Check out Software Process and Measurement Cast 278. SPaMCAST 278 features our interview with Diane Zajac-Woodie discussing the role of the business analyst (BA) in Agile. Scrum is mute on the topic of the BA, does that that mean the BAs should pack their bags and look for re-training options? Single word answer, no. The BA role is an important driver of facilitation and communication. Diane clearly lays out not only what the BA should be doing in an Agile project but what is possible with a little facilitation. Diane Zajac-Woodie (also known as @agilesquirrel on Twitter – explained in the podcast) has spent the last six years redefining the business analyst role as more than a requirements dictator. Through open and honest conversations, Diane guides her business partners toward creative solutions that solve problems and eliminate waste. She shares this same approach with her technical teams, facilitating communication, cooperation, and continuous learning to ensure success. Diane craves knowledge almost as much as chocolate and would make question-asking an Olympic sport. Her recent passion is to free those mired in the status quo even if she has to pull them out one at a time. Diane’s alter ego makes her thoughts transparent on her blog, http://agilesquirrel.blogspot.com/. Diane is currently a co-chair for the Collaboration, Culture and Teams track for Agile2014. She is giving her BA talk at Agile and Beyond 2014 in February and will be speaking at the Agile Development Conference West in June. Remember to register for the "Influential Agile Leader" events led by Johanna Rothman and Gil Broza. Check out the full details at www.InfluentialAgileLeader.com Get in touch with us anytime or leave a comment here on the blog. Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating it on iTunes. It helps people find the cast. Like us on Facebook while you’re at it. Next week we will feature our essay on Agile and risk. Risk or risk management and Agile are topics that many might think of as an oxymoron when combined. However in the SPaMCAST 279 we will show how Agile Risk Management can be used to improve the value projects deliver! The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the IT Metrics and Productivity Institute (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI's mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world's leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up here. All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Support SPaMCAST by buying the book here. Available in English and Chinese.