[hudixt]

I refer to these people as the "glue" between two departments.

At big companies, this is mostly a management issue.

Questions like these are common 1.) Is this person part of the design team or engineering team? 2.) Who does this person report to, and how is his sprint planned?

And, as a company grows in size, managing people becomes a more important issue than focusing on minor product details.

[kitsunesoba]

Perhaps the company structure needs re-evaluation if cross-discipline individuals don't have places that they neatly fit without fudging.

[asplake]

Organisation is always a compromise. Rather than seek the perfect structure, it’s better I think to address what makes structure get in the way of doing the right thing. Better structure may follow, but it’s a constant fight. Different challenges call for different people to work together.