Institute of Internal Auditors hold workshop on ‘systems thinking’

The Institute of the Internal Auditors (IIA), Doha Chapter, conducted a workshop on “Systems thinking: The power of data-driven organisation” at Hotel Oryx Rotana Doha recently. 
Systems thinking is a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on the way that a system’s constituent parts interrelate and how systems work overtime and within the context of larger systems.
Dr Hisham Abu-Naba’a, executive director (Operations) at Sidra Medicine, made the presentation. He is an expert in information technology system integration, performance benchmarking and data management.
Dr Abu-Naba’a began his talk by explaining concepts of general systems theory related to analytical thinking, initiative thinking, systems thinking and design thinking. Systems today are exponentially increasing in complexity, and data-driven technologies are converging to transform and disrupt industries.
He explained the difference between traditional thinking vs systems thinking, the Process of Decision Making, Business Analytics Models and Roadmap for Intelligent Decision Support Systems (DSS).
“Data analytics is as an emerging tool for compliance and legal risk management to generate the insights and metrics needed to address fraud and compliance-related challenges. The optimised digital maturity level is “Cognitive” where the leadership of a company is passionate for analytically driven decision making.
Dr Hisham dwelled deep into his own research related theory that explores the Organisational digital maturity levels where data is used as an information, descriptive use, diagnostic use, predictive use, prescriptive use and cognitive use These maturity levels are the roadmap for intelligent decision support systems.
Internal auditors have to keep pace with the complex world of data analysis. Linear/Nonlinear Programing, Decision theory/decision modelling, Sensitivity Analysis, Simulation etc. are now commonly used by the large companies in the world and Internal Auditors have to audit the results of these analyses.
Sundaresan Rajeswar, IIA Qatar Board member, in his opening address, highlighted “Five Internal Audit Resolutions for 2020 and Beyond”  based on a blog by Richard Chambers, President of the IIA.
The resolutions included speaking candidly with the Board about the organisations true capacity to manage risks, assessing the organisations sustainability risk, enhancing the method of communication with stakeholders on how Internal Audit has added value to the organisation, improving use of robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) in Internal Audit assignments and finally highlighting and assessing risks related to data ethics.
Fahad Hussien al-Marri, senior vice president, IIA Qatar, requested members to ensure attendance to all knowledge-sharing events.
Board members Christain Adonis, Kurien, Muralikrishna, Girish Jain and Felix, attended the event besides more than 70 members.