TIME is of the Essence: An Audit Escape Room Activity

Abstract

TThis case gamifies several topics from a typical auditing curriculum by placing students in a modified escape room activity. Students act as new associates in the Audit and Assurance practice of CBA Associates, LLP. As part of their external audit orientation and training, students are provided with background information for a fictitious company, Tinsley Industrial Medical Equipment (TIME). Drawing on knowledge learned in traditional undergraduate auditing courses, students are tasked with solving several puzzles disguised as audit tasks. Topics and skills needed to unlock a series of locks include analysis of fraud scenarios, evaluation of the audit risk model, calculation of planning materiality and tolerable misstatement, identification of management assertions and related audit procedures, and detailed scrutiny of control process narratives and document flow diagrams. To successfully complete the case, students must effectively communicate and collaborate to solve the puzzles in the allotted time.