ASQ CHA / CFSQA key terms

A systematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining objective evidence and evaluating it against agreed criteria to determine how well requirements are met.

The set of policies, standards, specifications, contracts, or regulations against which audit evidence is compared to judge conformity or performance.

Records, statements of fact, or other verifiable information that is relevant to the audit criteria and can be checked for accuracy.

Data or information that can be verified and is based on observed facts rather than opinion, memory, or hearsay, making it defensible in an audit report.

The state in which a product, process, or system meets all applicable requirements of the specified standard, regulation, or contract.

A failure to meet a requirement, such as a missing procedure, an unmet specification, or a process that does not follow its documented plan.

A nonconformity that seriously affects product quality or the effectiveness of the management system, or that represents a complete absence of a required control.

A single, isolated lapse or departure from a requirement that does not indicate a systemic breakdown in the management system.

A statement of fact noted by an auditor that is not a formal nonconformity but suggests a risk, weakness, or opportunity for improvement worth management's attention.

The collective result of evaluating audit evidence against audit criteria, which may reveal conformity, nonconformity, or opportunities for improvement.

The stated boundaries of an audit, describing which organizational units, processes, locations, products, and time period are covered or excluded.

The documented path of records and evidence that lets an auditor trace a transaction or decision from its origin through each processing step to its final result.

A set of planned audits arranged over a defined period, with schedules, resources, and objectives designed to cover a system or organization systematically.

A document describing the activities and arrangements for a specific audit, including scope, criteria, schedule, team assignments, and logistics.

Prioritizing audit effort and frequency according to the likelihood and impact of failures, so that the highest-risk areas receive the most attention.

The timetable that sets when audits occur and how long each takes, often showing dates, locations, auditors, and process areas to be covered.

The group of auditors, technical experts, and support personnel assigned to conduct a particular audit under a designated lead auditor.

The auditor responsible for managing the audit, including planning, directing team members, conducting meetings, and approving the final report.

A person who provides specialized knowledge or skill to an audit team but does not act as an auditor and does not make audit judgments independently.

The demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results, shown through education, training, experience, and observed performance.

The documented evidence that a person meets the education, training, experience, and personal-attribute requirements needed to perform assigned audits.

Ongoing training and professional development that maintains and updates an auditor's knowledge of standards, regulations, techniques, and industry practices.

Freedom from bias, conflict of interest, or organizational pressure that could compromise an auditor's objectivity in reaching conclusions.

The mental attitude of impartiality that keeps audit judgments based on evidence rather than personal interest, prior beliefs, or outside influence.

Selecting a subset of items from a larger population to draw conclusions about the whole, using either statistical or judgmental methods.

The possibility that conclusions drawn from a sample differ from what would be found by examining the entire population.

A structured list of questions or criteria used to guide an audit and record what was examined and what was found.

The initial meeting with auditees that confirms the audit purpose, scope, criteria, schedule, methods, and communication channels before evidence gathering begins.

The final meeting at which the audit team presents findings and conclusions to auditees and agrees on next steps before the formal report is issued.

The person or organization being audited, responsible for providing access, evidence, and responses to the audit team.

The person or organization that requests the audit and receives the report, and who may define the scope and criteria.

The formal written record of an audit that presents scope, criteria, findings, conclusions, and any recommendations in a clear and factual manner.

Action taken to eliminate the cause of a detected nonconformity so that it does not recur, as opposed to merely fixing the immediate symptom.

A structured investigation to identify the underlying reason a problem occurred, often using tools such as the five whys or cause-and-effect diagrams.

A later verification activity that checks whether agreed corrective actions were implemented and effective in closing the original findings.

The ability to follow the history, application, or location of an item or activity through recorded identification, from raw material to finished product.

The practice of keeping documents and records for defined periods so they remain available for audits, investigations, and regulatory review.

Managing and auditing work as a set of interrelated processes with defined inputs, outputs, controls, and interactions rather than as isolated tasks.

A process whose failure would significantly affect product safety, regulatory compliance, or customer requirements, and which therefore warrants priority audit attention.

Activities that align how different auditors interpret criteria and rate findings, so that judgments are consistent across teams and audits.