When is the Best Time to Conduct Internal Audits

C

Chance

#1
Dear All,

We conduct our internal audits based on the audit schedule. Sometimes, the process we are auditing is not in production (idle). My boss asked me this question, "Would it be more effective if internal audits are conducted while the process is in production?"
I am interested to know how others design their audit schedules.

Thanks in advance.

Chance.
 
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Stijloor

Staff member
Super Moderator
#2
Dear All,

We conduct our internal audits based on the audit schedule. Sometimes, the process we are auditing is not in production (idle). My boss asked me this question, "Would it be more effective if internal audits are conducted while the process is in production?"
I am interested to know how others design their audit schedules.

Thanks in advance.

Chance.
Would rather test a car driving it or by looking at it? ;)
 

RoxaneB

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#3
We conduct our internal audits based on the audit schedule. Sometimes, the process we are auditing is not in production (idol). My boss asked me this question, "Would it be more effective if internal audits are conducted while the process is in production?"
I am interested to know how others design their audit schedules.
I do not allow an audit to proceed if the process is idle or down for maintenance...unless I am auditing maintenance or activities that support the process. People can tell you what is done and hopefully you hear consistency, but actually seeing the process - presuming we're talking manufacturing here - active allows you do observe if they actually DO what they say they do.

A live process also may allow for traceability. If during the audit, Item# 123-ABC is manufactured, you may be able to follow it through to finished goods inventory or the warehouse or maybe even shipping, depending on how quickly parts are manufactured and shipped. It also allows for checking on any testing of the part/item and may even allow for traceability in the beginning stages (i.e., materials that went into the making of Item# 123-ABC).
 

Randy

Super Moderator
#4
I can remember when I was at Lockheed test flying aircraft, sometimes we did static tests (on the ground) and sometimes we did dynamic tests (flying) both had reasons and both were required for specific results
 
C

Chance

#5
The production time we indicate in our procedure takes about 6 months to complete due to the nature of the business. So a lot of times when we are auditing, it is after the fact. What would be the best approach on this? Should we audit portions of the process at a time? What type of audit would it be?
 

Randy

Super Moderator
#6
Mainly Army helicopters, but other US Military helicopters, some fixed-wing and a few "unspecified other US Government" (Can't tell about those, I'd have to kill ya);)
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Staff member
Admin
#7
The production time we indicate in our procedure takes about 6 months to complete due to the nature of the business. So a lot of times when we are auditing, it is after the fact. What would be the best approach on this? Should we audit portions of the process at a time? What type of audit would it be?
After the fact auditing is of limited effectiveness. You can only tell so much about a product, person, process, system, etc. if you limit yourself to checking for records. System auditing is all about gathering evidence to tell us if processes satisfy audit criteria, and to that effect, auditing (at least partially) should be performed DURING the execution of work.

Reaching conclusions about the adequacy and effectiveness of processes and systems by looking at records ONLY, is like navigating a car by looking at the rear view mirror.
 
C

Chance

#8
After the fact auditing is of limited effectiveness. You can only tell so much about a product, person, process, system, etc. if you limit yourself to checking for records. System auditing is all about gathering evidence to tell us if processes satisfy audit criteria, and to that effect, auditing (at least partially) should be performed DURING the execution of work.

Reaching conclusions about the adequacy and effectiveness of processes and systems by looking at records ONLY, is like navigating a car by looking at the rear view mirror.
Sidney:thanx:, I totally agree with you. This is what really happen when we do our audits, we just looked at the past records. Yes it is not sufficient enough to base our conclusions about the adequacy and effectiveness on records alone.
 
C

Chance

#10
Which can be done very well if one is good at backing up:lol:
Randy, even if one is good at backing up...it still falls into - auditing after the fact isn't it? What's important is to detect errors during the execution of work so further waste can be avoided.
 
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