Scrum Master Interview Questions and Answers

This section covers common Scrum Master interview questions.

1. What is Scrum?

Scrum is a lightweight Agile framework for managing and completing complex projects. It's iterative, emphasizing teamwork, flexibility, and continuous improvement. Scrum is commonly used in software development but is applicable to other fields as well.

2. What is the Daily Scrum?

The Daily Scrum is a short, time-boxed (typically 15-minute) meeting held daily by the Scrum team to discuss progress, identify impediments, and plan the day's work. It promotes transparency and collaboration.

3. Main Usage of Scrum.

Scrum helps teams learn, adapt, and improve their processes. It promotes self-organization, transparency, and continuous feedback.

4. What is Agile?

Agile is a set of principles and values that emphasize iterative development, collaboration, and responding to change. It promotes flexible planning and continuous improvement.

5. Roles in Scrum.

• Product Owner: Defines and prioritizes the product backlog (features, requirements).
• Scrum Master: Facilitates the Scrum process, removes impediments, and coaches the team.
• Scrum Team: A self-organizing team responsible for developing and delivering the product increment.

6. Responsibilities of the Scrum Team.

• Developing and delivering working software in each sprint.
• Owning and being accountable for their work.
• Effective communication in daily scrums.
• Collaboration and teamwork.

7. Agile vs. Scrum.

8. Other Agile Frameworks.

Kanban, Test-Driven Development (TDD), and Feature-Driven Development (FDD) are some other Agile frameworks.

9. Artifacts of the Scrum Process.

• Product Backlog: A prioritized list of features and requirements for the product.
• Sprint Backlog: Tasks selected from the product backlog for a specific sprint.
• Product Increment: The working software produced during a sprint, added to increments from previous sprints.

10. Product Backlog vs. Sprint Backlog.

11. Who is a Scrum Master?

A Scrum Master is a facilitator who guides the Scrum team, removes impediments, and ensures the team adheres to Scrum principles.

12. Role of a Scrum Master.

• Understanding and applying Scrum principles.
• Coaching the team.
• Removing impediments.
• Ensuring the team delivers value.

13. User Stories in Scrum.

User stories are short, simple descriptions of a software feature from the end-user's perspective (e.g., "As a customer, I want to be able to add items to my cart so that I can purchase them").

14. Daily Stand-up Meetings.

Daily stand-up meetings (scrums) are short meetings (typically 15 minutes) where the team discusses progress, identifies blockers, and plans for the day. They ensure transparency and facilitate quick problem-solving.

15. Scrum-ban.

Scrum-ban combines elements of Scrum and Kanban, blending Scrum's structure with Kanban's flexibility and visual workflow.

16. Automated Testing in Scrum.

Scrum teams often favor automated testing to accelerate feedback loops and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes.

17. Sprint 0 and Spikes.

Sprint 0 is an initial sprint used for planning, setup, and initial backlog refinement. A spike is a short investigation (research or prototyping) to reduce technical risk or gain clarity on requirements.

18. User Story Mapping.

User story mapping visually organizes user stories to provide a clear view of the product backlog, enabling better planning and prioritization.

19. Who Writes User Stories?

While the Product Owner is responsible for the product backlog, user stories can be collaboratively created by the entire team, including the Product Owner, developers, and potentially even customers or stakeholders.

20. Advantages of Writing User Stories.

Writing user stories fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration within the team. It improves communication and ensures everyone understands the requirements.

21. Scrum of Scrums (SoS).

Scrum of Scrums is a scaling technique used when multiple Scrum teams are working on a single project. It facilitates communication and coordination between teams.

22. Typical Sprint Length.

Sprints are typically 2-4 weeks long, allowing for the completion of a potentially shippable increment of the product. Shorter sprints (1 week) are possible but may not be suitable for all projects.

23. Sprint Retrospective.

A Sprint Retrospective is a meeting held after each sprint to review the past sprint, identify areas for improvement, and create action items for the next sprint.

