Change Management Audit: Assessing the Effectiveness of Change Management Processes within IT
Ensuring Controlled and Compliant IT Change Initiatives through Effective Audit Practices
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
|---|---|---|
| 02 – 06 Jun 2025 | London, UK | USD 3495 per delegate |
Course Introduction
In today’s rapidly evolving technological environment, change is constant—but without proper governance, IT changes can introduce serious risks. This course provides IT auditors and change managers with the expertise to assess the effectiveness, compliance, and risk posture of IT change management practices.
Participants will learn how to audit IT change processes to ensure changes are authorized, documented, tested, and implemented in a controlled and secure manner. Aligned with industry best practices and frameworks like ITIL and COBIT, this training helps reduce the risks of failed changes and improve IT service continuity.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the components and lifecycle of IT change management
- Assess the effectiveness of change governance frameworks
- Audit IT change control processes against standards and policies
- Identify control gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities
- Develop audit plans, testing procedures, and reporting mechanisms
- Provide recommendations that enhance change outcomes and compliance
Key Benefits of Attending
- Learn to evaluate IT change policies, workflows, and approvals
- Ensure alignment with regulatory, compliance, and audit requirements
- Reduce change-related incidents and improve service uptime
- Strengthen coordination between IT, audit, and operations teams
- Improve audit value by focusing on strategic risks and controls
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
- Business continuity managers and professionals responsible for BCP implementation
- Risk management and compliance officers
- IT disaster recovery specialists
- Operations and facility managers
- Internal auditors and ISO coordinators
- Senior executives and department heads
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
- In-depth understanding of change management processes
- Ability to audit change control procedures and identify risks
- Familiarity with ITIL, COBIT, and related frameworks
- Skills in planning and conducting IT audits
- Enhanced reporting, root cause analysis, and communication skills
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
- Stronger IT change governance and internal control environment
- Reduction in failed changes and IT disruptions
- Enhanced ability to meet compliance and regulatory standards
- Consistent change documentation and accountability
- Greater audit assurance and strategic value
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
- Strategy Briefings – Deep dive into ISO 22301:2019, business continuity management principles, and BCMS frameworks
- Case Studies – Real-world examples of successful BCMS implementation and crisis response
- Workshops – Hands-on exercises to create business continuity plans, risk assessments, and recovery strategies
- Peer Exchange – Group discussions on challenges and lessons learned in business continuity
- Tools – Templates for BIA, risk assessments, business continuity plans, and crisis communication
Course Outline
Detailed 5-Day Course Outline
Training Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee Breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Introduction to ISO 22301:2019 and Business Continuity Planning
- Module 1: Overview of ISO 22301:2019 (07:30 – 09:30)
- Introduction to ISO 22301 and its relevance
- Key principles and structure of the standard
- Understanding BCMS and its integration into business strategy
- Module 2: Organizational Context and Leadership (09:45 – 11:15)
- Understanding internal/external issues and stakeholder needs
- Roles and responsibilities of top management
- Policy development and strategic alignment
- Module 3: BCMS Planning and Risk Management (11:30 – 01:00)
- Setting objectives and planning actions
- Risk and opportunity identification
- Integrating risk-based thinking into BCMS
- Module 4: Documentation and Scope Definition (02:00 – 03:30)
- Defining BCMS scope and boundaries
- Documentation structure and control
Day 2: Business Impact Analysis and Risk Assessment
- Module 1: Introduction to BIA (07:30 – 09:30)
- Importance of BIA in continuity planning
- Steps for conducting effective BIAs
- Module 2: Conducting Risk Assessments (09:45 – 11:15)
- Risk identification and analysis methods
- Risk evaluation and treatment options
- Module 3: Continuity Strategy Development (11:30 – 01:00)
- Selecting appropriate strategies based on BIA/Risk outcomes
- Recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs)
- Module 4: Prioritization and Resource Planning (02:00 – 03:30)
- Allocation of people, infrastructure, and financial resources
Day 3: Developing the Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- Module 1: BCP Structure and Content (07:30 – 09:30)
- Components of an effective BCP
- Developing response and recovery procedures
- Module 2: Incident Response and Crisis Management (09:45 – 11:15)
- Incident detection and escalation processes
- Roles and responsibilities during incidents
- Module 3: Crisis Communication Planning (11:30 – 01:00)
- Internal and external communication plans
- Media handling and stakeholder communication
- Module 4: Tools and Templates (02:00 – 03:30)
- Using ready-to-adapt templates for BIA, risk analysis, and BCP
Day 4: Testing, Exercising, and Maintenance
- Module 1: Test and Exercise Programs (07:30 – 09:30)
- Types of exercises: tabletop, simulation, full-scale
- How to plan, conduct, and evaluate exercises
- Module 2: Monitoring, Auditing, and Evaluation (09:45 – 11:15)
- Internal audits and management review
- Measuring BCMS performance and effectiveness
- Module 3: Continual Improvement (11:30 – 01:00)
- Non-conformities and corrective actions
- Updating the BCP and BCMS lifecycle
- Module 4: Case Study Workshop (02:00 – 03:30)
- Group activity: develop and present a continuity plan
Day 5: ISO 22301 Certification & Integration into Enterprise Strategy
- Module 1: Preparing for ISO 22301 Certification (07:30 – 09:30)
- Certification process overview
- Auditor expectations and readiness checklist
- Module 2: BCMS Integration into Governance (09:45 – 11:15)
- Embedding continuity into enterprise risk management
- Reporting to executive leadership
- Module 3: Final Simulation Exercise (11:30 – 01:00)
- Live simulation: test continuity plans and incident responses
- Module 4: Wrap-Up, Review & Feedback (02:00 – 03:30)
- Summary of key lessons
- Q&A and certification briefing
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in IT Change Management Audit, confirming their capability to conduct, evaluate, and report on the effectiveness of change control processes and enhance IT governance practices.