Agile and Scrum for Business Analysts: What Every Beginner Needs to Know

If you are planning to become a Business Analyst, there is one phrase you will probably hear sooner than you expect:

“We work in Agile.”

You will see it in Business Analyst job descriptions, hear it during interviews, encounter it in project meetings and come across it in Business Analysis training.

And if you are new to the field, it can sound a little intimidating.

What exactly is Agile?
Is Scrum the same thing?
What does a Business Analyst actually do in a Scrum team?
Do you need to know how to code?

The good news is that you do not need to become a software developer to understand Agile and Scrum.

You simply need to understand how modern teams organise work, solve problems, respond to change and deliver value.

For aspiring Business Analysts, Agile and Scrum are important because they provide a practical environment where your core skills — problem-solving, requirements analysis, communication, stakeholder management and process improvement — can make a real difference.

In this guide, we will break down Agile and Scrum for beginners, explain the role of a Business Analyst in an Agile environment and show you what you should actually learn if you are preparing for your first Business Analyst role.

What Is Agile?

Let's start with the simplest definition.

Agile is a mindset for delivering products and solving problems in an environment where requirements can change.

The Agile Manifesto emphasises four core values:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

Notice something important here.

Agile does not mean “do things quickly.”

It means being able to learn, adapt and deliver value continuously rather than assuming that everything can be perfectly predicted at the beginning of a project.

Agile vs. traditional project delivery

Imagine going to a restaurant and ordering a four-course meal.

You tell the chef exactly what you want and then say:

“Don't show me anything until all four courses are finished.”

Two hours later, the food arrives — and you discover the soup is too salty, the steak is overcooked and the dessert is not what you expected.

By then, changing everything is expensive and frustrating.

Now imagine a different approach.

You taste the soup while it is being prepared. You give feedback. The chef adjusts the seasoning.

The meal is developed through feedback rather than one enormous final delivery.

That is the basic idea behind Agile.

Instead of waiting until the end to discover whether the solution meets the customer's needs, teams aim to deliver smaller increments, gather feedback and adapt along the way.

The Agile principles also emphasise early and continuous delivery, welcoming changing requirements, frequent delivery and regular reflection on how teams can become more effective.

Is Agile Only for Software Developers?

No.

Although Agile emerged from software development, Agile ways of working have expanded into many areas of business.

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) notes that Agile business analysis can be applied beyond software development and across different business domains where organisations need to respond to change quickly.

That is particularly relevant to Business Analysts.

A Business Analyst is concerned with understanding:

• Business problems
• Stakeholder needs
• Processes
• Requirements
• Opportunities
• Constraints
• Potential solutions
• Business value

Those responsibilities do not disappear simply because a team adopts Agile.

In many cases, they become even more important.

So, What Is Scrum?

If Agile is the mindset, Scrum is one framework that teams can use to put Agile principles into practice.

Think of it this way:

Agile = the mindset
Scrum = a framework for working within that mindset

Scrum is designed for complex work where teams need to inspect results, learn from what happens and adapt their approach.

The official Scrum Guide describes Scrum as a lightweight framework for generating value through adaptive solutions to complex problems. It is based on empiricism — learning from experience — and uses an iterative and incremental approach.

What is a Sprint?

Scrum organises work into fixed-length periods called Sprints.

A Sprint can last for one month or less. Many teams use two-week Sprints, although the exact length depends on the organisation and product.

During the Sprint, the team works towards a specific goal and produces a usable Increment of value.

The idea is simple:

Plan → Build → Inspect → Learn → Adapt → Repeat

This gives teams regular opportunities to discover what is working and what needs to change.

Agile vs. Scrum: What's the Difference?

This is one of the most common questions beginners ask.

Here's the easiest way to remember it:

Agile

Scrum

A mindset and set of values

A specific framework

Focuses on adaptability and customer value

Provides a structure for delivering value

Includes broad principles

Defines accountabilities, events and artifacts

Can be applied in different ways

Has defined Scrum rules

Not a single methodology

One framework used to support Agile ways of working

So when someone says:

“Our team is Agile.”

They are describing how the team approaches work.

When they say:

“Our team uses Scrum.”

They are describing the framework they use to organise that work.

Where Does the Business Analyst Fit Into Scrum?

This is where things get interesting.

You may hear people say:

“There is no Business Analyst role in Scrum.”

Technically, that statement has some truth.

The official Scrum Guide defines three accountabilities within the Scrum Team:

1. Product Owner
2. Scrum Master
3. Developers

There is no separate official Scrum accountability called “Business Analyst.”

