200+ Scrum Master Interview Questions and Answers

Different types of status codes in API include 1xx informational, 2xx success, 3xx redirection, 4xx client error, and 5xx server error.

• 1xx status codes are informational responses

• 2xx status codes indicate success

• 3xx status codes indicate redirection

• 4xx status codes indicate client errors

• 5xx status codes indicate server errors

In the absence of a Product Owner, the Scrum Master or team may need to prioritize user stories collaboratively.

• The Scrum Master can facilitate discussions to help the team understand priorities.

• The development team can collectively assess the value and effort of user stories.

• Stakeholders may be consulted to provide input on priorities.

• Using techniques like MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have) can help in prioritization.

• Example: If a critical bug is identif...read more

The INVEST criteria helps ensure user stories are well-structured, but flexibility is key for non-testable stories.

• I: Independent - User stories should be self-contained. Example: A user story for a login feature should not depend on a user profile story.

• N: Negotiable - User stories should allow for discussion and changes. Example: The details of a report generation feature can evolve based on feedback.

• V: Valuable - Each story should deliver value to the user. Example: A user...read more

Agile is iterative and flexible, while Waterfall is linear and structured, impacting project delivery and adaptability.

• Agile promotes iterative development, allowing for frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans.

• Waterfall follows a linear sequence: requirements, design, implementation, verification, maintenance.

• In Agile, testing occurs concurrently with development, enabling immediate feedback and adjustments.

• Example: In Agile, a team may release a product increment every...read more

Yes, OSS and BSS stand for Operations Support System and Business Support System respectively.

• OSS is responsible for managing and maintaining the network infrastructure.

• BSS is responsible for managing customer-facing activities like billing and customer service.

• Both systems are critical for the smooth functioning of a telecom or IT organization.

• Examples of OSS include network inventory management and fault management systems.

• Examples of BSS include billing systems and custome...read more

Listen to their concerns, collaborate to find a solution, and prioritize based on business value.

• Listen actively to understand their concerns

• Collaborate with the team to find a solution that meets both the product owner's needs and the team's capabilities

• Prioritize based on business value and impact on the product

• Communicate transparently with the product owner and stakeholders throughout the process

• Be open to feedback and willing to adjust plans as needed

The Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint if the Sprint goal becomes obsolete.

• The Product Owner assesses the value of the Sprint goal and can decide to cancel if it no longer aligns with business needs.

• For example, if a major market shift occurs, the current Sprint goal may no longer be relevant.

• The Scrum Team should be involved in the discussion, but the final decision rests with the Product Owner.

• Canceling a Sprint is a rare event and should be communicated c...read more

Story points are a unit of measure used in Agile project management to estimate the effort required to complete a user story.

• Story points are relative estimates of effort, not time.

• They are assigned to user stories during sprint planning.

• They take into account factors such as complexity, risk, and uncertainty.

• They help the team to plan and track progress more effectively.

• Examples of story point values include 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, and 100.

Address the concerns and facilitate a discussion to reach a consensus

• Encourage open communication and active listening among team members

• Facilitate a discussion to understand the reasoning behind each team member's perspective

• Help the team explore alternative solutions and weigh the pros and cons of each option

• Guide the team towards reaching a consensus that aligns with the project goals and technical requirements

I use various techniques such as Mad Sad Glad, Start Stop Continue, and 4Ls for Sprint retrospective.

• Mad Sad Glad: team members write down what made them mad, sad, or glad during the sprint and discuss it as a group

• Start Stop Continue: team members identify what they should start doing, stop doing, and continue doing in the next sprint

• 4Ls: team members write down what they liked, learned, lacked, and longed for during the sprint and discuss it as a group

Scrum is an agile framework for managing and completing complex projects.

• Scrum involves a team-based approach to project management

• It emphasizes on iterative and incremental development

• It involves regular meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint review, and retrospective

• It uses artifacts such as product backlog, sprint backlog, and burn-down charts

• It promotes transparency, inspection, and adaptation

The 3 pillars of the Scrum framework are transparency, inspection, and adaptation.

• Transparency: All aspects of the process must be visible to those responsible for the outcome.

• Inspection: Scrum artifacts and progress must be inspected frequently to detect variances.

• Adaptation: If an inspection reveals that one or more aspects of the process deviate outside acceptable limits, adjustments must be made.

Experience with Agile transformation, metrics in Jira, tools used, and ensuring team meets sprint goal

• I have experience leading Agile transformations and forming high-performing teams through coaching and training

• I am familiar with metrics available in Jira such as burndown charts, velocity, and sprint reports

• I use tools like Jira, Trello, and Slack to facilitate communication and collaboration within the team

• To ensure there is no spillover and the team meets the sprint goal,...read more

SAFe Agile is a framework for scaling Agile practices to large organizations, while Scrum is a specific Agile methodology for smaller teams.

• SAFe Agile is used when scaling Agile practices to large organizations with multiple teams

• Scrum is used for smaller teams working on a single project

• SAFe Agile includes additional roles, events, and artifacts compared to Scrum

• SAFe Agile provides guidance on how to coordinate multiple Agile teams working on a common goal

• Experience in imple...read more

There are two types of estimation in Agile: Relative and Absolute.

