Systems management audits : implementation

The audit is undeniably one of the high points in the life of any management system.

Whether carried out internally (a "simple" or "first party" audit), at a supplier's site (a "second party" audit) or by an independent third party with a view to certification (a "third party" audit), the audit of a management system involves following a virtually immutable procedure that must be respected.

Bringing together an audit team (audit manager and auditors) and one (or more) auditee(s), a management system audit is a formidable tool for progress on behalf of the auditee. It reveals the strengths of the management system (which need to be reinforced) and highlights the weaknesses and shortcomings of the management system (which obviously need to be remedied in order to perpetuate the management system in place).

The logical flow of a management system audit is based on three distinct sequences:

• pre-audit ;

• the audit itself;

• post-audit.

Each of these sequences contains essential phases which enable the audit to be carried out properly, thus enabling a judgement to be made on the "state of health" of the management system.

Carrying out a management system audit requires the skills of an audit team, generally comprising an audit manager and auditors. The skills and personal qualities of each member of the audit team feed into the output of any management system audit.

But auditing a management system is not an exact science: the audit team only takes "samples", and its passage is not a 100% guarantee of the quality of the management system in place.

Auditees and members of the audit team must therefore demonstrate both rigor and curiosity.