But that does not mean Business Analysts are unnecessary.

In real organisations, Business Analysts can work alongside Product Owners, Scrum Masters and Developers, depending on how the organisation structures its teams.

A BA may help the team:

• Understand business problems
• Elicit requirements
• Analyse processes
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions
• Break down complex requirements
• Write or refine user stories
• Define acceptance criteria
• Identify business rules
• Clarify edge cases
• Support testing
• Analyse impacts of proposed changes
• Communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders

The exact responsibilities vary from organisation to organisation.

In some companies, a Product Owner performs many Business Analysis activities.

In others, a Business Analyst works closely with the Product Owner as a dedicated team member.

And in some environments, the BA may eventually move into roles such as Product Owner, Product Manager or Business Systems Analyst.

That is why understanding the work of Business Analysis is more important than memorising job titles.

What Does an Agile Business Analyst Actually Do?

At its heart, Agile Business Analysis is still about one important question:

What problem are we trying to solve, and how can we create the most valuable solution?

The IIBA's Agile Extension to the BABOK Guide describes Agile business analysis as an approach focused on delivering business and customer value through continuous feedback, learning and adaptation.

A Business Analyst might therefore spend their time:

1. Understanding the problem

Before discussing solutions, you need to understand the problem.

For example:

A bank may notice that customers abandon an online account-opening process halfway through.

The BA might investigate:

• Where are customers dropping off?
• What information are they struggling to provide?
• Which process steps are confusing?
• What business rules affect the application?
• What do customer service teams hear from users?
• What does the existing process look like?

The goal is not to immediately jump to:

“Let's build a new application.”

The goal is to understand the actual problem first.

2. Gathering and analysing requirements

Business Analysts work with stakeholders to understand what the organisation needs.

In an Agile environment, requirements are often refined progressively rather than being treated as a giant document that must be completed before development begins.

You may work with:

• User stories
• Acceptance criteria
• Business rules
• Process maps
• Use cases
• Wireframes
• Workflow diagrams
• Prototypes

The level of detail depends on what the team needs to make a good decision and move the work forward.

3. Translating business needs

Imagine a stakeholder says:

“Customers need a faster way to complete registration.”

That sounds simple.

But what does “faster” actually mean?

Does it mean:

• Fewer screens?
• Fewer required fields?
• Faster system response?
• Social login?
• Automatic document verification?
• Better instructions?
• Fewer approval steps?

This is where Business Analysis becomes valuable.

You turn vague business needs into something a team can understand, investigate and potentially build.

Understanding the Scrum Team

The Scrum Team consists of a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Developers. The team is designed to be cross-functional and self-managing, with everyone working towards a common Product Goal.

Product Owner

The Product Owner is accountable for maximising the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog.

A Product Owner typically makes decisions about what should be prioritised based on product value.

Scrum Master

The Scrum Master helps establish Scrum and supports the team's effectiveness.

They help the team understand Scrum, remove impediments and support continuous improvement.

Developers

In Scrum, Developers are the people responsible for creating the usable Increment.

The term “Developers” is broader than simply “software engineers.” The specific skills within the team depend on the product and the work being delivered.

Where does the BA fit?

The Business Analyst can support all three areas through analysis, clarification and collaboration.

For example, the BA might:

Work with the Product Owner to understand priorities.

Work with Developers to clarify requirements and acceptance criteria.

Work with the Scrum Master to facilitate effective collaboration and remove ambiguity.

This makes the BA a valuable connector between business needs, stakeholder expectations and product delivery.

Scrum Events Every Beginner Business Analyst Should Know

If you are preparing for a Business Analyst interview, you should understand the major Scrum events.

And no, you do not need to memorise complicated definitions.

Focus on understanding why each event exists.

1. Sprint Planning

Sprint Planning happens at the beginning of a Sprint.

The team discusses what can be achieved during the Sprint and how the work will be approached.

As a Business Analyst, you may help by:

• Clarifying requirements
• Explaining business rules
• Answering stakeholder-related questions
• Discussing acceptance criteria
• Identifying dependencies
• Highlighting edge cases

The objective is not simply to fill the Sprint with tasks.

The team needs a clear understanding of the Sprint Goal and the value it is trying to create.

2. Daily Scrum

The Daily Scrum is a short event used by Developers to inspect progress towards the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan.

The Scrum Guide defines it as a 15-minute event for Developers.

As a BA, you may not be required to attend every Daily Scrum.

However, if you are actively contributing to Sprint work, your presence may help the team quickly resolve requirement questions or identify issues.

