Reliance Matrix

Lorraine Crawford, Manager, IT Business Analysis - Systems of Record

The Next Generation Business Analyst: Driving Core System Transformation in the Age of AI

Lorraine Crawford

As AI reshapes organizations and the way work is done, the role of the business analyst is evolving alongside it.

Almost three decades ago, I joined Reliance Matrix as a young professional with a passion for technology and learning, never imagining how much the tools, systems and expectations around me would change. Twenty-eight years later, I lead a team of business analysts supporting an initiative that has and will continue to fundamentally reshape how our organization operates: a core systems transformation known as Shinka. "Shinka" is a Japanese word meaning evolution, and few words capture this journey more appropriately. The initiative represents not only the evolution of our technology platforms, but also the evolution of the business analyst role itself.

My own career journey mirrors that evolution.

I started at Reliance Matrix as a systems tester, focused on validating functionality and ensuring quality. Over time, I moved into business analysis, where I discovered a passion for bridging the gap between business needs and technology solutions. Today, as Manager of Systems of Record, I have the privilege of leading a talented team that supports large-scale transformation efforts across a nationwide organization of approximately 2,700 team members.

What has become increasingly clear throughout my career is that successful transformation is never about technology alone. Organizations often focus on the systems being replaced, the platforms being implemented or the capabilities being delivered. While those elements are important, the real challenge lies in understanding how a change will affect the people doing the work, the processes that support them and the decisions that support, and truly drive the business.

That is where business analysts create value.

Early in my career, business analysts were viewed primarily as requirements experts and documentation specialists. While those responsibilities remain intact, today's business analysts play a much more strategic role. We help stakeholders define objectives, evaluate impacts, identify risks, facilitate difficult decisions and maintain alignment between business goals and technology execution. In many ways, the modern business analyst has become a transformation leader.

At the same time, artificial intelligence is changing how we perform our work. Like many organizations, we continue to explore ways AI can improve productivity and enhance decision making. As a leader, I believe it is important not only to embrace these emerging technologies, but also to help others navigate them thoughtfully. That mindset extends beyond the workplace and into my home, where my husband and I are raising two teenage daughters. We frequently discuss how AI is changing the world around us and how important it is to use these tools responsibly. I remind them that technology can provide answers, but it cannot replace the ability to ask good questions, think critically or make important decisions. Interestingly, those same qualities are what continue to make great business analysts valuable in the age of AI.

I often tell my team that curiosity is becoming one of the most important professional skills we can possess.

“Technology can provide answers, but it cannot replace the ability to ask good questions, think critically or make important decisions.”

AI is already changing how analysts approach many of their daily responsibilities. Tasks such as drafting requirements, summarizing information, analyzing documentation, reviewing content for quality and identifying potential gaps can now be completed significantly faster. This allows analysts to spend less time on administrative activities and more time focusing on strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement and problem solving.

However, AI has also reinforced something I have long believed: technology does not replace relationships. While AI can generate content and identify patterns, it cannot build trust with stakeholders. It cannot read the room during a difficult conversation, understand the history behind a decision or replace the human judgment that often determines whether a transformation succeeds or fails. Those responsibilities remain firmly in the hands of people.

As AI continues to advance, I believe the analysts who thrive in the future will be those who can combine business insight, leadership and sound judgment with the effective use of AI. The most successful analysts will combine strategic perspective, technical knowledge, communication abilities, change leadership and AI proficiency. They will know how to leverage technology while maintaining a relentless focus on business value and human connection.

Looking back over my 28 years at Reliance Matrix, I have witnessed immense changes in technology, processes and customer expectations. Yet one thing has remained constant: Organizations succeed when they bring people, strategy and technology together in meaningful ways.

As we continue our evolution through initiatives like Shinka and navigate the opportunities presented by AI, I am more convinced than ever that the business analyst profession has never been more relevant. In the age of AI, the next-generation business analyst is not simply documenting transformation. They are helping lead it.

Reliance Matrix is a branding name representing the integration of Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, an A++ rated insurance carrier; Matrix Absence Management, a leading absence management TPA; and their affiliates. Reliance Matrix is a member of the Tokio Marine Group, one of the world's oldest and largest insurance organizations.