What is your greatest weakness as a scrum master?

My greatest weakness as a scrum master is allowing my teams to work through their conflicts without jumping in right away. I have a lot of experience working on agile projects at a number of companies and it is easy for me to toss out ideas for consideration. I have learned that it is sometimes best for a scrum master to sit back and let the team discuss an issue for a while before jumping in. Letting them move through a conflict on their own helps them to move from the storming phase and into the performing phase more quickly. Of course, I jump in right away if a conflict turns unprofessional or the team asks for my guidance. Likewise, I assist when they are at an impasse or the end result would benefit from an idea I have. I have truly enjoyed working to improve my facilitation skills as a scrum master, and I am excited about the opportunity to continue that important work if selected for the open role here.

This question is a favorite of many interviewers and you will likely be asked about your weaknesses at some point throughout your job search. This question feels like a trap to many interviewees, and it is important to prepare a solid response in advance of any interview.There are two main purposes for asking you to describe your weaknesses. First, your interviewer wants to know which areas you perceive you need to grow professionally. Hiring managers, peers, stakeholders, and teammates play a critical role in the professional development of scrum masters. It is important for your interviewer to learn about your weaknesses to assess how they will impact the teams you will lead and whether or not they can offer you a supportive growth environment.Secondly, many interviewers use this question to test the integrity of a candidate. Your interviewer wants to know if you are willing to be authentic with them even though you've likely just met for the first time during the interview. The role of Scrum Master requires advanced leadership skills and it is important to identify candidates that can lead with honor.

I always counsel my career coaching clients to avoid framing a strength as a weakness. Many candidates use this approach as a way to avoid exposing a weakness, but most interviewers are aware of this tactic and some feel it is manipulative. It is best to prepare for this question ahead of your interview and select a valid weakness that you genuinely wish to address or are already taking steps to improve upon.

I feel my scrum master skills are strong, but I could stand to improve my executive presence. I have been asked recently to participate in a number of executive presentations. I feel I did a nice job, but I would like to continue to develop my communication skills in this area further. There are times when my scrum teams need extra support or funding from senior-level clients or stakeholders, and I want to make sure I communicate our progress and needs as effectively as possible.

I feel my greatest weakness as a scrum master has been not knowing exactly when to trust my intuition. As a former analyst, it is natural for me to make data-driven decisions. While I regularly use an analytical approach, there are times as a scrum master when it is beneficial to feel my way through a situation. This is especially true when there is limited time or when a discussion is heated and requires an empathetic approach. So far, my instincts have served me well and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to work with and grow this side of my coaching and leadership skill set.

Tell me about yourself.

I began working as a software engineer seven years ago for an eCommerce company. I worked mostly on brand development projects for small to mid-size companies. Our teams followed a Scrum model loosely, and after researching Scrum in detail I felt there were significant improvement opportunities worth exploring. I pursued my Scrum Master Certification three years ago and worked with three of our teams to tighten our estimation, analysis, development, testing, and implementation processes. The changes we made resulted in an average velocity increase of 22% and we are currently working to implement similar changes across the board. I am pursuing a position within a larger enterprise at this time because I would like to take my skills to the next level. I am interested in a position that will allow me to collaborate regularly with other scrum masters and/or in a scaled agile framework setting.

This question is often asked first in an interview. While your interviewer is genuinely interested to know more about you as a person, this question serves as an opportunity to learn more about your professional past in a conversational setting. Asking a candidate to introduce themself serves as an icebreaker to help calm nerves and set the stage for a successful interview.

Avoid focusing too much time on this question. Try to think of your response as an elevator pitch and stick to the highlights. Most interviews last between 30 and 60 minutes and it is important to reserve as much time as possible for answering questions that will convince your interviewer you are the right person for the job. Also, it is important to avoid going into too much personal detail when answering this question. Interviewers will ask more about this area if they are interested, so it is best to stick to anything relevant to the Scrum Master role. (i.e. volunteer coaching or leadership experience outside of the workplace).Finally, avoid a pure regurgitation of your resume. The most memorable candidates use this question as an opportunity to highlight impressive aspects of their background that are not included in their resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile.

I began my career as a financial analyst. I had the opportunity to partner with several of our enterprise applications teams on IT products and learned I enjoyed software development more than financial analysis. I transitioned into a product owner role six years ago and experienced Scrum first from that side of the process.I then transitioned to the role of scrum master a year ago and I have really enjoyed it. I am able to leverage many of my analyst skills while working to review team metrics and improve processes. It also gives me an opportunity to further develop my leadership and communication skill sets. On a personal note, I am a parent of two and I enjoy coaching their sports teams. I find volunteering with youth to be a fun, challenging, and rewarding way to continue to hone my leadership and team development skill set outside of the workplace.

I am a Certified Scrum Master with seven years of experience working in agile product development teams within the healthcare industry. I have served as the scrum master of two cross-functional teams for the last 18 months. In addition to my scrum master expertise, I have an extensive background in user experience design and data analysis. I use both of these skill sets to add value to the coaching aspects of the scrum master role when working with product development teams. I am currently seeking a role as a scrum master within a new industry. I have enjoyed my time in healthcare, but I would love to learn about other business models of operation while leveraging my product development process expertise in an agile setting. The opportunity to work here at XYZ company in the entertainment industry is exciting to me. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.

Which principles of Scrum add the most value to the projects you have worked on. Why?

I feel the principle that adds the most value to the process for the teams and clients I have worked with is the principle of iteration. The rate of technology change is high. Building small and flexible solutions that can later be scaled has saved tons of time in rework initiatives, and my clients have been able to leverage the value of their solutions sooner. This principle also serves to get eliminate the lengthy and painful change management processes that were so important in Waterfall projects.I also appreciate the self-organization and collaboration principles. Scrum provides a framework to work from, but there is a lot of room for teams to design processes that are the best fit for their style and the needs of their customers. Scrum teams are encouraged to get together, reflect, and improve continually, and that often leads to less conflict and higher levels of efficiency over time.

Most Scrum Masters can repeat the six principles of Scrum. Interviewers go beyond memorization with this question to understand what a candidate views as the most important principles to encourage.

Avoid confusing the four principles of agile development with the six principles of Scrum. The Scrum principles honor the agile principles but do so within a specific framework.

