Communications Audits in Alberta: A Practical Guide for Public Organizations
A communications audit is a structured review of how an organization communicates and how well it works. It looks at what you say, how you say it, the channels you use and how your audiences respond.
For publicly funded organizations in Alberta, including municipalities, libraries, school divisions, post-secondary institutions, health and social agencies and non-profits, communication is part of public accountability. An audit helps answer practical questions: Are we reaching the right people at the right time? Do our messages line up with our mandate and strategic plan? Can people easily find, understand and act on what we share?
Signs Your Organization Is Ready for an Audit
Mixed messages across departments, duplicated work, outdated content nobody owns and uncertainty about who can speak for the organization.
Complaints about not knowing what is going on, coverage that misses key context and low turnout for consultations.
Funding changes, capital projects, a new strategic plan or new regulatory requirements that depend on clear information.
Leadership may also have a sense that a lot of content is going out without much effect. An audit can show why.
What a Practical Audit Includes
Discovery. We start with leadership, the board or council to confirm goals, priority audiences and what success would look like.
Evidence gathering. This covers print and digital materials, signage, presentations and templates, along with channels such as the website, social media, newsletters, email and media relations. It also looks at internal processes such as approvals, crisis protocols and internal communication.
Listening. Interviews, focus groups and surveys with leadership, staff, partners and service users show how communication is experienced. Frontline staff hear many of the questions the public asks.
Analysis. Findings are reviewed for clarity, consistency and tone, accessibility and plain language, local context and alignment with the legislation and policies that shape how you share information.
We run communications audits for public organizations, project owners and contractors across Alberta, from scoping through to an action plan.
Explore Communications AuditsHow the Process Works
Set the scope (internal, external or both) and a timeline that respects approval cycles and busy seasons.
Document and channel review, analytics, interviews, surveys and a scan of comparable organizations.
Plain-language findings grouped into strengths, gaps, risks and opportunities, with specific recommendations.
A work plan with owners and timelines, quick wins and longer-term projects that fit the budget.
Our posts on scoping and budgeting an audit and the capital project audit checklist go into more detail for project teams.
Choosing an Audit Partner
An outside reviewer can raise sensitive issues staff may hesitate to name, spot habits that have come to feel normal and provide evidence for leadership and board decisions. Useful questions to ask a potential partner:
- What experience do you have with publicly funded organizations in Alberta?
- Have you worked with organizations of our size and mandate?
- How do you involve staff without disrupting their work?
- How will we know whether your recommendations are working?
Turning Findings Into Action
An audit creates value when its findings lead to change. Sort recommendations into now, next and later, give each one an owner and connect them to existing strategic or business plans. The findings can also shape staff training, approval processes and the measures you track over time. Our post on fixes to make in the first 30 days after an audit lists practical starting points.
- What do we most want the audit to tell us?
- Which audiences matter most to our mandate?
- Who inside the organization needs to be involved?
- What decisions will the findings inform?
- Who will own the recommendations once the report is done?
Thinking about a communications audit?
A discovery call is a simple way to talk through your goals and what an audit would cover.
