D
I'd suggest to you that the checklist is only part of the issue. Have you defined the 'scope' and 'criteria' for each audit? IS there a clear objective? doing an audit isn't simply coming up with a bunch of questions - either on a check list or out of someone's head - it's about a fact finding 'mission' to determine a number of things about the process.
Audits don't start with a checklist and end with a report/ncs as so many people seem to believe. There are other things to consider. Why are you doing this audit? What are we auditing the process to/against? What's the result going to be used for?
Audits don't start with a checklist and end with a report/ncs as so many people seem to believe. There are other things to consider. Why are you doing this audit? What are we auditing the process to/against? What's the result going to be used for?
However, if you can say, "Well, we're auditing this process, because during November we had some scrap issues and we need to find out if we were following the process documentation/controls, etc", then you might have a fighting chance!
It should be a little easier then, to coach your people - small steps, since they aren't competent - to define and list the things they need to be aware of and have some ideas what the 'correct answers' are, before they go and interview and look at November's records etc. Let's face it, we've known how to phrase a question since we were 3 years old. But we're not 3 now, we just don't know what's important to ask questions about - or (at the risk of sounding dumb) what the answer should be!
Seriously though, I do believe that my statement should hold true in theory. Practically, I have a split opinion. On one hand, it does help to have some knowledge about what you are auditing in order to reduce the learning curve and bring more value to the audit. On the other, having some knowledge about a process can bring some bias and superficiality to the audit. A good auditor should be able to overcome this, though.
I actually take exception to your saying that this statement is the hallmark of a true consultant. I'd like to think that a really true consultant would be honest enough to say when they don't know stuff. I do.


(I was one, remember?)
