We talk a lot about requirements, process maps, and user stories. As Lead BAs, we measure our output in JIRA / ADO tickets, refined backlogs, and signed-off specification documents.
But I have been reflecting on what truly moves the needle in our complex UK insurance landscape. Is it the perfect 50 page BRD for that legacy system migration? Or is it something less tangible?
For me, the most critical deliverable we provide is clarity amidst chaos.
The UK insurance environment is a perfect storm: the FCA’s Consumer Duty pressing for fair value, spiralling repair and material costs squeezing margins, and the relentless demand for digital first, personalised customer journeys. Tech teams are racing with cloud migrations, while the business is crying out for quicker product iterations.
In this maelstrom, our core role isn’t just to translate; it’s to reframe. That means:
1. Connecting Regulatory Dots: Taking the principle based guidance of the Consumer Duty and helping product owners shape concrete, testable requirements that embed fairness by design, not as an afterthought.
2. Speaking Dual Languages: Building a seamless dialect between our underwriting actuaries (who think in risk curves) and our software engineers (who think in APIs). The magic happens when both sides feel understood.
3. Challenging the “Why“: Before mapping the “as-is” process for the fifth time, asking the harder question: “Should this process exist at all?” Often, the best solution isn’t optimising a broken hand off, but automating it away.
4. Thinking in Ecosystems: A change in the claims notification chatbot doesn’t just affect the digital channel. It impacts FNOL processes, fraud indicators, supplier management, and MI reporting. Our job is to hold that ecosystem map in our heads.
The document is the artefact. The real value is the shared understanding we broker, the hidden risks we surface early, and the strategic options we illuminate for decision makers.
It’s less about being the “voice of the business” and more about being the architect of shared understanding. That’s what enables agile teams to deliver not just software, but value, in a regulated, customer centric market.
Question for readers: What’s the one ‘non document‘ deliverable you find most valuable in your role?
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Nice read!