Communication audit

A communication audit is a comprehensive evaluation of an organization’s ability to send, receive and share information with various audiences within the organization (and as organizations become flatter to allow groups within the organization to cooperate and share among themselves), as well at key constituencies outside, such as customers and investors, in the case of publicly traded companies. This type of audit can be performed to evaluate an organization's external or internal communication effectiveness. The purpose of a communication audit is to uncover the strengths and weaknesses between management, typically, and employees, customers and other groups such as investors, the news media, and regulators and legislative bodies with the objective to improve future communications by developing a strategic plan, through a series of recommendations, and to determine where gaps exists which need to be bridged.