I'm very deep into some work and have limited time to blog, but that's an excellent opportunity to refer to work done by some great writers and thinkers, in my specific subject area. Here is an excellent article by Simon Perks, a former colleague of mine, who is now working out of his own organization … Continue reading Questions to consider when choosing projects to support and fund
Risk versus risk sources
It has been quite a busy week, so I've not been able to write for the blog. I have, however, been reading a lot. While it was not primarily on my agenda, this article on risk management caught my eye. It makes a concise and very clear distinction between risks and risk sources. A recommended … Continue reading Risk versus risk sources
Some thoughts on note taking for internal auditors
There is a lot of information available on academic note taking Good note taking is a craft all by itself. Look at any website of any itself respecting college or university and you will find at least one class on advanced note taking skills. Do a search on the web and you will find many … Continue reading Some thoughts on note taking for internal auditors
Short practical guide to audit documentation in Basecamp
I've been surprised by the level of interest about my recent post on using Basecamp as the base application for internal audit working papers. While by no means a representative sample, I feel the interest indicates that current working paper solutions fail to address a number of concerns or needs which the simplicity and flexibility … Continue reading Short practical guide to audit documentation in Basecamp
Make sure you know what you did
Looking for better methods I was recently reading a paper by Kieran Healy of Duke University on workflow applications. I am always on the lookout for workflows that simplify or optimize our way of generating reports and this one came highly recommended by Dr. Drang, so I had to go and take a look. You … Continue reading Make sure you know what you did
A is for Anchoring – cognitive biases in internal audit
Introduction I really enjoy reading an audit report or audit working papers because quite often we see the cognitive biases of the auditor at work. Let's be clear, I am as much a potential victim of cognitive biases as any other auditor. However, being aware of their existence will make you more attentive to them, … Continue reading A is for Anchoring – cognitive biases in internal audit
What about a meeting-free day?
The designated meeting day In order to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of their teams working from multiple locations, organizations are proposing or even imposing that certain days are to be designated as "meeting days". On these days, remote workers are expected to be present at the office to participate in meetings. Now, while … Continue reading What about a meeting-free day?
2014 Gates Annual Letter: Myths about Foreign Aid
Okay, you need to go and read this. It's quite long but it's very informative. As an internal auditor, I especially liked the following part on a fraud discovered and reported on in the press: "I appreciate the concern, and it’s a good thing when the press holds institutions accountable. But the press didn’t uncover … Continue reading 2014 Gates Annual Letter: Myths about Foreign Aid
“Says who?” and “So what?”
Most audit reports are too long Most of the internal audit reports I have read in my life have one thing in common. They are just too long. Sometimes I get the feeling that internal auditors need to motivate their existence by the sheer amount of paper we produce. Because I am guilty of this … Continue reading “Says who?” and “So what?”
Clarifying questions
Steps to understanding a process Gaining a clear understanding of the functioning of a process or how it aligns with tactical or strategic objectives of an organization is not necessarily the easiest challenge for an auditor. Often, the counterparts interviewed are not fully aware of either why they do what they do (lack of tactical … Continue reading Clarifying questions
Exploring The Black Box 