Kia ora koutou,
In @Hannah’s welcome post she alluded to something that’s also been on my mind for a while now, and I thought it might deserve its own kōrero here:
Do I want to keep calling myself a Business Analyst?
Does that title still reflect the mahi I want to do and where I want to be positioned?
Where I’m Coming From
My current workplace is being disestablished at the end of this year, due to changes brought in by the current government.
It’s bittersweet because I’ve really loved working here.
When I joined, the organisation was only two years old. I was the only BA positioned in corporate services, and I had a lot of freedom to design and embed systems, processes, and policies to help kaimahi deliver their best work.
One of the projects I’m most proud of was completely reworking our performance approach.
Designing a Culturally Responsive Performance System
Our organisation shares services with a larger entity, but our own board is much more progressive.
When they saw the highly structured, performance-based pay frameworks coming through, they pushed back.
They wanted a performance approach that was mana-enhancing and culturally responsive. Managers asked that Māori human resource management practices be considered, and we needed to make sure the system didn’t create barriers for Māori, Pacific, and whaikaha (disabled) kaimahi.
The whakataukī “the kūmara does not speak of its own sweetness” came up many times during discussions.
I started by researching a wide range of performance and compensation frameworks, and presented options to our managers and board.
We landed on separating performance from pay:
- Salary increases were based on inflation, market conditions, and equity adjustments.
- High performance was recognised through a separate programme – offering additional leave or other forms of recognition.
- This fitted in alongside our existing values-based awards, and we made sure the high performance criteria were holistic and focused on broader contribution – not just visibility or output.
- It was important to us that the criteria worked for all kinds of kaimahi – introverts, extroverts, frontline, back-office – and that recognition didn’t rely on being the loudest voice in the room.
Building the System (and Learning a Lot Along the Way)
We then needed to design the full performance cycle:
- How often should check-ins happen?
- What would meaningful reviews look like without traditional ratings?
- How could we make sure the process served all stakeholders?
Off-the-shelf software options were too expensive and too rigid.
At the same time, our manual ‘paper’ system gave us no visibility, no tracking and no data for decisions like training needs.
So, I worked alongside managers, people and culture, cultural advisors, and kaimahi to prototype the first iteration:
- Front-end: Microsoft Forms
- Automation: Power Automate
- Back-end: SharePoint Lists
It worked – but it had limitations.
I then built a case for developing a custom app. We brought on a developer, and I collaborated closely with them to design, test, and launch it.
I now own the app and manage it like a product, with continuous improvement after each cycle.
I also harvest data from the app to design our annual training approach – with full transparency to kaimahi that this would be a use of the information they provided.
What This Means for Me
This project ran the full spectrum – strategic, operational, technical.
I loved seeing it through from the very first conversations to a fully launched solution, and getting positive feedback that it genuinely made a difference.
So when I think about my title and career positioning, I realise:
I don’t want to be pigeonholed as “just gathering requirements” or “process mapping.”
I’m much more of an internal consultant. I like having my fingers in many pies.
My work spans project management, change management, a touch of DevOps, Product Manager, and learning and development – and I love it that way.
Closing Thoughts
It’s made me wonder if continuing to call myself a Business Analyst might undersell what I actually want to be doing.
I’d love to hear others’ whakaaro – have you found yourself asking the same question?
Ngā mihi nui,
Rhiannon
