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Survive an Impending Audit

Razor thin margin for error, high stakes.

  • Impending audits intimidate CIOs and business executives – and for good reason.
  • A failed audit can result in punitive fines and injunctions that disrupt continuing operations until violations are resolved.
  • These highly visible failures are best prevented through auditor-enterprise collaboration and pragmatic audit management.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Shift the audit paradigm: auditors need to be enabled, not resisted.
  • Auditors provide a value-added service that you are paying for. Establishing an effective relationship and enabling the audit team can ensure you get value from the engagement. However, you must also be vigilant in mitigating the risk of damaging findings.

Impact and Result

  • Effective audit management means acting with kindness to establish an effective relationship and taking vigilant, calculated steps to reduce the risk of adverse findings.
    • Clarify the audit scope and prepare documentation in advance.
    • Start off on a positive note and enable the auditor.
    • Manage audit logistics to minimize business disruption.
    • Dispute unwarranted findings.
    • Continuously improve your auditability.

Survive an Impending Audit Research & Tools

1. Prepare staff and management

Plan for a productive audit that will benefit the organization.

2. Conduct the audit

Ensure business continuity and mitigate the risk of damaging findings.

3. Manage post-audit activities

Improve the organization's ability to handle future audits.

Razor thin margin for error, high stakes.

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 3 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Prepare for the audit
  • Call 1: Discuss resource requirements and preparedness for your next audit

Guided Implementation 2: Conduct the audit
  • Call 1: Discuss confirmed audit scope and roles and responsibilities

Guided Implementation 3: Manage post-audit activities
  • Call 1: Discuss the validity of the findings and calculate compliance cost savings

Authors

Josh Mendelssohn

Dana Tessler

Contributors

  • Glen Notman, Associate Partner, Citihub
  • Tony Noblett, SVP CISO, Urban Lending Solutions
  • Heriot Prentice, Director of Technology Operations Review, Brown & Brown
  • Carter Cameron-Huff, Consultant, Enterprise Risk Services, MNP LLP
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