I feel like it's the opposite. In an AOE meta (still not sure it's an AOE meta, https://swgoh.gg/meta-report/#all) your whole team gets smacked around through the first wave. So in my point, her equalize, plus an additional 15% goes back to each, basically erasing the second and more dangerous AOE wave from your opponent. Then, if omega'd, you can top off with defense up for 2 turns on everyone as well.
She hits soft, yes. So you're wasting a slot for someone who can do more damage but ultimately she would save your DPS whether she was cannon-fodder, or non-target, she either takes the hits like a tank or heals whoever did take those hits.
So my theory, is that if you maxed out Barriss, Omega her basic for 15% damage increase, and omega her heal for defense up, then pile her with offense mods with speed and/or health secondaries, she's viable all over again.
Doing some numbers, she still has one of the highest baseline healthpools out of all characters. Base is 24K with no mods. If she still has a protection line, her HP could equalize out a double-Lando salute, and an Anakin high-school shove. Almost as if they never happened. Now if she's modded to hit 34-36K HP, even better. The more I think about it, this may be key for those struggling with GW.
Again, I'm just bouncing around ideas here. This thread is meant for slight debates, off the wall ideas, or hate. It's all the same when figuring something out.