"I believe the principle of iterating adds the most value to a team. Since scrum allows work to be broken into smaller chunks and delivered incrementally, this principle embraces change management and reduces the amount of rework to be done on products which is not the case in waterfall methodology. This principle also focuses on satisfying the needs of the customer due to the changes in requirements."

What sprint lengths do you have experience facilitating, and what length do you prefer?

I have worked on teams that adopted two, three, and four-week sprint models. I prefer a sprint that is a good fit for the team and the nature of the user stories we are developing. Product backlogs with small user stories that can be developed and tested quickly are often a good fit for a two-week sprint model. Two-week sprint models can also be a good fit for smaller teams. I prefer three-week models when the backlogs have bigger stories or when the teams are larger. Shorter sprint lengths tend to lead to more overhead, and the cost adds up when you have a larger team. I have also adjusted the sprint length when our customer has a particular schedule that we need to accommodate, such as monthly releases. Additionally, sprint lengths may require situational adjustments when major holidays are involved or if the team needs a break after a major release or the end of a project.

Scrum team sprints can vary in length depending on the company standard or development team preference. Companies often look to Scrum Masters to assist their teams in selecting a sprint length that will best fit their unique needs. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate has the experience needed to properly guide Scrum teams in this area.

Avoid answers that indicate that you are only comfortable working with one specific sprint length. Scrum is an agile methodology, and flexibility is a key value of the process.

"The length of sprint depend on the choice of team and the user story being developed. Product backlog with small user story are good fit for two weeks sprint. But I prefer 4 weeks sprint with product backlogs with big user stories and large teams. The length of sprints can also be adjusted or increased depending on the needs of the customer or team. These needs could be team holidays or additional requirement from customers."

Other than Scrum, what other agile methodologies do you have experience working with?

I have led Kanban teams for several groups who were mostly responsible for maintenance or task-driven work. I have also worked with teams to develop custom methodologies, such as 'Scrumban' (Scrum + Kanban), or what we dubbed as 'Scrutterfall' (Scrum + Waterfall). In these instances, my teams leveraged the features of each method that added value and developed processes and rules to facilitate their work in a way that worked best for our team and client.

Companies often try a series of methodologies when transitioning from waterfall to agile. Additionally, some companies leverage a variety of models that are selected to accommodate the specific needs of the teams and clients involved. Your interviewers want to know what additional processes and procedures you are familiar with, as they may extend your responsibilities into other agile implementations.

Every agile methodology has specific processes and artifacts that take time and experience to learn to properly facilitate. Avoid naming methodologies that you have only read about or observed.

"I have experience in working with kanban teams who were responsible for maintenance or task-driven work. I have also worked with teams that develop custom methodologies like scrumban. The team leverages on features of each method that adds value to their work and best works for the team and client."

Describe any Scrum of Scrum initiatives you have facilitated.

In my last company, I worked on a payroll and time management system replacement project. There were several systems throughout the company that integrated with our previous solutions, and the integrations all needed to be rewritten to match the standards for the new tool. I served as a Scrum Master for our Scrum of Scrum meetings that bridged all of the affected teams together. Our knowledge and collective resources were limited, so we used the meetings to share high-level updates, remove shared roadblocks, and identify knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Scrum of Scrum is a scaled agile concept that connects related Scrum teams for collaboration on integrated solutions. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate has experience facilitating or working within this style.

Scrum Masters within companies often share ideas and mentor one another through challenges. Do not confuse Scrum of Scrums with a gathering of Scrum Masters who share best practices.

"My previous role worked on a software development project where various teams worked on different software features. I served as scrum master for our scrum of scrum meetings that linked all affected teams. Our knowledge of the software was limited, so we used the meetings to share a high-level update, remove bottlenecks and identify knowledge-sharing opportunities."

Describe the optimal level of detail a user story should hold prior to the beginning of a sprint.

The user story statement should contain the who, the what, and the why for the functionality to be developed. I encourage teams to follow the 'As a user, I need the ability to , so that I can .' format. This model drives worthwhile conversation without boxing the team into a specific implementation.If there are basic requirements that are considered 'must haves' by the product owner or clients, I encourage the team to include this high-level list in the acceptance criteria of the story. These details are not the same as detailed requirements or technical design specifications. They are quick and easy to review notes that scope the story without wasting time on unnecessary documentation.

Interviewers ask this question to assess a candidate's view on the inclusion of requirement detail within the user story process. Interviewers appreciate answers that demonstrate how your opinions as a Scrum Master could potentially drive value within the Scrum process.

Avoid answers that violate any of the basic principles of Scrum or agile development. For example, indicating that a user story must contain a full set of business and technical requirements would not be in line with the agile principle that values team interactions over documentation.

"A user story should contain the who, the what, and the why for functionality development. I encourage teams to follow the format of as a user, I want to, so that I can…. This format drives the conversation without inboxing the team into a specific implementation. If there are high-level criteria that are must-haves as stated by the product owner, the team should include them in the acceptance criteria of their story."

What formal training and certifications do you have that are relevant to the Scrum Master role?

I am a Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Master. I am also a George Washington University Certified Business Analyst. I have taken several classes relevant to my scrum master work. I attended courses on agile project estimation, user story writing, backlog management, SAFe, project management, testing, and facilitation.

Some Scrum Master roles require that a candidate holds an active certification as a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or as a Scaled Agile Framework Agilist (SAFe). The interviewer asks this question to determine if a candidate has the proper education for the role.

Avoid portraying outdated or expired certifications as current. Some employers ask for proof of certification and miscommunicating your background could result in being passed over for the role.

Remember to note any relevant training or classes you have taken, even if they did not result in certification. Keep in mind- it is important to be clear about the distinction between certification and training.

"I am a certified prince 2 project management practitioner. I have also taken several classes in scrum master work. I have attended classes on estimation, user story writing, backlog refinement, SAFe, project management, and felicitation."

Describe your method for estimating Scrum project timelines and budgets.

