🔍 What kind of quality auditor are you?

An audit says a lot about the person running it. Seven situations every quality professional knows — the operator who “always does it this way”, the major nonconformity, the closing meeting — reveal your auditing style, with its strengths and its little flaw. Then the Quality & Continuous Improvement quiz is waiting.

1. You arrive on site for an audit. First reflex? Quietly observe the shop floor Have a coffee with the team to put them at ease Open the standard at the right clause Ask where the current problems are

2. An operator tells you: “We've always done it this way.” “Show me, with the records” “Tell me why, I'm interested” “And what does the procedure say?” “Does it work? Then let's write it down”

3. Your favourite tool? The 5 Whys The whiteboard and markers The compliance checklist The Gemba walk

4. You find a major nonconformity. I gather evidence before mentioning it I explain it so everyone learns from it I write it up with the exact clause reference I launch a containment action straight away

5. At the closing meeting, people remember… How precise your findings were That the team learned something A flawless report The actions already under way

6. Your nightmare? A claim with no evidence A team that's afraid of audits An uncontrolled document An action plan gathering dust in a drawer

7. Your motto? “Without data, it's just an opinion” “An audit is a gift, not a punishment” “If it isn't written, it doesn't exist” “Go and see on the shop floor”

Just for fun: no scientific value, but a real quiz is waiting for you right after.

Other tests

The 4 possible profiles

The Sherlock auditor — Nothing escapes you, and every finding rests on evidence. Just be careful not to turn the audit into an interrogation.
The coaching auditor — For you, a successful audit is one the team comes out of more skilled. People look forward to your visit instead of dreading it — that's rare.
The keeper of the standard — You know the requirements by heart, clause numbers included. Your rigour is reassuring: just remember to explain the “why” behind each requirement.
The shop-floor auditor — You prefer the Gemba to meeting rooms and one action started to ten pages of report. Still, keep a written record: what isn't recorded is soon forgotten.

Français · Español