The Value of Social Networks for Auditors

This seems to be a question that is floating around the online professional audit community and I thought it would be useful to provide my insight based on my experiences.

I have found LinkedIn to be a very effective tool for networking, getting answers, fostering communication through discussions and sharing. I have found subject matter experts to develop audit work programs and monographs. The network is continually growing and each new member brings their unique skill set to the table to help others. The Google group has attracted a lot of members but no discussions as of yet. I have found the blogs to be good as far as posting but have not seen much feedback. No activity on the Yahoo group but I have not been actively promoting it. We are building a Facebook page for AuditNet as well.   I hope that by positioning a number of options that auditors will sign up and communicate as I expected when I built AuditNet in the early 1990′s.

Twitter is another story as it is a combination of microblogging and instant messaging; a concept that is entirely foreign to our generation but common with the younger set. I anticipate as new auditors enter the scene they will be comfortable with this method of communicating and will use it to network with other peers.I have found an isauditor who posts a new tool a day on Twitter and look forward to more of this happening. You can reach AuditNet on Twitter (@auditnet) and I look forward to having you re-tweet my posts!

I remember when I wrote the article for The Internal Auditor in 1993 on Establishing an Online Information Network for Auditors (AuditNet) there were very few professionals using email and even less that could conceive of a hypertext application that would be useful for auditors. I see a great deal of synergy in this new social networking environment that could be harnessed for the benefit of auditors in the same way that AuditNet was built in the 90′s. I agree there is a lot of drivel in the Tweets posted but if we get the right mix of people in a Tweet for Auditors Network we could find a new way of progress through sharing.

I would love to hear your comments and feedback on the value of social networks for auditors.

Jim