audit process

Presented in the next three pages is a recommended process to prepare for, conduct, and follow up on a conservation audit. As indicated earlier in these guidelines, however, each conservation audit will be somewhat different, depending on objectives and approach. Represented in this section is a fairly rigorous process that could require a few months total for preparation, data analysis, write-up, and concluding an audit. Realistically, however, it is also possible to conduct a worthwhile conservation audit within a few hours, a day, or a workshop of a few days, using best available knowledge and information. Regardless of the time taken to do the audit, the steps presented below generally will be relevant. Ultimately, it is more important to conduct a quick and imperfect conservation audit on a regular basis than conduct perfect audits very rarely.