TABLE OF CONTENTS Project audits are conducted to determine whether the project is performing according to plan. There is an implied purpose of the project being successful, but success is contingent upon the project plan and its ability to guide the project team to a successful conclusion. Audits are a comparison of what is being accomplished versus what was planned to be accomplished.
The project audit is not a random assessment of the project. It is a planned activity that may be scheduled at a time in the execution of the project or when a certain threshold triggers a need for an audit. Planned audits may be conducted at different stages of the execution phase of a project. Triggered audits may be conducted when, for example, a project milestone is not achieved.
| Note | An audit validates whether a project is or is not proceeding according to plan |
Project audits will vary according to the need for comparing the plan to the actual execution practices. Planning and conduct of the audit focus upon the purpose and expected outcome. Typical project audits are as follows:
Progress Audit the review of project progress in terms of the three primary goals for schedule progress, budget expenditures, and technical progress. The outcome for this type of audit would be a comparison of the planned progress in each of the three areas against the actual accomplishments. This would provide senior management a report on the effectiveness of the project's execution.
