Five or ten years ago, the common career advice to business analysts was that to be promoted, you should become a project manager. Today, business analysis professionals have myriad career options.

We all know what it’s like to be frustrated with someone else when that person isn’t being as responsive as we would like. It’s especially easy to do when our own work or responsibilities are on the line. In this tale from Naomi Karten, she shows that a lack of response doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of care and explains how very important it is to have the full story before you get too worked up.

“Business analyst” is not a distinct role on Scrum or other agile teams. And yet, the goal for the team—to deliver high-valued product needs—requires strong business analysis skills. Ellen Gottesdiener and Mary Gorman describe the vital analysis work needed reach the goal, regardless of role.

Teams trying out Scrum might not be able to justify a full-time ScrumMaster to the organization, so the role is filled by a contributor on the team. This can be a challenge and, if done incorrectly, a problem. Learn some potential issues to be aware of and how to make the hybrid role work.