Agile estimation is all about providing reliable estimates without investing too much time creating them. In an optimal setting, I prefer to work with my team to generate a backlog with stories that have basic assumptions and scope statements that provide enough detail for my team to point them. We hold estimation meetings to apply points to all of the stories as best we can. I expect there to be a lot of unknowns, but we lean on past experiences and select estimates that are the best fit for what we know at the time. The team then breaks down a few stories and provides time estimates for the tasks. This data allows me to project a cost-per-point estimate and a total backlog estimate. Finally, we determine a projected velocity per sprint and use it to provide an estimate for how long the project will take.

Scrum estimation procedures vary across teams and companies. This question is asked to gain insight into the process you plan to use as a Scrum Master and the level of detail and confidence you encourage your team to aim for.

Avoid discussing estimation processes that would take a long time for a team to execute or going into detail about business procedures that fall outside of the scope of a Scrum Master's typical duties. The interviewers want to know your process for gathering story estimates, velocity projection, and an estimated cost for a proposed scope of work.

"Agile estimation is all about providing reliable estimates without wasting too much time. In order to do this, we hold estimation meetings to apply points to these stories as best we can. On the other hand, we expect a lot of unknowns, but we lean on non-past experiences to select estimates that best fit based on what we know at that time.The team breaks down these stories and provides estimates for the task. These estimates help us to ascertain the velocity per sprint and the needed velocity to complete the project."

What occurs during a backlog refinement meeting?

The Product Owner refines the product backlog continually, but the team meets periodically to review and estimate new stories, discuss information-gathering needs, and adjust story prioritization as necessary.My main focus for these meetings is to ensure the story adjustment and estimation run smoothly. The team identifies information gaps for any stories that are too vague to estimate. I also weigh in on stories that potentially need to be broken down further or need a spike before their inclusion in a sprint. I also offer guidance as necessary when conflicts arise.

This is a general process knowledge question. Interviewers use it to determine if a potential hire understands the scope of the backlog refinement meeting and the responsibilities of the individuals involved.

Avoid confusing the goals and outcomes of the backlog refinement meeting with sprint planning. The goal of this session is to groom the product backlog, and discussing task development, time estimates, or creating a sprint backlog would be considered out of scope.

"The product owner owns the product backlog. The product backlog is constantly refined by the product owner. However, the team meets periodically to review the product backlog and to ensure that the user stories are well-prioritized and healthy for delivery. In this meeting, the team estimates and reviews new stories and also discusses information-gathering needs. As a scrum master, I ensure that the estimation runs smoothly. The team also identifies gaps in stories that are too vague to estimate. I also weigh in on stories that need to be broken down further before adding them to the sprint backlog. I also offer advice if a conflict arises."

How do you facilitate a daily scrum meeting?

The daily scrum meeting is a quick check-in meeting in which team members provide a status update on their progress from the day before and commit to a scope of work for the current day. I follow the standard format. We go around the room, or from person to person online, and answer basic questions, including:- What did you complete yesterday? - What do you plan to complete today? - What are your roadblocks?I noticed over time that a lot of incomplete task reports were due to others waiting on review or questions to be answered. To avoid this issue, I ask my teams to discuss what they need from other team members that day. This helps teammates become aware of collaboration needs early in the day and reduces time wasted waiting for feedback or information. This is not one of the standard questions, but it has turned into a must-have for virtual teams or teams that work globally.I ensure that everyone moves quickly and sticks to the agenda. Some people tend to expand on their updates, so I kindly remind them of the ground rules when they stray from the objectives. After the meeting, I facilitate solutions for removing any roadblocks that can be addressed and make sure team members made specific plans for any collaboration meetings that need to occur.

Scrum Masters are expected to know how to facilitate all major Scrum ceremonies. The daily scrum is one of these key ceremonies, and your interviewers want to be sure the candidate understands the purpose, scope, and outcome of the meeting.

Some teams have added items such as a completed feature review to the end of their daily scrum meeting for the sake of convenience and efficiency. While these types of team behaviors are strategic, they are not official daily scrum meeting activities and should not be included in your response.

"A daily scrum meeting takes place every morning and the same time and place. These meetings focus on specific questions which are: what did you complete yesterday, what do you hope to complete today and what are the roadblocks? This meeting is time-boxed and lasts for 15 minutes. The idea for this meeting is to encourage collaboration, determine roadblocks and reduce the time for feedback for questions asked from other team members. After the meetings, I facilitate solution for the roadblocks and also make sure plans are made for the next need. I also ensure everybody sticks to the meeting agenda"

What is a sprint planning session, and what are the expected outcomes?

Teams use sprint planning meetings to plan for and make their commitment for the current sprint. The Product Owner reviews the top items from the product backlog, and we discuss any necessary changes to the estimation or high-level scope of the highest priority stories. We also discuss any relevant changes in business goals or directions that need to be considered. We then discuss the availability of everyone during the sprint and determine a resulting velocity projection. This helps us to know how many stories we can take on during the sprint. We discuss the definition of 'done' for the top priority stories. This consists of a story scope negotiation between the development team and the Product Owner. I play the role of facilitator and ensure conflicts are resolved appropriately and that we lean on the Scrum principles to decide what is best. The results of these discussions are documented in the acceptance criteria of each story. We then break down the tasks that are needed to complete each story we hope to include and create the sprint backlog. Many times, teams also add hours estimates to the tasks to ensure that the projected scope is feasible. The result of this work represents the commitment that the team makes for the sprint. We then conclude the meeting and begin our work.

Sprints that are poorly planned often result in chaos and waste. Interviewers are concerned with operational efficiency and want to determine if Scrum Master candidates understand how to facilitate these important meetings.

Avoid terms native to other agile or waterfall disciplines when describing sprint planning sessions. While many companies have adopted inclusive language that resonates with their specific teams, the interviewer may become confused or lack confidence in your knowledge if you blend methodologies here.

"Teams use sprint planning to plan for their commitment to the current sprint. The product owner reviews the top item of the product backlog, negotiates with the development and we discuss if there are any changes needed to be made regarding estimations. We also discuss the availability of team members to help us determine our teams' velocity. I play the role of a facilitator and ensure conflicts are resolved. The result of these meetings is documented in the acceptance criteria of each story. The task is now broken into smaller chunks and added to the sprint backlog. The result of the meeting is the commitment of the team toward the sprint."

What occurs during a release planning session and why is it valuable?

