Ever wonder how a senior auditor approaches a research project? Thanks to Stan R., now we have some perspective!
Lay the Foundation
This method has been developed to prevent the “staring at a blank page and wondering how/where to start” feeling. It not only provides a starting point, but it also allows the research to unfold right before you.
I am a big proponent of having everything laid out and ready to go as much as possible.
- So to get started, I quickly read through the client's chat in order to get a basic understanding of what's being requested.
- This lets me know the job type I will be working with.
Common Project Types
- Then I move to laying out the research in the editor. I put in headings and placeholders for all of the important bits.
- Next, I come back to the chat and copy and paste out what the client wants and expects from the research; this goes right above the "Complete Findings" heading.
- At this point, I have given everything a little bit of thought and have moved the requirements of the job right in front of my face so that I can't forget them and don't leave anything out.
Key Takeaways:
- Set up the “default” pieces/placeholders.
- Discern what the client expects from the research and paste it at the top.
Game Plan
Now, I make a game plan: what does this client want? I ask myself the following questions:
- What kind of job is it?
- How much information will be available?
- If it's just a little, what can I do to add value?
These are just a few questions that are useful to ask in order to know how to search.
ResearchOS