Lean Auditing Driving Added Value and Efficiency in Internal Audit

"HowcanyouarguewiththecoreprinciplesofLean,thatyoufocusonwhatprovidesvaluetoyourcustomerandeliminateworkthatisnotnecessary(muda)?Internalauditorsneedtounderstandnot?onlywhotheirprimarycustomersare,butwhatisvaluabletothem?Cwhichinmostcasesisassurancethattherisksthatmattertotheachievementofobjectivesareproperlymanaged.Weneedtocommunicatewhattheyneedtoknowandnotwhatwewanttosay.Thisincessantfocusonthecustomerandtheefficientproductionofavaluedproductshouldextendtoeveryinternalauditteam.Howelsecanweensurethatweoptimizetheuseofourlimitedresourcestoaddressthedynamicbusinessandriskenvironmentwithinwhichourorganizationsoperate?"NormanMarks,GRCThoughtLeaderUsingleantechniquestoenhancevalueaddandreducewasteininternalauditingLeanAuditingisapracticalguidetomaximisingvalueandefficiencyininternalauditthroughtheapplicationofleantechniques.Itisanidealbookforanyoneinterestedinunderstandingwhatprogressive,valueaddingauditcanbelike.Itisalsoidealforanyonewonderingwhetherauditactivitiescanbestreamlinedorbetterco?Cordinatedwithotheractivities.Thebookcontainspracticaladvisefromtheauthor′sexperienceasCAEofAstraZenecaPLC;fromhisworkasaconsultantspecializinginthisfield;aswellasinsightsfromleadingCAEsintheUK,USandelsewhere.Inaddition,thereareimportantinsightsfromthoughtleaderssuchasRichardChambers(IIAUS)andNormanMarks(GRCthoughtleader)andChrisBaker(TechnicalManageroftheIIAUK).Increasingpressureonresourcesisdrivinganeedforgreaterefficiencyinallareasofbusiness,andInternalAuditisnoexception.Leantechniquescanhelpstreamlinetheworkflow,buthavingonlyrecentlybeenappliedtoIA,lacktheguidanceavailableforothertechniques.LeanAuditingfillsthisneedbycombiningexpertinstructionandactionableadvicethathelpsInternalAuditors:BenchmarktheirefficiencyagainstleanwaysofworkingUnderstandwarningsignsofwasteandloweraddedvalueUnderstandingpracticalwaysofworkingthatimproveaddedvalueandreducewasteGainconfidenceaboutprogressivewaysofworkingininternalauditUnderstandhowimprovedwaysofworkinginauditcanpositivelyimpactthecultureofthewiderorganizationOneofthekeystotheleanauditisfindingoutexactlywhatthestakeholderwants,andeliminatingeverythingelse.Scalingbackcertainoperationscandelineateauditfromadvisory,andintheprocess,dramaticallyimprovecrucialoutcomes.Tothisend,LeanAuditingisthekeytoIAefficiency.