agile scrum master Interview Questions and Answers

100 Agile Scrum Master Interview Questions and Answers
  1. What is Scrum?

    • Answer: Scrum is a lightweight, iterative, and incremental framework for managing complex work, often used for software development. It emphasizes empirical process control, teamwork, accountability, and iterative progress toward a well-defined goal. It uses short cycles (Sprints) to deliver value incrementally.
  2. Explain the Scrum framework roles.

    • Answer: The three core roles in Scrum are:
      • Product Owner: Responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They create and manage the Product Backlog.
      • Scrum Master: Serves the Scrum Team and helps them adopt and improve Scrum practices. They remove impediments and facilitate the Scrum events.
      • Development Team: A self-organizing and cross-functional team responsible for delivering the product increment.
  3. What are the Scrum events?

    • Answer: The five Scrum events are:
      • Sprint Planning: The team plans the work for the upcoming Sprint.
      • Daily Scrum: A short daily meeting for the Development Team to synchronize activities and plan the next 24 hours.
      • Sprint Review: A meeting to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed.
      • Sprint Retrospective: A meeting to inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to the processes and the Scrum Team's performance, identifying improvements for the next Sprint.
      • Product Backlog Refinement: An ongoing activity to clarify, estimate, and order items in the Product Backlog.
  4. What is the Product Backlog?

    • Answer: The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that might be needed in the product and/or system under development. It is owned by the Product Owner and is constantly evolving.
  5. What is a Sprint?

    • Answer: A Sprint is a time-boxed iteration (typically 2-4 weeks) during which a "Done", useable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created.
  6. What are the Scrum values?

    • Answer: The Scrum values are: Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect.
  7. What is an impediment? How do you handle them?

    • Answer: An impediment is anything that prevents the Scrum Team from completing their work. As a Scrum Master, I would identify, document, and escalate impediments. I would work with the team and stakeholders to remove the impediment, ensuring timely resolution.
  8. How do you facilitate a Sprint Retrospective?

    • Answer: I would facilitate a Sprint Retrospective using a structured approach, such as using a specific framework like Start-Stop-Continue, or a retrospective template to guide the discussion. I encourage open communication, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving. The goal is to identify areas for improvement and create actionable plans.
  9. Explain the difference between Scrum and Kanban.

    • Answer: Scrum is a framework with defined roles, events, and artifacts, while Kanban is a method for visualizing workflow and limiting work in progress. Scrum uses time-boxed iterations (Sprints), while Kanban is continuous. Kanban is often used to supplement Scrum, or as a standalone method.
  10. How do you handle a conflict between team members?

    • Answer: I would facilitate a constructive conversation between the conflicting parties, ensuring a safe and respectful environment. I would encourage active listening and help them understand each other's perspectives. The goal is to find a mutually agreeable solution, focusing on the problem, not the person.

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