The important lesson for beginners:

The Daily Scrum is not supposed to be a long status-report meeting.

It exists to help the team coordinate and adapt.

3. Sprint Review

This is where the team and stakeholders inspect what was achieved during the Sprint and discuss what should happen next.

For a Business Analyst, this is particularly valuable.

You can help stakeholders:

• Understand what was delivered
• Ask meaningful questions
• Provide feedback
• Identify changes in business needs
• Discuss future priorities

The Scrum Guide describes the Sprint Review as a working session rather than simply a presentation.

That distinction matters.

A good Sprint Review is not:

“Look at what we built. Goodbye.”

It is:

“Here is what we learned. What should we do next?”

4. Sprint Retrospective

The Retrospective focuses on how the team worked.

The team reflects on:

• What went well?
• What did not go well?
• What could be improved?
• What changes should we make?

The Scrum Guide states that the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness.

For a Business Analyst, this is a great opportunity to identify problems in requirements gathering, communication, stakeholder engagement or processes.

What Is Backlog Refinement?

Backlog refinement is another concept every aspiring Agile Business Analyst should understand.

The Product Backlog contains the work that may be needed to improve the product.

Refinement is the ongoing activity of adding detail, breaking down items and improving the understanding of upcoming work.

For example, imagine a Product Backlog item says:

“Improve customer payments.”

That's far too broad.

A BA may help investigate what “improve payments” actually means.

It could eventually become several smaller pieces of work, such as:

• Allow customers to save payment methods
• Add payment confirmation notifications
• Support additional payment methods
• Improve failed-payment messaging
• Allow customers to retry failed transactions

The BA helps the team move from ambiguity to clarity.

User Stories: A Skill Every Beginner BA Should Learn

You will probably encounter user stories frequently when working in Agile environments.

A common format is:

As a [user], I want [capability], so that [benefit].

For example:

As an online banking customer, I want to receive a payment confirmation notification so that I know my transaction was successful.

The sentence itself is not the entire requirement.

A good Business Analyst will also explore:

• Who is the user?
• What exactly should happen?
• What happens if the transaction fails?
• What business rules apply?
• What information should the notification contain?
• What channels should be supported?
• What does “successful” mean?
• How will we know the requirement has been met?

This is where acceptance criteria become important.

Example acceptance criteria

A payment notification might require that:

• The customer receives a notification after a successful payment.
• The notification includes the transaction amount.
• The notification includes the transaction date.
• Failed transactions do not trigger a successful-payment notification.

The exact criteria depend on the product and business requirements.

The point is to make the expected outcome clear enough for the team to build and test.

Agile Business Analysis Is Not “No Documentation”

This is another misconception beginners should avoid.

Agile values working software over comprehensive documentation, but that does not mean documentation has no place.

The Agile Manifesto says there is value in the items on the right — including documentation — while prioritising the items on the left.

The better question is:

“What documentation does the team actually need?”

A Business Analyst may create or contribute to:

• Process maps
• User stories
• Acceptance criteria
• Business rules
• Requirements documentation
• Use cases
• Data-flow diagrams
• Stakeholder maps
• Workflow diagrams
• Functional specifications

The goal is not to create documents for the sake of creating documents.

The goal is to create enough clarity to support good decisions and successful delivery.

Agile Skills That Can Make You a Better Business Analyst

If you are transitioning into Business Analysis from another career, you may already have many of the skills Agile teams need.

Communication

Can you explain a complex idea clearly?

Can you communicate with both technical and non-technical people?

That is valuable.

Active listening

A stakeholder may tell you what they think the solution should be.

Your job is to listen carefully enough to uncover the problem underneath the proposed solution.

Critical thinking

You need to question assumptions.

“Why do we need this?”

“What problem does this solve?”

“What happens if we don't do it?”

Those questions are powerful.

Problem-solving

Agile teams encounter ambiguity constantly.

Business Analysts help turn that ambiguity into structured problems that can be explored and solved.

Stakeholder management

Different stakeholders may want completely different things.

A good BA helps people find clarity and alignment.

Adaptability

Requirements change.

Markets change.

Customers change.

Priorities change.

Agile Business Analysts need to be comfortable learning and adapting.

What If You Are Coming From a Non-Tech Background?

This is where things get encouraging.

You do not necessarily need a traditional technology background to start building Business Analysis skills.

Someone from banking may already understand financial processes, compliance and customer journeys.

Someone from healthcare may understand clinical workflows, patient experiences and operational challenges.

Someone from customer service may already understand customer pain points, communication and problem resolution.

Someone from administration may have experience with processes, documentation, coordination and stakeholder management.

