Writing Effective Audit Reports (ASQ Pocket Guide series)

An audit report is more than a recap of conversations— it’s the formal record that establishes what was verified and validated, what must be corrected, and what can be improved. When audit reports are weak, unclear, or incomplete, leaders tend to argue rather than act—and auditors lose credibility. Writing Effective Audit Reports demonstrates how disciplined reporting transforms audit activity into defensible conclusions that protect the organization and drive meaningful change.

This book will show you how effective audit reports:

• Define nonconformities vs. improvement opportunities
• Protect privacy and confidential information
• Demonstrate verification and validation
• Support objective, defensible management decisions

Denise Robitaille is the 2025 recipient of the ASQ Freund-Marquardt Medal for Excellence in Management Standards and is a Fellow of ASQ. She has participated internationally in standards development work for over 25 years, including currently chairing the committees responsible for revising ISO 9000 and ISO 19011. Robitaille has facilitated the implementation of ISO 9001 for multiple organizations for over 30 years, and she has authored over a dozen books on a variety of quality topics.