24. Drawbacks of Using Scrum.

• Requires experienced team members and a skilled Scrum Master.
• Team commitment and collaboration are crucial.
• Well-defined tasks are essential.
• Scaling to large projects can be challenging.

25. Handling Requirement Changes.

Scrum embraces change. Changes are managed through the product backlog, ensuring transparency and alignment with stakeholder needs. Changes are evaluated, prioritized, and incorporated into future sprints or releases.

26. Dealing with Scrum Team Issues.

1. Identify the root cause of the problem.
2. Establish clear ownership.
3. Facilitate conflict resolution.
4. Maintain transparency.
5. Focus on key priorities.
6. Foster shared understanding.

27. User Stories, Epics, and Tasks.

28. Sprint and Velocity in Scrum.

A sprint is a time-boxed iteration (typically 2-4 weeks) during which a potentially shippable product increment is created. Velocity is a metric measuring the amount of work a team completes in a sprint (often expressed in story points).

29. Responsibilities of a Product Owner.

• Defining the product vision.
• Creating and prioritizing the product backlog.
• Managing the product backlog.
• Answering product-related questions.

30. Burnup and Burndown Charts.

Burnup charts show the cumulative work completed over time. Burndown charts show the remaining work to be done.

31. Estimating User Stories.

User stories are typically estimated using relative sizing techniques, such as:

• Numeric scales (1-10)
• T-shirt sizes (S, M, L, XL)
• Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ...)

32. Dealing with Scope Creep.

1. Close monitoring of work.
2. Clear communication of vision and priorities.
3. Regular review of requirements.
4. Formal change management process.
5. Avoid unnecessary features ("gold plating").

33. Types of Risks in Scrum.

(This section would list various types of risks, such as budget, team skills, sprint duration, and requirements clarity.)

34. MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and MMP (Minimal Marketable Product).

MVP is a product with just enough features to attract early-adopter customers and validate a product idea. MMP is a product with minimal features to satisfy customer requirements and get the product to market quickly.

35. Scrum Master as a Management Position.

The Scrum Master is a leadership role, not a management role in the traditional sense. They facilitate the Scrum process and support the team rather than directly managing individuals.

36. Tracking Sprint Progress.

The Scrum Master tracks sprint progress through:

• Daily scrums
• Sprint reviews
• Sprint retrospectives
• Burndown charts
• Velocity tracking

37. Phases of Risk Management.

1. Risk identification
2. Risk analysis
3. Risk response planning
4. Risk monitoring and control
5. Risk closure

38. Definition of Ready (DoR).

The Definition of Ready is a shared understanding between the Product Owner and development team about the criteria a user story must meet to be considered ready for the sprint.

39. Parameters for a Ready User Story.

• Approved by the Product Owner.
• Dependencies identified.
• Clear acceptance criteria.
• Sufficient detail for development and testing.
• Performance requirements specified.
• Written in a clear format (e.g., As a..., I want..., so that...).
• Demonstrability understood.

40. Definition of Done (DoD).

The Definition of Done (DoD) is a checklist of criteria that must be met for a user story or product backlog item to be considered complete. It ensures consistent quality and helps define the deliverables for a sprint.

Uses of DoD:

• Defining sprint completion criteria.
• Improving process efficiency.
• Facilitating timely feedback.
• Ensuring clear understanding of requirements.
• Creating a checklist for tasks.
• Involving the Product Owner in reviews.

41. Servant Leadership and the Scrum Master.

Servant leadership emphasizes service to the team. A Scrum Master acts as a servant leader by supporting the team, removing obstacles, coaching, mentoring, and empowering them to self-organize and make decisions.

42. Coordinating Multiple Teams.

Scrum of Scrums (SoS) is a common method for coordinating multiple Scrum teams. Representatives from each team meet regularly to share progress, discuss challenges, and coordinate their work.

43. Increasing Development Team Productivity.

A Scrum Master increases productivity by:

• Removing impediments.
• Facilitating decision-making.
• Protecting the team from distractions.
• Promoting self-organization.