The technology can be learned.

Your existing experience can become context.

That is one reason Business Analysis can be an attractive career path for career changers.

At 10Alytics, we often describe Business Analysis as a career built around understanding problems, analysing processes and helping organisations make better decisions — not simply writing technical requirements.

You can read more about the role in our guide to what Business Analysts actually do in digital transformation.

Agile and Scrum Skills to Learn as a Beginner

If you are just starting your Business Analyst journey, do not overwhelm yourself by trying to learn every Agile framework at once.

Start with the fundamentals.

Learn these Agile concepts:

• Agile mindset
• Agile Manifesto
• Iterative development
• Incremental delivery
• Continuous feedback
• Responding to change
• Customer collaboration
• Continuous improvement

Learn these Scrum concepts:

• Scrum Team
• Product Owner
• Scrum Master
• Developers
• Sprint
• Sprint Planning
• Daily Scrum
• Sprint Review
• Sprint Retrospective
• Product Backlog
• Sprint Backlog
• Product Goal
• Sprint Goal
• Increment
• Definition of Done

The official Scrum Guide is an excellent starting point because it provides the formal definition of Scrum and its accountabilities, events and artifacts.

You can also explore the IIBA's Agile Extension to the BABOK Guide, which specifically addresses how Business Analysis can be practised with an Agile mindset.

How to Prepare for an Agile Business Analyst Interview

If you are preparing for your first Business Analyst interview, knowing definitions is not enough.

You should be able to explain how you would apply your knowledge.

For example, an interviewer might ask:

“What would you do if a stakeholder changed a requirement halfway through a Sprint?”

Instead of simply saying:

“Agile allows change.”

Explain how you would approach the situation.

You might say that you would first understand the reason for the change, assess its impact, discuss the implications with the relevant team members and Product Owner, and determine the appropriate way to prioritise or handle the work without unnecessarily putting the Sprint Goal at risk.

That demonstrates something much more valuable than memorisation:

judgement.

For more guidance, check out our article on what employers actually want from junior tech talent.

Common Agile and Scrum Mistakes Beginners Make

Before we wrap up, here are a few misconceptions worth leaving behind.

Mistake 1: “Agile means no planning.”

Agile involves planning.

The difference is that planning happens continuously and can adapt as the team learns.

Mistake 2: “Scrum means having a Daily Standup.”

A Daily Scrum is only one Scrum event.

Scrum also includes the Sprint, Sprint Planning, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective.

Mistake 3: “Agile means requirements don't matter.”

Quite the opposite.

Teams still need clarity about what they are building and why.

The way requirements are discovered, refined and communicated may simply be more iterative.

Mistake 4: “A Business Analyst is not needed in Agile.”

The BA is not a formal Scrum accountability, but Business Analysis activities remain valuable.

The way those responsibilities are distributed depends on the organisation and team structure.

Mistake 5: “I need to learn everything before applying for jobs.”

You don't.

You need a strong foundation, practical understanding and the ability to demonstrate what you know.

Final Thoughts: Agile Is a Way of Thinking

Agile and Scrum can sound complicated when you first encounter the terminology.

Sprints.

Backlogs.

User stories.

Acceptance criteria.

Retrospectives.

Scrum Masters.

Product Owners.

It can feel like learning an entirely new language.

But underneath all the terminology is a relatively simple idea:

Understand the problem. Build something valuable. Get feedback. Learn. Improve. Repeat.

That is why Agile matters for Business Analysts.

Your job is not simply to collect requirements and turn them into documents.

Your job is to understand people, processes and problems.

You ask better questions.

You challenge assumptions.

You create clarity.

You help stakeholders and delivery teams understand one another.

And ultimately, you help organisations build solutions that solve real problems.

If you are beginning your Business Analysis career, learning Agile and Scrum is a smart investment. But don't learn them simply because they appear in job descriptions.

Learn them because they teach you how modern teams think, collaborate and deliver value.

And remember:

The best Business Analysts are not the people who can recite the most frameworks.

They are the people who know how to apply the right approach to solve the right problem.

Ready to Start Your Business Analyst Journey?

If you're considering Business Analysis as your next career move, you don't have to figure everything out alone.

Explore the 10Alytics Business Analysis Programme to build practical Business Analysis skills, work on real-world projects and develop the confidence to pursue opportunities in the field.

You can also explore our Business Analyst career path guide to understand the roles, skills and career progression available in Business Analysis.

Your career doesn't have to start with a perfect plan.

Sometimes, it starts with learning one skill that opens the door to the next opportunity.