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Speak of operations assessment, and we'll hear its significant value. Speak of an audit, and we'll run for the nearest emergency exit. There's no difference between the two, yet that word audit chills us. But is an audit really designed to help us or hurt us?

Improve Effective Planning

Problems most often arise from poor planning. Sometimes we*re uncertain if we*re tackling the correct issues and dealing with them the right way. However, we can improve our assumptions about processes and performance with more effective auditing.

Keep Objective Records

The internal audit process is not intended to be a *gotcha* game. Rather, auditing helps management understand and validate the planning element. By keeping an objective record of the process, we can learn to swim first and avoid that sinking feeling later.

Improve with Internal Auditor Training

Les Cornelius, Quality Assurance Coordinator at Lee BioSolutions, Inc., took a two-day IRCA Internal Auditor Skills Class for the knowledge of getting improved results.

*I have to stay updated on new and improved ways to design, assess and improve processes,* said Cornelius. *The checklists, planning an audit, designing an audit program and conducting an audit * all are very helpful in preparation for the ISO certification audit.*

Make Better Decisions

By gathering objective evidence through observation, interviews and samplings of records, management can make better decisions. This will help:

• Test organizational objectives and processes
• Write factual audit reports that help improve the effectiveness of the management system
• Suggest ways to verify the effectiveness of any corrective action to achieve the objectives

Check for Quality

Auditing is the third phase of the Plan, Do, Check, Act process approach * check. It is also one of the 8 quality principles of ISO, which allows managers to make better decisions based not on subjective opinion but objective fact.

The audit process is a valuable step for improvement. Auditor training will teach managers and executives how to improve the effectiveness of their management system, which is essential for ISO 9001 certification.

Audit to Help

To fully understand the requirements of ISO 9001 and to facilitate audit teams, business professionals can also take a five-day IRCA Lead Auditor course. After all, auditing is designed to help us, not hurt us.