The Career I Never Planned

Finding My Way Into Business Analysis

I didn’t plan to become a Business Analyst (BA).

When I graduated in IT Management, I thought I was heading for a career in databases and SQL. I wanted to become an Oracle database administrator and that felt like the obvious path. But once I started working, I realized things were not going to be quite that straightforward.

My first role was as a systems analyst and developer, supporting internal databases and applications. It did not take long for me to realize that, although I could understand code, writing it was not for me. What interested me more was the bigger picture: how things worked, what people needed and how technology could solve the right problem.

About six months later, I got the chance to step into a BA role on a project because there was no other Business Analyst available. I said yes, even though I was still figuring out what a Business Analyst actually did. Looking back, that was the moment that changed everything.

I was fortunate to have a senior BA, Rob Ryan, help me learn the role in a practical way. As I grew into it, I started looking for more structure and a clearer understanding of the profession. That led me to the IIBA® and the BABOK® Guide, which helped me put language and shape around work I was already beginning to enjoy.

Since then, I’ve worked across a range of sectors, including corporate business registry, life sciences and energy. Moving across industries taught me one of the most important lessons of my career: adaptability matters. Every organization works differently, but the core challenge is often the same - understanding the problem, understanding the need and helping people move towards a better outcome.

Learning What Great Analysis Really Means

That is one of the reasons I still enjoy the profession so much. No two environments are exactly alike and no two projects are exactly alike either.

More recently, I was involved in launching a product in the energy space that helps energy customers understand how they performing during energy events and how those events affect their earnings. I led the planning and requirements, running workshops, uncovering needs and helping stakeholders stay aligned. Seeing the product go live was hugely rewarding because it brought together so many of the things I value in business analysis: creating clarity, connecting people and helping ideas become real.

Alongside my day job, I lead as President of the IIBA® Ireland Chapter. Community has become a major part of my journey, not just because of the connections it brings, but because of how much it has shaped my thinking.

One initiative I am especially proud of is A Day in the Life of a BA, a series I created to show what Business Analysts actually do across different sectors. The idea came from seeing how often BAs are expected to be experts in a specific tool, technology or domain. In my experience, that misses the point of the role. A good BA works with experts. We do not need to be the expert in every room.

I wanted to create something practical and honest that reflected the reality of the job. What surprised me most was how widely it resonated. What began as a chapter initiative attracted interest from much further afield, which reinforced something I strongly believe: Business Analysts learn best when we share real experiences.

If I had to sum up the mindset that has shaped my career most, it would be this: question everything.

Early on, I assumed requirements would arrive neatly packaged and ready to document. Experience taught me otherwise. The real value of business analysis lies in elicitation and discovery. It is about asking better questions, understanding the real need behind a request and making sure the solution being discussed is actually the right one.

That shift in mindset changed how I approached stakeholders, delivery and value. Good analysis is not about capturing what people say at face value. It is about uncovering what really matters.

The Moments That Shaped My Career

Looking back, a few moments stand out as especially pivotal.

The first was moving unexpectedly into a BA role and realizing I had found work that suited me far better than development. The second was discovering the IIBA® and the BABOK® Guide, which gave me confidence, structure and a much stronger professional identity.

The third was becoming involved in the BA community and helping build the IIBA® Ireland Chapter. That widened my perspective enormously. It made me see that business analysis is not just something we do in our own organizations. It is a profession built on shared learning, evolving practice and mutual support.

More recently, creating A Day in the Life of a BA has been another major milestone because it brought together several things that matter to me: community, practical insight and challenging outdated assumptions about the role.

One of those assumptions is that tools and technical expertise are the main indicators of a good BA. Technical skills can absolutely help, but they are not the full story. The skills that matter most are often the ones that get less attention: empathy, communication, collaboration, active listening, analytical thinking, problem solving, systems thinking and critical thinking. Those are the skills that help BAs build trust, ask better questions and create real value.

That is also why I believe we need to do more to support aspiring and junior BAs. Too often, people are made to feel they need to become subject matter experts before they can contribute. I do not think that is true. Curiosity, adaptability and strong core BA skills matter just as much, if not more.

Like many people, I have also had to work through imposter syndrome. For a long time, I felt as though I was always chasing the next level before I could feel confident in what I was doing. One habit that has helped is keeping a folder on my phone called Positive BA Feedback. Whenever I receive encouraging feedback from a stakeholder, colleague or mentoring session, I save it there. On more difficult days, it helps remind me that the work matters and that progress is often easier to see in hindsight.

Where I Want to Go Next

Looking ahead, I want to keep growing at a more strategic level. I am particularly interested in the space where business analysis overlaps with product management, business architecture and data. I still see myself very much as a BA, but I want to keep expanding the level at which I contribute, from features and requirements into wider conversations about value, direction and organizational change.

Achieving my CBAP® remains an important goal. Beyond that, I want to keep developing as a practitioner, keep contributing to the profession and keep helping other BAs navigate their own paths with more clarity and confidence.

I may not have planned this career, but it turned out to be exactly the right one. What still excites me most is the chance to keep learning, keep asking questions and keep creating value.