Before the release planning session begins, I check in with the Product Owner to ensure the product backlog is prioritized and updated with any relevant information. I ensure the burndown chart is current and that we have a solid velocity projection to use for the meeting. During the meeting, we discuss the priorities for the next few sprints and how we can best order the stories to maximize our time and efforts as a team. The Product Owner offers insight into when the client needs certain features, and we use the velocity and needed scope to determine the schedule of major releases.The meeting is very valuable to the teams I work with and the customers we support. It helps us understand how well we execute each release, allows us to set customer expectations, gives us specific goals to work towards, and provides the data I need as a Scrum Master to understand the impact of new requests, opportunities, or issues that arise during the execution of the plan. We revisit the release plan regularly to make sure we are all on the same page and fully understand the impact of the strategic and tactical decisions we make.

While release planning is not an original Scrum concept, it has gained popularity over the years and is especially important for projects with large teams or a large scope, projects that fall under the authority of a program management office, or projects for clients that can only implement new features at certain times. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate is knowledgeable of the goals of the session and how it can add value in a scaled environment.

Avoid adding release planning agenda items that do not fall within the typical scope of the meeting. For example, most teams would not expect to have a discussion about estimation for a future project or software performance during a release planning session.

How do you facilitate sprint retrospective meetings?

I like to prep for retrospective meetings in advance by talking one-on-one with any team members that I felt were struggling throughout the sprint. I gather their feedback about what they think needs improvement. Additionally, I make lists of what went well and what needs to be improved before the meeting. I begin the meeting by reminding our team of the basic facilitation tools we use, such as parking lots and action item lists. We also review the ground rules and the improvement commitment list we made during the previous retrospective. We then discuss what went well and what did not go as planned. I ensure everyone has an equal opportunity for input, and I prompt the team to consider any items that have not been raised. I direct team members back to the ground rules and diffuse conflicts as necessary. Once the feedback process is complete, we review and prioritize the improvement opportunities. We develop a list of specific commitments to incorporate in the next sprint or release. I close the meeting and then circulate a copy of the minutes to ensure everyone has the commitment list available during the next sprint.

Interviewers ask this question for two main reasons. First, they want to ensure candidates understand the components of a sprint retrospective meeting. Secondly, they want to know if a candidate has the facilitation skills necessary to diffuse conflicts and ensure commitments are made by their team during these critical sessions that drive team improvement.

Avoid leaving the impression that you have the authority as a Scrum Master to decide upon the improvements your team will make in the future. Keep in mind that Scrum teams self-organize and Scrum Masters lead through influence.

"I like to prepare for my sprint retrospective by meeting in advance to talk to team members that were struggling during the sprint and get their feedback on what they think needs to be improved. Additionally, I make a list of what went well and what needs to be improved before the meeting.I begin by reminding our team of the basic felicitation tools we use such as parking lot and action item list. We also discuss the ground rules and improvement list from our previous retrospective. We then discuss what went well and what did not go as planned. I ensure everyone has an equal opportunity for input, and I prompt the team to consider any items that have not been raised. I direct team members back to the ground rules and diffuse conflicts as necessary.Once the feedback process is complete, we review and prioritize the action list. We develop a list of actions to incorporate in the next sprint. I close the meeting and then circulate a copy of the minutes to ensure everyone has the commitment list available during the next sprint."

Describe a common roadblock you would remove for a team member during a sprint.

A lot of the developers I work with have forged great relationships with our customers over the years. Customers like to go directly to the person they think can help them the fastest. Sometimes, they contact the developers directly even though they are supposed to go through support teams or log tickets. Immediately handling these requests would result in time lost on sprint work, and they are often reported as roadblocks. When this occurs, I meet with the developer to gather the high-level details of the request. Then, I address the customer's request in another way. This may include assigning another resource or working with the customer to better understand the priority of the issue and determine if we can wait to resolve it at another time. In the event it cannot be resolved in another way, I ensure that our Product Owner understands the impact on the current scope of the sprint.

Roadblocks are impediments to progress, and they can result in a team not delivering the planned scope during a sprint. Interviewers ask this question to ensure a candidate understands the role of the Scrum Master in removing roadblocks for their team members.

Avoid examples of roadblocks that are easily removed by the team member who reports them. These roadblocks only require a Scrum Master to monitor their resolution and do not highlight a candidate's best leadership and facilitation skills.

What guidance do you give new Scrum teams for testing their development products?

First, I help teams understand the goal of agile testing and how it differs from Waterfall testing. We discuss the product we are building and the level of effort we expect to include in a Scrum setting. We also discuss testing roles and responsibilities. For example, I help teams understand that quality is a shared responsibility. I lean on professional testers for their expertise and let them know we will look to them for guidance during sprints.During a sprint, I encourage teams to order their tasks so that several of the features are ready for testing early in the sprint. I find that dropping everything on the testing team right at the end of a sprint typically results in stories being carried over to the next sprint. It stresses testers out and creates large swings in the velocity of the team. Finally, I encourage teams to look for ways to automate testing. We try to target automating testing for functions that are repeatable or have the potential for a high level of negative business impact if they fail.

Scrum principles are somewhat vague about how testing will be completed during a sprint. The responsibility is shared by the team, and determining exactly how testing will be executed is often a process a Scrum Master can add value to. Interviewers who ask this question want to understand how you would work with a new team to define their process for testing.

Avoid waterfall-style answers that indicate you would counsel new teams to save all testing for the end of their sprints. Teams who select this model often carry incomplete stories over to subsequent sprints and are not as efficient as they could be.

How would you work with a new Scrum team to define the concept of 'definition of done'?

The 'definition of done' indicates a level of quality a story or product must obtain before it is ready for release. For a user story, these requirements may state that the acceptance criteria must be met and the feature must pass sprint review. For a product release, it may require that the product be tested in development and test environments, the code is documented, the feature set has stakeholder approval, or the users are trained. I would help a new Scrum team to understand that the definitions we decide on are flexible and should be in line with the governance of their company or industry. The criteria we define should add value, avoid risk, and avoid rework. I also encourage teams to consider integration points and develop criteria that assure that their releases do not adversely affect other systems or solutions. Finally, I help teams understand that they might need to reduce their story development capacity in some sprints to accommodate some of the criteria we define for the 'definition of done.'

