recommendation by the external auditor, I wonder? Did they 'share' with you the gem of wisdom behind the comment? Do they reckon they're better? Is it a 'best practice'? Hmmmm...

How many internal audits are you doing a year? Is the whole team deployed each time?
 
Q

QSM_user

Re: Cross-functional audit team

more participation across the division, different perspective, etc, etc...We do about 3-4 audits per month on a division of about two hundred employees. Some audits repeat once per quarter. The audit team consist of four QE and an CQA...and yes they are all deployed each month
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Cross-functional audit team

more participation across the division, different perspective, etc, etc...We do about 3-4 audits per month on a division of about two hundred employees. Some audits repeat once per quarter. The audit team consist of four QE and an CQA

Sorry, I should have asked about scope and criteria used at each audit - examples

It may be that you could reduce the 'size' of the audits to target areas of process which need it. That won't require a cross functional team, just people who know what they're looking for...
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Cross-functional audit team

more participation across the division, different perspective, etc, etc...

All fine and dandy, but how are you to enlist such people, did they 'recommend' anything like that? What about the costs associated with such an exercise? Training and coaching? Actually, if they thought about the whole thing, they'd come to this conclusion: How do you make the internal audit program interesting to management? Because if it was 'interesting' they'd be giving you people to assist!

My guess is, that wasn't discussed...:popcorn:
 
Q

QSM_user

Re: Cross-functional audit team

That is the key....how to create an interest on someone who will be "assigned" to the team? We quality people do this for a living...and just making it clear, I am currently trying to get management buy-in and I will be doing the training and coaching.
 
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