How can interviews and questionnaires benefit auditors?

Interviews and questionnaires are vital tools for auditors because they directly facilitate a comprehensive understanding of an organization's internal controls and how effectively these controls align with established policies. By conducting interviews and distributing questionnaires, auditors can gather qualitative and quantitative data regarding the organization’s processes and stakeholders' awareness.

This information is crucial for evaluating whether controls are implemented as intended and whether employees understand and follow them. When stakeholders are aware of and align with policies, it enhances the effectiveness of the control environment, making it less likely that risks will go unmanaged. Thus, the use of interviews and questionnaires helps auditors assess not only the existence of controls but also the degree to which those controls are known, understood, and followed by staff, which is essential for a successful governance framework within the organization.

While assessing financial forecasting, customer satisfaction, or legal compliance have their own importance, they do not provide the same depth of insight into control alignment and stakeholder engagement as interviews and questionnaires do in the auditing context.