Interviewers ask this question to ensure that a potential Scrum Master understands the 'definition of done' concept and how to apply it properly. This is an especially important concept for teams or companies new to the Scrum process.

Avoid definitions that indicate stories or projects need to meet extensive requirements to achieve a done state. Scrum teams strive to deliver a lean product and add to it incrementally based on a defined value chain.

Describe a time you experienced a conflict with a client for a Scrum project and the steps you took to resolve it.

I worked with a Product Owner who made specific delivery commitments to their business partners and peers without consulting the rest of the team. They set unrealistic expectations and wanted to push the team to meet the goals, even though they were not advisable. It is my job as a Scrum Master to shield the team from this kind of chaos, so I asked the team to keep working at their normal pace while I worked to facilitate a solution to benefit everyone.I met with the Product Owner to remind them that delivery commitments are a team effort and that it is expected for the development team's feedback to be included in the process. They apologized for going around the accepted process, and we collaborated on a plan to move forward. I asked the team to consider taking on a few of the promised stories at the end of the current sprint if they had any free time. I let them know this was not a requirement, but anything we could do would add value for the customer. It turned out that we were able to work on a few of the smaller requests even though they were not part of the original plan. I met with the Product Owner and their peers to deliver the news that we could not complete the entire scope as promised. They were disappointed, but the discussion served as an opportunity for them to learn more about the Scrum process, which helped us to avoid similar future conflicts. They also greatly appreciated the extra stories we were able to include on their behalf.

Scrum projects can experience a high rate of conflict because they move quickly with a higher level of unknowns than traditional methodologies. Interviewers ask this question to ensure candidates have the facilitation skills necessary to shield their team from production slowdowns and can implement conflict resolution strategies on behalf of the team.

Avoid describing a scenario in which the resolution to the conflict only serves the Scrum team. Hiring companies target candidates that can consider the client's perspective and develop solutions that honor the needs of their team as well as their clients.

How do you counsel teams to address stories that are not completed within a sprint?

I have worked on teams that followed a variety of methods, and the best route depends on how the team uses velocity. In an optimal setting, I ask my teams to accept zero points for the story and carry it over to the next sprint. The velocity for the current sprint will be lower than expected as a result. The story is not re-estimated, but the team knows that it will take less effort than estimated if any work was done on the story in the previous sprint. The team adjusts the scope for the next sprint accordingly. The team also discusses the carryover in the retrospective and determines if it is a result of actions that need to be adjusted in the next sprint. No further action is required in many cases. If incomplete stories become a trend, the team discusses the contributing factors and makes adjustments, such as breaking stories down further, adding spikes, or handling roadblocks more effectively.Finally, I work with my clients to help them understand what has happened and what to expect. Sometimes, my clients get concerned when they see a velocity drop, and I explain how the trend will be addressed.

Chronic story carryover can indicate problems within a team's Scrum process. Interviewers ask this question to ensure candidates know the difference between normal variance and process issues.

Avoid answers that devalue the metrics of the Scrum process. For example, a method that allows teams to accept story points for partial work and adds new stories to represent incomplete work affects the value of the concept of tracking a team velocity, the burndown chart, and any release plan projections.

What are some of the techniques you use to address disagreement during user story estimation?

There are several methods for addressing disagreement during story estimation. I usually start by asking each side to quickly and clearly state their reasoning behind their estimate. The team will usually self-correct and find an estimate that honors all sides. If the answer is not clear, I might suggest making scope decisions, adding spike stories, or breaking the story into smaller stories to deal with risk. If the team still cannot agree, I suggest that the person with the most stake in the game for that story makes the decision. We decide who that person is, and they make the call. We also agree not to hold negative feelings toward the person in the future if their decision turns out to be problematic. We agree to use anything we learn to improve future estimation activities.

Estimation activities in Scrum can be intense. Participants are often asked to guess at the level of effort for user stories that have very limited details. Interviewers ask this question to assess how a candidate intends to address situations in which team debate turns into team conflict.

Avoid indicating that it is your role as a Scrum Master to sway a team's decision one way or another. Scrum teams are self-organizing and share leadership responsibilities.

What challenges are faced when transitioning team members and clients from Waterfall to Scrum?

There are several common challenges when moving from Waterfall to Scrum. One of the biggest initial obstacles is getting comfortable with having much less detail than they are used to. In Waterfall, they work from complete requirements and design documents. In Scrum, they are asked to piece things together as they go. That requires a big mental leap, and senior leaders on the team must develop strong visions that their teams can understand and work from. Customers also struggle with this change. They are used to signing off on their complete set of requests with an understanding of exactly what will and will not be in scope. In Scrum, they are asked to focus on the most important scope and let the rest of the details come later. That is an uncomfortable shift for people responsible for large budgets.I have also found that the pace of Scrum projects can be a challenge for some team members. In Waterfall, each role owns certain aspects of the project process, and they have a more limited role for others. This means that, at times, they are under pressure and deadline,s and other times, they are in a more contributory role. In Scrum, everyone on the team works to full capacity almost all of the time. If they aren't working on the current sprint, they are planning for the next one, and the pace is constant. Teams can become overwhelmed with this quickly, and Scrum Masters can help the team members adjust.

Some Scrum Masters are hired to assist companies and teams who have worked with other development methodologies previously. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate understands the challenges they may face during times of transition.

Avoid only offering examples of personality-related challenges a Scrum Master may face during a transition from Waterfall to Scrum. Personality conflicts are common and affect projects under any methodology.

What are the common ceremonies or meetings regularly held by Scrum teams?

The common Scrum ceremonies held in each sprint are sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review, and sprint retrospective. Teams also hold release planning and backlog refinement meetings as necessary.

Scrum Masters are often tasked with ensuring that the required meetings are regularly held and facilitated properly. This general question is asked to test a candidate's basic Scrum knowledge.

Avoid discussing ceremonies you have facilitated that were specific to teams or companies you have worked with held outside of the Scrum process. Answers containing those details may confuse the interviewer or lead them to believe you lack Scrum knowledge.

What is a product backlog, and what are some of the data points tracked within it?

