Course Information
Project Management Skills for Auditors
Parking for SAO, Professional Development courses is in Garage B (1511 San Jacinto Blvd.). The Garage signage may read 1511 San Jacinto or Garage B. The elevator in Garage B is not reliable. If you are unable to walk the stairs, please contact the professionaldevelopment@sao.texas.gov for alternate parking arrangements. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.
A course coordinator will Email you a parking permit prior to the course start date. A permit must be displayed or you will be ticketed.
Course Description
Audits are projects, but rarely are proven project management methodologies used in managing internal audits. Audits are commonly subject to delays, changes in scope, scope creep, resource shortages and frequent struggles with timeliness. This course will provide participants with a basic understanding of core fundamentals for the most common formal project management frameworks. Core principles for the Project Management Institute framework will be reviewed.
This course is designed to provide the participants with the skills and techniques necessary to embed project management methods into the internal audit process. Formal project management methodologies can help reduce and alleviate many of the struggles with delays, prioritization, scope and timeliness many audits routinely face. The tools and techniques shared can be immediately implemented in every audit process. Real life examples of failures and successes of project management will be covered to further the learning process. This course is interactive with multiple hands-on exercises and class participation to provide opportunities for you to practice what you learn.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
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Learn the basic concepts and fundamentals of formal project management methodologies including Project Management Institute, Lean and Six Sigma
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Understand how to apply formal project management methodologies to the Audit process
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Learn basic tools and techniques used in formal project management
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Understand how to use formal project management in managing audits
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Learn how to deal with changes to scope and scope creep
Course Outline
Project Management Overview
• Fundamentals of Project Management
• Benefits of Formal Project Management
• Project Characteristics
• Phases of Project Management
Project Management Institute (PMI) Framework
• Cornerstones of Project Management
• Critical Path
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Dependencies and Scheduling
• Scope
Project Management Tools and Techniques
• Gantt Charts
• Control Charts
• Fishbone Diagrams
• Critical Path Diagrams
Audits as Formal Projects – Leveraging Project Management Methodologies
Planning
Identifying and Understanding Business Objectives
Identifying and Prioritizing Business Risks
Determining Audit Objectives and Scope
Scheduling
Execution
Work Program
Interviewing and Meetings
Managing the Audit and Changes
Closure
Communicating Results
Reporting
Action Plans
Managing Audits using Formal Project Management
• Resources
• Time and Budget
• Scope Creep and Changes
• Changes to Critical Path
Monitoring and Evaluating Audit Performance
• Measuring Success
• Areas of Improvement and Challenges
• Audit Coverage versus Timeliness
• Applying Metrics
Instructors
Mary Breslin, MBA, CIA, CFE is the founder of Empower Audit Training and Consulting. She has over 20 years’ experience in Internal Auditing, Fraud Examination, Management and Accounting for companies such as ConocoPhillips, Barclays Capital, Costco Wholesale, Jefferson Wells and Boart Longyear. She specializes in Internal Audit transformations, Operational and Financial Auditing, Fraud Auditing & Investigations, and Corporate Accounting.
In addition to audit, fraud and accounting she has and has significant International experience and has managed audit programs in more than 30 countries. Prior to becoming a full time instructor, Ms. Breslin held the title of Vice President and Chief Audit Executive in a global financial services company, where she transformed a checklist audit function into a value add audit department which delivered measurable business results through the use of risk based auditing, data analytics, continuous education and skill development for her leadership team and staff. Through her senior audit leadership roles, Ms. Breslin has implemented numerous baseline internal audit functions and year-one Sarbanes-Oxley programs, both domestically and abroad.
Additionally Ms. Breslin has extensive Fraud Audit and Investigation experience and has conducted major fraud investigations on multiple continents including large scale federal cases domestically. She has developed and implemented fraud auditing programs in various industries focused on both accounting and operations.
Ms. Breslin attended Rutgers University and received her BS in accounting, and an MBA from the University of Phoenix while living and working overseas. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). She maintains memberships in the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), ISACA, and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and is currently an instructor and conference speaker for the IIA, The ACFE and ISACA.
Additional Information
If you are making travel plans to come to Austin, we recommend making "refundable" air and hotel reservations or waiting until 14 days before the class to actually book your reservations. Courses are occasionally canceled or rescheduled due to low enrollment. We determine whether a course has enough participants 16 days prior to the course date. If we cancel or reschedule, we will email the participant and his or her billing contact no later than 14 days before the original class date.
The course coordinator will contact you with parking information. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.
Vending machines with Coca-Cola products and various snack items are available. There is also a refrigerator and microwave in our coffee bar area. Feel free to bring in your own drinks and food if you prefer.
You might want to bring a light sweater or jacket, as room temperatures vary.
To see answers to our Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://www.sao.state.tx.us/training/faq.html.