Information and knowledge audits have never entirely gone away but audit work's been rather quiet for a year or two. Suddenly, over the past few weeks clients are talking audit and looking for training in how to audit, and we're seeing a range of reasons for it:
1. working leaner and quicker following loss of staff or market
2. restructuring (merging, downsizing) in these difficult times
3. responding to demands for greater information security and governance
4. increased return from information assets
5. preparation for EDRMS and, in particular, for SharePoint projects
Now, audits come in all shapes and sizes and we see organisations looking to audit knowledge, records, published and internal information, and datasets. Some clients want a high-level review to start off a strategy project, others want a strategic health check while some are planning in-depth cupboard by cupboard surveys. Hardcopy formats are still much in evidence but digital content is now in scope as organisations look to get to grips with what sits in their file shares.
Whether you’re looking for cost saving from better management of space and IT resources or facing the loss of critical knowledge through staff change, audits allow organisations to redress the balance and identify what they need to do differently to adapt to new working environments.
Audit is the new black. Haute couture and prêt à porter; bespoke and off-the-peg.
John Davies
Senior Consultant
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