Fiona Dobson’s career has been shaped by a passion for continuous improvement and a drive to make work more efficient, effective, and meaningful. With a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems, she started her journey as a Toolsmith, developing software tools to support Defence projects. It was in this role that she discovered her passion for Process Improvement—an area that would define much of her career. Over the years, she has worked across major Defence contractors in engineering and business improvement roles, spent time as an independent consultant across Government, Defence, and the Not-for-Profit sector, and taken on challenges that pushed her outside her comfort zone. What has remained constant is her love for consulting and the opportunity to add value in diverse environments.
While challenges have been part of the journey, Fiona takes pride in the impact she has had in enabling others to succeed. A highlight of her career was being part of the team that developed in-house Systems and Software Engineering courses at Boeing. Conducting these courses and engaging with students was incredibly rewarding, and even took her to Seattle, where she visited the famous Pike Place Fish Market—immortalised in the book Fish Tales.
Her advice to women entering Systems Engineering? “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” Looking back, she realises she often underestimated herself, but the past few years have shown her just how much she is capable of. She encourages others to work on their resilience early and not to let others limit their potential.
Fiona has seen shifts in the industry for women, but there is still progress to be made. Early in her career, her ideas were often dismissed due to her age. Now, with years of experience, she still finds herself leaving meetings feeling unheard. She believes real change will take time—potentially another generation or two—to fully take root, alongside broader societal shifts that reinforce inclusive behaviours.
At the heart of her work is the drive to find small, meaningful improvements that contribute to better outcomes. No matter her role, she always finds a way to incorporate elements of process improvement. When she needs to clear her mind, she turns to nature—a walk among the trees helps her refocus for whatever the day brings.
The best advice she has ever received? A classic from her dad: “Pain never hurt anyone.” How you choose to apply that wisdom is up to you.
If she could master any skill instantly, Fiona would choose drawing—something she loved as a child but hasn’t practiced in years. With the help of her very talented (and slightly reluctant) niece, she’s working on rebuilding her creative muscles.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate Fiona for her relentless pursuit of improvement, her ability to empower those around her, and her unwavering belief in the power of resilience.
