How do you conduct quality audits during a change?

1 Plan ahead

Before you start a quality audit, you need to plan ahead and define the scope, objectives, criteria, and methods of the audit. You also need to identify the stakeholders, resources, and risks involved in the audit. During a change, you need to consider how the change will affect the audit plan and what adjustments you need to make. For example, you may need to revise the audit criteria to reflect the new or updated quality standards and requirements, or you may need to reschedule the audit dates to accommodate the change milestones. You also need to communicate the audit plan to the relevant parties and get their buy-in and support.

2 Gather evidence

During a quality audit, you need to gather evidence that shows how well the project or process meets the audit criteria. You can use various methods to collect evidence, such as interviews, observations, surveys, documents, records, or tests. During a change, you need to ensure that the evidence you gather is reliable, relevant, and representative of the current state of the project or process. You also need to be flexible and adaptable to the changes that may occur during the audit, such as changes in scope, schedule, or personnel. You may need to modify your audit methods, tools, or techniques to suit the changing situation.

3 Analyze results

After you gather the evidence, you need to analyze the results and compare them with the audit criteria. You need to identify any gaps, nonconformities, or opportunities for improvement in the project or process. You also need to evaluate the impact and root causes of the gaps or nonconformities and determine the corrective or preventive actions needed to address them. During a change, you need to be aware of how the change may influence the analysis and interpretation of the results. For example, you may need to take into account the change objectives, benefits, or risks when assessing the severity or priority of the gaps or nonconformities.

4 Report findings

Once you analyze the results, you need to report the findings and recommendations of the audit to the relevant parties. You need to present the findings in a clear, concise, and objective manner, highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in the project or process. You also need to provide evidence to support your findings and recommendations and explain how they relate to the audit criteria and objectives. During a change, you need to tailor the report to the needs and expectations of the audience and align it with the change vision and goals. You also need to follow up on the implementation and effectiveness of the corrective or preventive actions.

5 Learn and improve

The final step of a quality audit is to learn from the experience and improve your audit process and performance. You need to solicit and provide feedback on the audit process, methods, results, and outcomes. You also need to document and share the lessons learned, best practices, and improvement suggestions from the audit. During a change, you need to incorporate the learning and improvement into the change management process and plan. You also need to monitor and measure the impact and outcomes of the change and the audit on the project or process quality and customer satisfaction.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?