A product backlog is an agile artifact that represents the work that will go into building a product. It can contain enhancement requests, features, maintenance work, learning needs, and bug fixes. Product backlogs are prioritized by the product owner in Scrum projects. I have experience working with backlogs with various levels of detail. We often track work item metadata, such as the requester, owner, request date, high-level details, priority notes, size estimate, and scope notes or assumptions. Most of these data points are not officially required by the Scrum process, but many teams find this information helpful when managing large backlogs or backlogs that serve multiple stakeholders.

Outside of the products that are developed by Scrum teams, the product backlog is considered to be one of the most important artifacts of the Scrum process. Interviewers want to ensure that you are familiar with the purpose of the backlog and the information it conveys.

Avoid going into extensive detail about the fields of information maintained within the product backlog. This is a general question aimed at testing a Scrum Master's basic knowledge of the artifact.

What are some methods for handling scope creep in Scrum?

There are several methods to address scope creep in a Scrum setting. First, I like to describe the product backlog to the Product Owner and the stakeholders as a living artifact that is meant to change over time. This means that we welcome the addition of new stories and the removal of stories that are no longer needed. We often have a set budget, and I keep them apprised of the impact of changes as we go so that everyone stays in sync from an expectation perspective. Within a sprint, I address scope creep by asking the team to mention any requested changes in scope that come up during development. If the impact is minimal, the change is made. If the change is significant, we sometimes elect to drop the story from the sprint and revisit it during the next sprint with the inclusion of the new detail. Alternatively, we sometimes do what we can in the current sprint and then add a story to represent the new scope and include it in the plan for the next sprint. Release and sprint planning are also important activities that can reduce scope creep. We use the information uncovered in those meetings to refine our backlogs and make educated commitments. The results of the meetings are used in expectation-setting conversations with our clients. In my experience, working with a smaller scope of increments and continually discussing expectations ensures everyone is on the same page and understands the impact of their requests.

Scope changes can cause significant and unexpected shifts in project costs. Scrum Masters are expected to understand the impact of scope changes and how to leverage Scrum best practices to minimize the effects. Interviewers ask this question to know the techniques a potential candidate may apply to Scrum projects at their company.

Avoid focusing solely on scope creep management methods that could be applied to any project methodology. Companies often have project managers and analysts trained in these methods. Interviewers are interested in how a seasoned Scrum Master could use the tools of Scrum specifically to improve upon the available methods.

What is a sprint backlog?

The sprint backlog in Scrum represents a list of user stories that are forecasted to be completed by a team within a sprint and the work necessary to develop them. The sprint backlog contains the user stories, the tasks needed to complete them, task status, and notes about scope or testing. Many teams use a tool to assist them in visualizing and managing the stories, tasks, statuses, and how they are all related during a sprint.

Interviewers ask this question to determine if a Scrum Master candidate understands the difference between a product backlog and a sprint backlog. This is a general knowledge question and is used to eliminate candidates who have limited Scrum knowledge.

Avoid confusing the product backlog with the sprint backlog. Some teams use one large backlog and only refine items as they are pulled into a sprint. However, the two artifacts are technically different, and a Scrum Master should understand them.

What is the concept of a minimally viable product, or MVP?

A minimally viable product, or MVP, represents the product features that need to be completed for a product to launch initially. The initial release is usually developed for a small set of users who provide feedback that can be incorporated into future sprints. As a Scrum Master, I prompt teams to collaborate and define the scope of MVP at the beginning of development so that I can project when it will be ready for release and work with the Product Owner to find the right set of users for it.This approach reduced risk, as problems and opportunities arise earlier in the process concerning usability and bugs. Early user feedback helps the Product Owner validate their user story prioritization and make adjustments as necessary. In some cases, it generates excitement and increases buy-in within user groups.

There is usually a difference between the minimal functionality necessary to launch a product and the scope of an entire project. Scrum Masters ensure that teams focus on top priority items. Interviewers ask this question to ensure the candidate is knowledgeable of the various techniques that foster this important Scrum behavior.

Avoid implying that the Product Owner is solely responsible for deciding which stories define the scope of a minimally viable product. Other members of the team often offer technical, usability, and feedback mechanism considerations that should be considered when determining MVP scope.

What is a burndown chart used for?

A burndown chart shows the progress and performance of a team over time. Scrum Masters or project managers create these charts using tools such as Jira, Excel, or another spreadsheet tool. They are shared with the team and sometimes with managers or stakeholders. For example, if a product backlog for a certain body of work began with 300 story points, and a team worked on it for 15 sprints, the burndown chart would start at 300 points and would show a line with a value that decreases by the velocity of each sprint. Some charts also include a designation of how many points have been completed towards the features required for a minimally viable product or a comparison of actual vs. estimated burndown. This is a helpful tool for the team and their customers because it demonstrates how well a team is moving toward their goal and projects when milestones will be reached. Burndown charts also serve as indicators of team process issues, such as story carry-over and poor estimation.

Scrum Masters are typically responsible for generating and analyzing burndown charts. This question is asked to test a candidate's knowledge of how burndown charts are created and used.

Avoid the inclusion of details that do not belong on traditional burndown charts, such as velocity variance explanations. Burndown charts should be clear, easy to read, and easy to understand. They are intended to spark conversations, not act as a replacement for necessary performance discussions.

What is the relationship between user stories, tasks, and epics?

Tasks are items that are needed to complete a user story. A user story may require one or more tasks. User stories represent a goal or ability that is needed from the perspective of the user. Epics are a series of user stories that represent a large body of work that holds user value. For example, a customer may request that their website have a shopping cart functionality. 'Shopping Cart' becomes the title of an epic because it cannot be completed with a single story and requires a significant amount of work. From there, the epic would be broken down into a series of user stories, such as 'as a customer of XYZ website, I need the ability to change the quantity of an item in my cart so that I can buy the right amount of a product.' That story would then have tasks like 'add product increment tool' and 'add product delete button.'

This is a general knowledge question. Interviewers want to know if you can clearly articulate the relationships between user stories, tasks, and epics, as this is often knowledge a Scrum Master is called upon to teach. Scrum Masters are also responsible for ensuring Scrum principles are upheld when these concepts are applied to the product backlog or Scrum process management tools.

Avoid using examples that are not simple or relatable. Some epics are unique to certain lines of business and may confuse the interviewer. For example, do not provide an example epic that is an acronym for a warehousing inventory control function to an interviewer who specializes in HR technology solutions.

