Project Management & Auditing Services

What is a project audit? The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines a project audit in its Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ®) as “a structured independent review to determine whether project activities comply within organizational and project policies and procedures”.

At Project Management and Auditing Services (PMAS), we use a proven project audit methodology based on our extensive industry experience and can utilize the PMBOK standards and/or your organization’s policies and procedures. Our audits have a methodical approach, and will be transparent. We have clearly documented procedures including a well defined planning process, clear-cut audit criteria, and report approval and distribution measures.

There are different types of audits, and you can choose from a combination of these to suit your organization's specific needs.

In-Project Audit – This audit presents an opportunity to expose the problems, concerns and challenges encountered during the execution of a project. It allows the project sponsor, project manager and project team an interim view of what has gone well and what needs to be improved with the project to successfully bring it to completion. It generally identifies opportunities to improve the bottom-line performance of the project and can result in large savings. This audit can occur at any stage of a project but yields better results when performed earlier in the project lifecycle.

Gateway Audits - These are a series of audits that are conducted through-out the lifecycle of the project, focusing on decision points that progress a project forward. These decision points or gateways are agreed, upfront, in the project planning stage, for example audits could occur at the following gateways – initial strategic assessment, business case justification, procurement strategy, investment decision, readiness for service, benefits evaluation.

Post-Project Audit - This audit is completed at the end of a project, or when a product has been released, and will provide an opportunity to learn what elements of the project were successfully managed and which ones presented some challenges. This will help your organization identify what it needs to do so that mistakes and oversights are not repeated on future projects. This audit also focuses on the actual business case benefits as originally attested to by the sponsor and whether they have been realized, missed, or surpassed.

Regardless of which project audit is conducted, the process is similar and it is generally recommended that an outside facilitator carries out the audit.