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by Ian Attwood on 02 October 2013
Christine Birrell is a Business Analyst at Auckland Council, and is currently engaged in an organisation-wide transformation project involving people, processes and systems. A few weeks ago she attended 'BPMN for Business Process Modelling' training with Equinox IT and is putting the learning from this course to good effect on her current project…
1. What are you presently working on for Auckland Council?
“I’m working on a three-year project, part of the Auckland Council’s suite of transformation and improvement projects. With the legacy councils there are a myriad of systems, processes and procedures. Our objective is to consolidate and standardise our systems; as well as simplifying our processes and the way we work using customer centric design. I’m involved in numerous BA activities including process modelling, gathering business requirements, system build/user acceptance testing as well as training. The end result will make it a lot easier for residents, ratepayers, and staff —we’ll have one way of doing things across the region—and that’ll make it a lot easier doing business with the Council.”
2. How did your BA career start?
“Almost by accident! I was working on process, system and customer service improvement projects. Whilst my background is in social work and community care I see many parallels with being a BA. You’re identifying a need, you’re helping someone or a group to seek a solution, and trying to implement change or improve situations. It’s not that big a leap when you consider a lot of BA work is relationship-based. The BA side has now brought in the technical skills around systems and builds.”
3. Contemplating study in 2014?
“I hope so. I’ve already marked some things down. I hope to be studying Agile methodologies and adding skills around software development life-cycles (SDLC). These are the things I’ve highlighted for myself. My manager has also suggested looking at professional consulting model training.”
4. One piece of advice for an intermediate BA?
"I’ve been very lucky having great people along the way who’ve given me advice, and mentored and supported me. If I was back in my intermediate shoes, I’d take every bit of advice; I’d observe; ask loads of questions; get involved in things that really stretch and push me. Get out of my comfort zone, but always pay it forward. The way I repay all the kindnesses I received along the way is by mentoring and assisting those embarking on a similar journey. I’m a very keen advocate for mentoring others so my one piece of advice would be to join a mentoring programme, get connected with the BA community and both give and receive advice."
5. One tip for eliciting information?
“I’m continuously drawing on the social work skills I mentioned earlier. If you can imagine having to meet someone at their house or in hospital; you’ve never met this person before and you’re eliciting information which could be sensitive and pretty personal during times when people are at their weakest and most vulnerable. For me it’s all about those listening and observation skills. I was told early in my career that we’ve two eyes, two ears, one mouth, and to use them in those proportions. When you do speak and elicit information, be empathetic to their situation and remember it’s you with the need (for information) and not them. These are soft skills and techniques you learn over many years and I don’t think they’re emphasised enough. Putting yourself into another’s shoes and asking how you’d like to be treated is a very good approach.”
6. If you weren’t a BA you’d be…?
"I was hoping you’d ask that! If I wasn’t a BA, I’d love to run a tea shop, bookstore and florist in small town by the sea. Maybe an art gallery too. It’d be a place where artists and musicians could hangout. I think the creative side mixed with the people side would be the best of both worlds. I’d use my BA skills at the forefront to draw out people and sell them lots of tea and cake! I can’t think of anything better than that."
7. One final question. Where were you born?
"I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Geordie, born near Newcastle (Throckley to be exact!)"
