DEFRA is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Its broad remit means it plays a major role in people’s day-to-day lives, from the food they eat, and the air they breathe, to the water they drink. DEFRA is a ministerial department, supported by 33 agencies and public bodies.
Business Analyst
July 2018 to July 2020
Reporting into the Principal Business Analyst, the contract was initially 6 months with multiple extensions.
Skills utilised; Agile, Waterfall, User stories, Wireframes, Balsamiq, Digital Development, Requirements elicitation, Gap Analysis, Documentation Review, Interviews, Greenfield Development, Stakeholder Management, Traceability, User Acceptance Testing, Defect review and prioritisation, Planning/scheduling, User Training, Onsite Support, Process Mapping, Government Digital Services (GDS), Production of Training Material, Working with external consultants, Offshore Development, Implementation planning.
- The contract was focussed on the replacement of a business critical IT system (TRACES) that would be withdrawn when the UK leaves the EU. In order to do this I spent a significant amount of time visiting various Port Health Authorities to understand and document how they utilise system and what the business requirements for the replacement must look like.
- I produced multiple process maps detailing how each Port Health Authority handled the import of various commodities, and how this varied depending upon when the commodity was transported by Sea or Air. The output was approved and used to support the detailed business requirements.
- I produced a detailed Gap Analysis highlighting key differences between the new development and features/requirements from TRACES. The output was used to input into training material that was delivered to end users.
- I delivered system training to end users from Importers and Port Health Authorities to ensure they were comfortable with how the new application worked and any omissions/differences when compared to TRACES.
- Provided onsite support with Importers and Port Health Authority users when system was due to go-live
- Later contract extension saw me working on the high level business requirements for the replacement of the IT Systems used in relation to the Import/Export of Plants and Seed products.