• Relative estimation involves comparing the size of one item to another, using techniques like Planning Poker or T-Shirt sizing.

• Absolute estimation involves assigning a numerical value to an item, using techniques like Wideband Delphi or Affinity Mapping.

• Relative estimation is more commonly used in Agile, as it is quicker and more collaborative.

• Absolute estimation is useful for more complex projects or when a mo...read more

KPIs are Key Performance Indicators used to measure the success of a project. Examples include velocity, sprint burndown, and team happiness.

• KPIs are metrics used to evaluate the performance and success of a project

• Common KPIs in Agile projects include velocity, sprint burndown, and team happiness

• KPIs help teams track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions

SAFe is a framework for scaling Agile practices across an organization.

• SAFe provides a set of principles, practices, and roles to help organizations implement Agile at scale.

• It includes different levels such as Team, Program, Large Solution, and Portfolio to address various scaling needs.

• SAFe incorporates Lean and Agile principles to enable organizations to deliver value faster and more efficiently.

• Examples of SAFe practices include PI Planning, Scrum of Scrums, and Inspect a...read more

The term 'master' in Scrum Master signifies the role's expertise in guiding and coaching the team in the Scrum framework.

• The term 'master' implies a level of expertise and knowledge in the subject matter.

• The Scrum Master is responsible for guiding and coaching the team on Scrum practices and principles.

• The role involves facilitating meetings, removing obstacles, and ensuring the team follows Scrum processes effectively.

• The Scrum Master acts as a servant-leader, helping the te...read more

Handled tasks include project management, team coordination, stakeholder communication, and agile coaching.

• Managed project timelines, budgets, and resources

• Coordinated team efforts and facilitated collaboration

• Communicated with stakeholders to ensure project alignment

• Coached team members on agile principles and practices

• Assisted with product backlog management and sprint planning

• Identified and resolved impediments to team progress

The events of Scrum are Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.

• Sprint: Time-boxed iteration where work is completed and reviewed.

• Sprint Planning: Meeting to plan the work to be done in the Sprint.

• Daily Standup: Daily meeting for the team to synchronize and plan the day's work.

• Sprint Review: Meeting at the end of the Sprint to review the work completed.

• Sprint Retrospective: Meeting at the end of the Sprint to reflect on what went well a...read more

I would discuss the impact on the sprint goal and team capacity with the PO before making a decision.

• Discuss the impact on the sprint goal and team capacity with the PO

• Analyze the current workload and team capacity to see if additional user stories can be accommodated without jeopardizing the sprint goal

• Prioritize the new user stories based on their importance and impact on the sprint goal

• Consider splitting larger user stories into smaller ones if necessary to fit them into t...read more

My favourite Scrum ceremony is the Sprint Review.

• I enjoy the opportunity to showcase the team's work to stakeholders.

• It's a chance to receive feedback and make improvements for the next sprint.

• I also appreciate the collaborative nature of the ceremony, as it involves the entire team.

• Other ceremonies are important too, but the Sprint Review stands out to me.

• For example, the Daily Scrum helps keep the team aligned and focused.

• The Sprint Retrospective allows for continuous impro...read more

Velocity in Scrum is calculated by converting T-shirt sizes to story points and measuring completed work over iterations.

• T-shirt sizing categorizes tasks as XS, S, M, L, XL based on complexity and effort.

• Assign numerical values to T-shirt sizes (e.g., XS=1, S=2, M=3, L=5, XL=8).

• Track completed tasks in a sprint and sum their assigned values to calculate velocity.

• For example, if a team completes 3 M (3 points each) and 2 S (2 points each) tasks, velocity = (3*3) + (2*2) = 15 p...read more

In user stories, 'Negotiable' means requirements can be discussed and adjusted for better outcomes.

• User stories should be flexible and open to discussion.

• Negotiability allows teams to adapt to changing requirements.

• Example: Instead of a fixed feature, a user story might state 'As a user, I want to filter search results' which can evolve based on feedback.

• Encourages collaboration between stakeholders and the development team.

Velocity measures completed work in a sprint, while capacity estimates available work hours for the team.

• Velocity is calculated by summing the story points of completed user stories in a sprint.

• Example: If a team completes 5 stories worth 3, 5, 2, 8, and 5 points, the velocity is 3 + 5 + 2 + 8 + 5 = 23 points.

• Capacity is calculated by determining the total available hours for the team in a sprint.

• Example: If a team has 5 members, each available for 30 hours in a 2-week sprint...read more

As a Scrum Master, I implement various risk mitigation techniques to ensure project success and team efficiency.

• Conduct regular risk assessments during sprint planning to identify potential obstacles early.

• Facilitate open communication within the team to encourage reporting of risks as they arise.

• Implement a 'risk backlog' where identified risks are tracked and prioritized for resolution.

• Use retrospectives to reflect on past risks and develop strategies to avoid them in futur...read more

Organize retrospective by setting the stage, gathering data, generating insights, deciding what to do, and closing the retrospective.

• Set the stage by creating a safe environment for team members to share their thoughts and feelings.

• Gather data by reviewing what went well, what didn't go well, and what could be improved.

• Generate insights by discussing the root causes of issues and identifying patterns.

• Decide what to do by collaboratively coming up with action items to address ...read more