Case Study 5: Third Party Assurance

Inventory Audit and Procedural Framework Establishment

• Led an international team to conduct a comprehensive inventory audit

• Consolidated and aggregated data to gain a holistic view of inventory and associated processes

• Used investigative data analysis to identify the root cause, timeline, and trail of inventory discrepancies

• Restored stakeholder trust by addressing concerns with transparency and actionable solutions

• Developed and implemented a procedural framework for operations and internal controls inspired by DMAIC Methodology (Six Sigma) and Evidence-Based Management (EBM) principles

• The framework was later showcased as a practical example of the impact and value of our services

Challenges

• Stakeholder Management: Navigating historical relationship tensions by fostering constructive, task-focused collaboration

• Separating Facts from Assumptions: Identifying and mitigating biases to ensure investigative analysis was based on objective evidence

• Framework Credibility: Ensuring the framework's transparency, traceability, auditability, and neutrality to establish trust and empiricism in its implementation

Implementation Specifics

• jBPM: For identifying, outlining, and documenting processes during framework development

• Microsoft Office Suite:

  • Excel: Managed raw data and supported granular, task-specific analysis

  • PowerPivot: Conducted incremental steps to integrate data for higher-level analytics

  • Power BI: Visualized and analyzed data at a global level, facilitating informed decision-making

  • Word: Documented the procedural framework to ensure clear communication and adoption