What is concept of velocity, and how can it be leveraged by a Scrum team?

Velocity in Scrum represents the rate of user story production for a team. Each sprint has a velocity, and it goes up and down sprint-to-sprint. Over time, a Scrum team can use their average velocity to project when a project will be complete or to project cost metrics, such as cost per point, cost per sprint, or total project cost. These numbers are valuable for planning and communication purposes. Velocity can serve as an indicator of Scrum team process adjustment opportunities. Downward trends or an unstable velocity may indicate that changes are necessary. Velocity can also be an indicator of the success or growth of a team. Upward shifts in velocity or a velocity that becomes more consistent over time can indicate the positive effect of process changes made by a team.

Velocity is a key Scrum team performance metric. Many companies rely heavily on team velocity to provide estimates and address process issues. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate understands the concept and the importance of proper application.

Some Scrum teams elect not to track their velocity. However, it is considered to be a powerful and required metric for most teams. Avoid promoting team scenarios in which velocity was not tracked or valued.

What is user story mapping, and who are its stakeholders?

User story mapping is the concept of making a visual representation of how user stories could be developed and implemented to incrementally create value for a client. During these sessions, teams and clients visualize how the development process will build on itself throughout various iterations and releases. It offers a big-picture view that drives conversations about the order of operations, business value, and prioritization. Story mapping can also assist with gaining buy-in from stakeholders on the product itself as well as the value of the Scrum process.

Scrum Masters often facilitate a team's process of determining how a particular product will be developed and how it will incrementally add value. Interviewers ask this question to test a candidate's knowledge of the concept and who it serves.

Avoid confusing facilitation and ownership when describing story mapping exercises. Scrum Masters can provide experiential knowledge and leadership to their team, but they are also expected to perform facilitation functions, such as ensuring everyone involved has the opportunity to provide feedback regardless of role or title. The team and any client participants involved collectively own the success of this process.

What is a Spike and how should it be used?

A Spike is a story that a team adds to a backlog to represent work necessary to research a story or series of stories that have an unusually high level of risk or unknowns. For example, a project may require a team to work with new technology. They may add a Spike story for one of the developers to build a proof of concept, play with the options available, and determine how to integrate the tool into their environment. The Spike is time-boxed and should make the development of stories further down in the backlog easier to implement.

This is a general knowledge question. Interviewers ask this question to test the depth of a candidate's Scrum understanding and experience.

Avoid leaving the impression that you encourage teams to include spike stories any time unknowns exist. Scrum teams often are expected to work with a high level of ambiguity. Adding research stories every time this occurs slows down production and indicates that the teams you have led are unable to break down their user stories properly for their selected sprint length.

What is a sprint zero and how does it add value?

A sprint zero is a sprint that occurs before a project officially begins. It has a small scope and is used to test assumptions made by the team and allow for modifications before sprint one occurs. I encourage teams to take on technical framework tasks or research spikes during this time. We hold daily scrum meetings and other ceremonies but often only include a couple of people from the team. We often use sprint zero to stand up the technical environment so that it is ready to go when we begin the first sprint. These activities add value because they help teams refine their process and provide the opportunity to complete setup tasks or research that can help facilitate success during the next sprints.

This is a general knowledge question. Interviewers ask to test the depth of a candidate's Scrum understanding and experience.

Avoid leaving the impression that a sprint zero is a simple test run of a team's process. While testings procedural activities can be valuable, the work selected for a sprint zero should directly add value to the product being developed.

What tools or systems do you have experience using to facilitate the Scrum process?

I have used Jira and nTask for several teams. I like both, and they each have pros and cons. I am a huge believer in developing a team's process outside of the tool they plan to use and then customizing the tool to fit the needs of the team. I have worked with teams that went the other way around, and they experienced a lot of inefficiencies and pain points because they believed they needed to manage their work to match the tool they used.Excel, notecards, and sticky notes have all proved themselves to be valuable facilitation tools as well. I think the main thing to consider is the size of the team, the logistical requirements, and the accessibility of the information. Notecards work well for brainstorming with teams who work in a shared space, but that approach fails when a team is virtual or does not have a shared space to work in regularly.

Many Scrum teams leverage software to assist in the facilitation of their work. The more complex tools can be customized to the needs of a team. Interviewers ask this question to determine if a candidate has experience administrating or working with tools similar to those the Scrum teams in their organization use.

Avoid listing tools that you have only seen demos for or do not have experience with. Some interviewers are experts on specific tools and may ask follow-up questions about functions or features that a person who has served as a Scrum Master for a team using the tool should know.

What are the main responsibilities of a Scrum Master?

A Scrum Master helps create a collaborative environment and facilitates the Scrum process to generate value and success for their team and their clients. They keep the team organized and ensure that the ceremonies and artifacts of Scrum are used properly. Scrum Masters resolve conflicts and keep teams moving forward when roadblocks arise. This may include shielding teams from outside distractions and customer requests that would otherwise impede progress. The Scrum Master is also responsible for ensuring a high level of quality by tracking metrics, holding conversations to improve issues, facilitating retrospectives, and ensuring commitments to quality improvement are upheld by the team. Finally, they are often viewed as a mentor and assist others in transitioning from other methodologies to Scrum.

Interviewers ask this question to ensure the candidate is familiar with the main responsibilities of a Scrum Master. They are also interested in how the candidate views their role and value within the teams they serve.

The role of Scrum Master is a servant leadership role. Avoid using language that leaves the impression that you will dictate decisions as opposed to fostering collaboration and facilitating conditions for optimal team success.

What are the major artifacts used to manage Scrum projects?

The three main artifacts of the Scrum process are the product backlog, the sprint backlog, and the product or increment. Additionally, some teams also require the burndown chart and the results of the sprint retrospective meeting in addition to the three main artifacts of the Scrum process.

Scrum projects rely heavily on a repeatable process with simple artifacts that team members can easily understand and use to add value to the development process. Interviewers ask this question to ensure that the candidate has a solid understanding of the tools used to manage Scrum teams and projects.

Avoid using names for artifacts that deviate from the standard Scrum process, such as terms that are specific only to a previous employer. For example, do not refer to your team's product backlog as a work item list or user request list.

What is the role of a Product Owner on a Scrum team?

