Auditor interview skills

Quality-related methods and techniques Knowledge of methods applied in quality management, for example use of checklists and forms to record audit observations, sampling techniques, interview techniques, verification of information and writing audit reports must be acquired by the auditor. Communication skills, both oral and written, are essential for QA auditors to ensure adequate communication with auditees and management. 

The interview is at the heart of most audits (interview skills were discussed earlier in this chapter). The auditor systematically works through a series of questions with one or more of the people who work at the site. Typically, the process follows these steps ... 

A critically important skill for an auditor is interviewing. In particular, he or she needs to be someone who can ask open-ended questions and is a good listener. As discussed in Chapter 12 (Incident Investigation) the auditor should listen to what people actually say, focus on facts not opinions, and establish trust with the people they are talking to. 

In principle, voice recorders are an excellent way of capturing information during interviews. No matter how skillful the auditor may be at capturing statements in his notes, it is inevitable that he will miss some of the statements that are made. If the interview has been recorded, the auditor has an opportunity to go back and make sure that he captured all the information provided to him. In practice, however, recorders are rarely used because the person who is speaking may fear that any off-the-cuff comments could come back to haunt him. Consequently, the interviewees become very cautious to the point where they simply do not communicate the information that the auditor needs to do his job properly. 

Time management The auditor will need to be sensitive to the schedule of the school and conduct the audit accordingly. The auditor will need to accomplish a review of documentation, school inspection, and interviews while taking into consideration faculty and staff work schedules, class schedules, and hours of school operation. This will require the use of time management skills to address all of the school scheduling variables and issues that need to be addressed within the audit. 

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