Process Audit? Sounds serious, but it really doesn’t have to be!
In reality, it’s simply about checking whether everything works as it should — and if there’s anything you can improve. If you approach it with a clear plan and a solid checklist, a process audit can become a powerful tool to streamline operations and boost quality in your organization.
In this article, I’ll walk you through proven best practices that will help you conduct a process audit without unnecessary stress or confusion. Why? Because a well-executed audit isn’t about hunting for mistakes, but rather finding real opportunities to improve quality.
Challenge the First-Off Part Approval witness
In many companies, the first-off part (the first accepted part from the production process) is “conventionally” checked using a gauge. It’s quick, easy and standard practice.
But is that really enough?
If you want 100% certainty that everything is truly in order, it’s worth challenging that first-off part and going one step further. How? In addition to the gauge check, send it to the measurement lab.
There, with more precise equipment, you can verify whether the gauge measurements are accurate and reliable. This not only adds an extra layer of confidence but also serves as a check of the gauge itself — ensuring it hasn’t drifted over time.
This double-check provides solid data for analysis and reinforces that the process starts on a truly solid foundation. It also demonstrates that quality isn’t just a checkbox exercise — it’s something you actually verify and care about.
Check the tooling purchased by your organization
One of the key elements of a process audit is verifying the actual quantity of tooling used in production. This is usually straightforward in simpler processes like injection molding, where you’re dealing with just a few molds. The real challenge begins when there’s a large number of tools that need to be accounted for.
Take fuel line production as an example. This process often involves numerous racks used for thermoforming, as well as mandrels for mounting rubber hoses during the vulcanization process.
From my experience, it’s always worth involving your purchasing department beforehand. Prior to the audit, I would request a full list of tooling purchased by our organization. Armed with that data, I could then verify the actual tooling inventory directly at the supplier’s facility.
And, as you might expect, the numbers on paper didn’t always match reality. In such cases, the supplier would be required to refund the cost of any missing tooling.
The situation gets a bit more complicated when the tooling is at a sub-supplier. In these scenarios, you have two options:
- Request detailed photographic documentation — recommended if you’ve had a long-standing, trusted relationship with the supplier.
- Conduct a direct on-site verification at the sub-supplier’s location.
Process Audit Without Scripts – Ask Open-Ended Questions
Does a process audit have to be a rigid checklist exercise? Not at all! Sure, the checklist is essential, but if you really want to understand how the process works, closed yes/no questions aren’t enough.
Open-ended questions give the auditor a real insight into what’s happening in production, in quality, or in logistics. Instead of asking: “Do you follow this procedure?” or “Do you perform this inspection?”, try asking: “How is work performed at this station?”.
See the difference?
Good open-ended questions spark conversations, reveal the team’s mindset and often uncover insights that would never appear in formal documentation. This flexibility turns an audit into a valuable exchange of knowledge, not just a formality.
The takeaway? Less scripts, more curiosity. And remember to ask not only about compliance but also about why things work (or don’t work) the way they do.
It’s also worth knowing the pros and cons of this approach — you’ll find the most important ones below.
Pro Tip!
Production employees are an invaluable source of knowledge. That’s why, when reviewing the Process FMEA during an audit, make sure to ask: “What would someone have to do at this workstation to produce a non-conforming part?”
The answers might surprise you.
Process Audit Also Means Checking Health & Safety
You might be wondering: Why should I focus on health and safety during a process audit? After all, isn’t this audit about quality and efficiency, not helmets and gloves?
This is where you need to shift your perspective.
A safe, well-organized workstation isn’t just a legal requirement — it’s the foundation of quality and process stability. If the operator works in an awkward position, struggles to access tools, or has to improvise to reach something, it’s only a matter of time before errors, defects and productivity losses follow.
In short: Poor health & safety often means poor quality.
That’s why, during the audit, you should look beyond procedures and observe what’s really happening at the workstation. Sometimes, a quick glance at a poorly designed workstation reveals more about root causes than pages of quality records.
Pro Tip!
During internal process audits, I always invite a representative from the Health & Safety department to join the audit team. This idea came up after a suggestion from an external auditor during an ISO 45001 audit, who pointed out that our process audits didn’t adequately cover health and safety aspects.
Since then — and it’s been several years now — we’ve been conducting process audits as a joint effort between Quality and Health & Safety. And believe me, you wouldn’t believe how many additional observations we’ve captured thanks to this approach.
Give Suppliers Time to Fix Issues During the Audit
This is one of those unexpected best practices that completely changed my approach to auditing. Initially, I believed the goal of every audit was to find and document non-conformities — and I stuck to that for the first few months as a customer representative.
But then, during an audit with a more experienced colleague, something surprising happened. We discovered that some documentation hadn’t been updated. I immediately thought: “Great, here’s our first non-conformity!”
But my colleague said: “If they fix it before the end of the audit, we won’t document it as a non-conformity.”
Wow. What a mindset shift!
And you know what? It made perfect sense. Audits aren’t a competition to find the most faults. They should be a collaborative process — a chance to solve problems together, on the spot, whenever possible.
This way, the supplier sees the auditor as a partner, not a policeman hunting for errors.
Of course, this doesn’t apply to critical issues — those should still be formally documented. But for smaller problems that can be fixed immediately, giving suppliers that chance builds trust and reinforces the audit as a tool for improvement, not punishment.
Select the Right Operator for the Process Audit Interview
Who should be the production representative during the audit? It might seem like a small detail, but it’s actually very important.
Process audits aren’t everyday situations — especially for operators, who just want to focus on getting their work done.
That’s why it’s worth selecting an operator who has experience talking to auditors. Someone who knows what to expect, understands the purpose of the questions and doesn’t get nervous every time they have to answer. This makes the conversation more professional, smoother and more productive.
Of course, this doesn’t mean choosing someone to put on a show. It should still be someone with real process knowledge — someone who not only knows the work but can also explain it clearly.
This approach benefits everyone:
- The auditor gets reliable information without having to dig for every detail.
- The operator doesn’t feel like they’re being interrogated.
Win-win.
Summary
As you can see, a process audit doesn’t have to be rigid or stressful. When done right, it’s not about scoring mistakes but about finding ways to improve processes and quality.
There are plenty of best practices to consider — from checking if the right tooling is actually in place, to double-checking the first-off piece in the lab, to asking open-ended questions that spark valuable conversations.
Don’t forget about health and safety either — where safety suffers, quality often follows. And remember to choose the right production representative to talk to the auditor.
Finally, give suppliers the chance to fix small issues on the spot. Sometimes, quick fixes speak louder than a formal non-conformity.
In short: Process audits aren’t just a compliance exercise — they’re a real opportunity for improvement.
If you would like to learn more about conducting process audits in cooperation with German customers, I warmly invite you to join the training: Process Audit according to VDA 6.3.
Author: Dariusz Kowalczyk
