> In business, it's much better to 'bother the professor' regularly and check in affirmatively on whether the assignment has changed

This is definitely management's responsibility. If they assign a task and let it continue after it has become obsolete, what kind of management is that?

> As a junior employee, you're not going to know the full business context of what makes sense

Agreed. I would add that explaining enough business context is also management's responsibility.