18 July 2024 Ancient Practices Transforming Workplaces

An innovative Queensland management system is helping businesses to walk the talk of Reconciliation.

A Queensland Management System for Reconciliation

Biripi man Kieran Shirey’s skills in IT and storytelling, with more than a dash of Aboriginal humour, is behind a unique business management system. Together with partner Natalia Florez, their business LOGiT has created weavr. The only Indigenous designed software system in Australia that helps organisations embed reconciliation into their workplaces.

From Spreadsheets to Movement

“When Reconciliation strategies first started appearing they were pretty simple and could be managed by one or two people,” Kieran explains.

“A couple of spreadsheets, a few charts and some Word documents was a workable arrangement for quite a while, but it’s grown exponentially, and part of a core element of a business.”

Reconciliation commitments now have numerous milestones and outcomes such as increasing employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, procuring goods and services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses, creating culturally safe workplaces and increasing the understanding and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledges and rights.

Building weavr. Collaboration and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge

Aboriginal staff from CSIRO, MEGT and Advance Queensland reached out to Kieran and Natalia for a solution to the increasingly complex, time and labour-intensive process.

“We collaborated with the founding partners, listening, learning, shaping and testing to create weavr. a business management system built by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

“Creating opportunities for family and mob always drives me. This is about turning reconciliation from a buzz word or moment, into a movement, building momentum as we see solid outcomes.”

“Weavr. is about helping organisations embed reconciliation across all levels, from the boardroom to worksites, so Indigenous culture is at the forefront of decision-making rather than an afterthought.”

Weavr. collects information into a central system, relieving some of the administrative burden, tracking targets, and providing reports with a bird’s-eye view of how the strategy is unfolding over time, and in real time, with details on trends and forecasts.

“You can all be on the same page and see where there have been great periods and not-so-great periods. This opens up room for improvement, growth and celebration.”

Songlines: A Visual Representation of Reconciliation

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being, knowing and doing was critical to the design which features Songlines, as a way to visually track an organisation’s reconciliation journey.

“As a Biripi man I have my Songlines that cross my Country with important sites, sacred places and creation stories. Songlines also connect me with neighbouring Aboriginal nations and show where we traded and came together for ceremony and celebrations.”

“Songlines in weavr. visually track an organisation’s reconciliation journey that helps to build momentum, keep people excited and energised about the process, rather than feeling like it’s something cumbersome or an added difficulty in their daily lives.”

“Songlines is a critical tool to encourage everyone within the organisation to keep raising the bar and expecting more of themselves, the journey just keeps going.”

For Kieran and Natalia, the weavr. family is also creating its own Songline that is grounded in and gives back to community, from sponsoring football teams and symposiums on abolition, to weaving workshops and attendance at marches.

“Weavr. is built on the foundations of weaving, a practice our people have been doing since time immemorial, passing on stories and knowledge while gathering materials and making creations.

“One strand by itself is weak. But many strands together are strong. Weaving these strong strands in an interlacing pattern shows how these interconnected elements are critical to the integrity of the piece.”

“Bringing reconciliation partners together through weavr. we are building a strong movement, by connecting, learning, listening and sharing.”

“Weavr. represents these many elements. We are showing how Aboriginal techniques and practices can help bring modern and practical solutions into the workplace.”

Advance Queensland: Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Innovation and Pathways

Advance Queensland is committed to creating pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and innovators to turn ideas into reality. The Deadly Innovation fund provided support for LOGiT to develop weavr.

Read Advance Queensland’s Deadly Innovation strategy to find out more about how we’re planning to deliver jobs and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.