Audit departments’ most visible product is the audit report. In many cases, the quality of the report reflects the effectiveness of the audit itself.
Reports must therefore communicate results clearly and concisely, prompting readers to positive action.
Course Methodology
This course uses a mixture of presentations, discussions, case studies, videos, and interactive exercises to transform participants’ knowledge into hands-on practice.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Distinguish barriers to effective written communication and identify ways to overcome them
Identify the target audience and adapt writing accordingly
Structure the audit report for greater impact
Present audit findings in a clear and concise manner
Produce a concise and compelling executive summary
Learn ways to review their own and others’ work constructively and efficiently
Target Audience
This course is suitable for all auditors required to produce and review audit reports.
Target Competencies
Gathering data
Presenting data
Drafting audit reports
Reviewing audit reports
Presenting reports
Note
Attending this course will grant participants 30 CPE credits from the following associations: The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA), Information Systems Audit and Control Associations (ISACA) and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
Course Outline
What makes a report effective?
Good practice in plain language writing
Techniques to improve writing under pressure
Techniques to organize information gathered during fieldwork
Traditional report structure
Mind-mapping
Outlining
Findings (also called issues or observations)
Principles of and approaches to writing findings
Risks vs. failed controls
Root cause analysis
Critiquing findings
Crafting findings
Executive summaries
Introduction to the principles underlying executive summaries