The Autistic Business Analyst

Business Analysis · Neurodiversity · Technology

Where analytical precision meets creative thinking.

Freelance and contract business analysis support delivered with clear thinking, thoughtful communication and a neurodivergent perspective.
I am a late-diagnosed autistic business analyst who helps employers and organisations bring clarity to complex problems, improve communication and move work forward with confidence.
Alongside my client work, I want to encourage other neurodivergent aspiring analysts to recognise their strengths, navigate challenges in ways that work for them and build careers in the field with confidence.
I want this site to be both a professional platform for my services and a space for connecting with fellow neurodivergent analysts and developers, sharing ideas and creating opportunities together.
I chose the name The Autistic Business Analyst deliberately because I believe neurodivergence should not be hidden. It can bring valuable insight, focus and originality to business analysis, teamwork and problem-solving.
As this site grows, I will be sharing more about my work, my approach and my continuing development across technology and business analysis.
If you are looking for a business analyst with a thoughtful approach, an analytical mindset and an inclusive perspective, here is how I can help.

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Vision

What drives me forward

Here's what I consider to be the neurodivergent advantages that I can bring to business analysis. I don't agree with the notion that autistic traits are superpowers, and I do acknowledge that some traits can be blockers that need extra work to mitigate. This is an idea I am building on now, though, and hope to develop more as I progress.

Systems Thinking

I approach every project as an interconnected system, not a collection of isolated parts. By mapping how people, processes, data and technology interact, I uncover root causes rather than treating symptoms. This holistic view helps anticipate unintended consequences of change, reduce operational risk and design solutions that actually work in the real world. I translate complex system behaviour into clear visuals and plain language, so decision-makers can confidently choose the right path forward.

Analysis

I bring structured, rigorous analysis to messy, ambiguous problems. I break down complexity into manageable pieces, validate assumptions and turn vague ideas into clear, testable requirements. My work includes precise documentation, insightful data exploration and well-founded recommendations that are easy to trace back to evidence. I am comfortable challenging gaps and inconsistencies while remaining respectful and calm. This combination of clarity, detail and critical thinking helps organisations make better decisions and avoid costly misunderstandings.

Human-Centered Delivery

I focus on how change feels and functions for the people who use it every day. Through thoughtful questioning, collaborative workshops and clear communication, I ensure that requirements reflect real user needs, not just assumptions. I champion accessibility, psychological safety and straightforward language in documentation and training materials. By involving stakeholders early and often, I reduce resistance, build trust and help teams feel ownership of the final solution, not that change has been done to them.

Services

A deep understanding of the problem you're trying to solve is the first step in defining the solution.

Services for Employers and Clients

I offer business analysis support that helps organisations understand needs clearly, align stakeholders around the right priorities, improve processes and support better delivery. My approach is structured, thoughtful and adaptable to the goals of each client.

Requirements gathering and clarification
Stakeholder interviews and workshop facilitation
Business process mapping and process improvement analysis
Gap analysis and current-state to future-state assessment
User stories, acceptance criteria and business documentation
Support with change initiatives, solution delivery and continuous improvement

Whether you need help defining requirements, improving communication between teams or bringing more structure to a project, I can help create clarity, reduce ambiguity and support better decisions from the outset.

Why Work With Me

Good business analysis creates clarity, strengthens communication and helps organisations make better decisions. I bring a calm, structured and practical approach to understanding needs, supporting people and helping work move forward.

Clear, careful analysis focused on understanding the real problem
Strong stakeholder communication and thoughtful listening
A structured approach to requirements, processes and delivery
An inclusive and neurodivergent perspective that can bring fresh insight
A commitment to practical, usable outcomes rather than unnecessary complexity

Whether you need someone to shape ideas, clarify requirements, improve collaboration or bring more structure to delivery, I offer a dependable approach grounded in both professional purpose and lived perspective.

Let’s Work Together

If you are looking for freelance or contract business analysis support, I would be glad to hear from you. Whether you need help shaping ideas, defining requirements, improving processes or supporting delivery, I bring a thoughtful, analytical and practical approach to every piece of work.
I am open to opportunities with employers, businesses and collaborators who value clarity, insight and inclusive thinking.
If my approach sounds like a good fit for your team or project, I would welcome the opportunity to connect and explore how I can help.
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Portfolio

Case Studies

A selection of projects demonstrating my analytical approach and the tangible outcomes delivered for clients and stakeholders.

Digital Transformation

Using Data To Drive Strategy

A massive £100 million transformation project with thousands (>10k) of requirements, dozens of Agile teams, and multiple IT suppliers. Change request backlogs growing, requirements traceability stretched, test scripts unchecked.

Requirements Engineering

Managing Expectations & Risk Mitigation

When a genuine business need exists it can be difficult to push back to senior leaders, but sometimes funding cycles, policy and technical limitations align and we find ourselves in the position of needing to have those difficult conversations. Sometimes we cannot deliver what our stakeholders want.

Stakeholder Management

Breaking Process Silos

The tendering of vital comms services for a large government department can be quite fraught, errors could cost millions and return no value to taxpayers. And sometimes we discover that vital processes exist in silos that we need to be brave enough to break down.

APIs, Data & Collaboration

Cross Government Data Sharing

Collaboration is a vital skill for any business analyst and, sometimes, this extends beyond our own organisation. Joined up thinking can be rare i n public institutions, but that is changing now. We can work together to share data that makes the lives of citizens easier, and their interactions with government more efficient and painless.

About Me

Who I Am

Hi. My name is Michael. I have been a business analyst for 5 years, and have worked on 18 government projects. I have led on small and medium-sized, high-impact initiatives, supporting Senior BAs on large-scale transformation programmes. I've worked in both Waterfall and Agile methods, often "Wagile", which I never really liked to be honest. I have led on BA work myself and also worked with cross-functional teams, feeding into planning, risk management and user experience functions. I have led workshops across multiple stakeholder groups at all levels and grades. I have a strong track record of delivering projects on time and within budget.

I began my autism diagnosis journey not long after I started my previous role. I had been the unofficial IT guy in many previous jobs, and been somewhat of a computer geek for most of my life. I had so many red flags for autism that it feels a little ridiculous that it didn't occur to me much earlier in life. I only took the AQ50 and RAADS-R tests to prove my wife wrong... only to prove her right!

I have BCS Certificates in Business Change and Requirements Engineering; Certification in Information Engineering, & Pascal Programming and Programming Methodologies; and a Diploma in COBOL programming.
I am currently undertaking several courses, such as coding challenges, and am partway through AWS Cloud Support Associate certification.

Outside of work, I love reading and buying what I'm told are far too many books, as well as walks on the moors and tinkering with whatever techy thing has caught my attention recently.

Business Analysis Requirements Engineering Stakeholder Management Process Mapping Agile / Scrum Data Analysis User Stories Gap Analysis Neurodiversity Advocacy