A scrum Product Owner is responsible for managing the product backlog. They add user stories, prioritize them, and play a key role in the release and sprint planning. The Product Owner has expertise in the business the product is related to, and they are also responsible for communicating the goals of the product and ensuring that the intended use and value of the items contained within the backlog are understood.

The Product Owner is one of the key roles within Scrum projects. Interviewers ask this question to ensure the Scrum Master understands what this role is responsible for and how the Scrum Master interacts with the role.

Avoid offering opinions about what the specific background of a Product Owner should be. The duties are the same regardless of whether the resource is sourced from within the client domain or the development team, as in cases where the business analyst acts as a Product Owner proxy.

What is the difference between Scrum and SAFe?

Scrum is a development methodology built upon a limited set of principles and values. Scrum teams are small, and they are concerned mostly with dynamics inside of the team setting. Scrum does not define rules for working with other teams or large or global teams. Additionally, Scrum does not specify how to incorporate concepts like project management. These gaps make it difficult for enterprises to have the proper level of insight into the work of their Scrum teams. SAFe is a scaled framework that defines the structures needed to adopt agile practices across an enterprise. It is not solely dependent on Scrum and incorporates other models such as Kanban. SAFe defines the communication model between teams and through the hierarchy of an enterprise to the executives. SAFe is more costly and can be difficult to implement, but it promotes collaboration and quality standards, which are necessary within enterprises that rely on reuse and optimization opportunities.

Many enterprises have adopted scaled agile framework models (SAFe) to collectively manage their Scrum teams and projects. Interviewers who ask this question are interested in determining if a candidate understands the gaps the SAFe framework addresses in an enterprise agile development setting.

Avoid vague answers that do not describe the specific gaps the SAFe framework was meant to address. Enterprises rely heavily on concepts such as program management that are not addressed in Scrum. Interviewers want to ensure you understand how to manage a Scrum Team and deliver the necessary information to stakeholders outside of the Scrum Team.

Agile Scrum Master Interview Questions

Go Back

1. What is your greatest weakness as a scrum master?
2. Tell me about yourself.
3. Which principles of Scrum add the most value to the projects you have worked on. Why?
4. What sprint lengths do you have experience facilitating, and what length do you prefer?
5. Other than Scrum, what other agile methodologies do you have experience working with?
6. Describe any Scrum of Scrum initiatives you have facilitated.
7. Describe the optimal level of detail a user story should hold prior to the beginning of a sprint.
8. What formal training and certifications do you have that are relevant to the Scrum Master role?
9. Describe your method for estimating Scrum project timelines and budgets.
10. What occurs during a backlog refinement meeting?
11. How do you facilitate a daily scrum meeting?
12. What is a sprint planning session, and what are the expected outcomes?
13. What occurs during a release planning session and why is it valuable?
14. How do you facilitate sprint retrospective meetings?
15. Describe a common roadblock you would remove for a team member during a sprint.
16. What guidance do you give new Scrum teams for testing their development products?
17. How would you work with a new Scrum team to define the concept of 'definition of done'?
18. Describe a time you experienced a conflict with a client for a Scrum project and the steps you took to resolve it.
19. How do you counsel teams to address stories that are not completed within a sprint?
20. What are some of the techniques you use to address disagreement during user story estimation?
21. What challenges are faced when transitioning team members and clients from Waterfall to Scrum?
22. What are the common ceremonies or meetings regularly held by Scrum teams?
23. What is a product backlog, and what are some of the data points tracked within it?
24. What are some methods for handling scope creep in Scrum?
25. What is a sprint backlog?
26. What is the concept of a minimally viable product, or MVP?
27. What is a burndown chart used for?
28. What is the relationship between user stories, tasks, and epics?
29. What is concept of velocity, and how can it be leveraged by a Scrum team?
30. What is user story mapping, and who are its stakeholders?
31. What is a Spike and how should it be used?
32. What is a sprint zero and how does it add value?
33. What tools or systems do you have experience using to facilitate the Scrum process?
34. What are the main responsibilities of a Scrum Master?
35. What are the major artifacts used to manage Scrum projects?
36. What is the role of a Product Owner on a Scrum team?
37. What is the difference between Scrum and SAFe?

Agile Scrum Master Interview Questions

1. What is your greatest weakness as a scrum master?

2. Tell me about yourself.

3. Which principles of Scrum add the most value to the projects you have worked on. Why?

4. What sprint lengths do you have experience facilitating, and what length do you prefer?

5. Other than Scrum, what other agile methodologies do you have experience working with?

6. Describe any Scrum of Scrum initiatives you have facilitated.

7. Describe the optimal level of detail a user story should hold prior to the beginning of a sprint.

8. What formal training and certifications do you have that are relevant to the Scrum Master role?

9. Describe your method for estimating Scrum project timelines and budgets.

10. What occurs during a backlog refinement meeting?

11. How do you facilitate a daily scrum meeting?

12. What is a sprint planning session, and what are the expected outcomes?

13. What occurs during a release planning session and why is it valuable?

14. How do you facilitate sprint retrospective meetings?

15. Describe a common roadblock you would remove for a team member during a sprint.

16. What guidance do you give new Scrum teams for testing their development products?

17. How would you work with a new Scrum team to define the concept of 'definition of done'?

18. Describe a time you experienced a conflict with a client for a Scrum project and the steps you took to resolve it.

19. How do you counsel teams to address stories that are not completed within a sprint?

20. What are some of the techniques you use to address disagreement during user story estimation?

21. What challenges are faced when transitioning team members and clients from Waterfall to Scrum?

22. What are the common ceremonies or meetings regularly held by Scrum teams?

23. What is a product backlog, and what are some of the data points tracked within it?

24. What are some methods for handling scope creep in Scrum?

25. What is a sprint backlog?

26. What is the concept of a minimally viable product, or MVP?

27. What is a burndown chart used for?

28. What is the relationship between user stories, tasks, and epics?

29. What is concept of velocity, and how can it be leveraged by a Scrum team?

30. What is user story mapping, and who are its stakeholders?

31. What is a Spike and how should it be used?

32. What is a sprint zero and how does it add value?

33. What tools or systems do you have experience using to facilitate the Scrum process?

34. What are the main responsibilities of a Scrum Master?

35. What are the major artifacts used to manage Scrum projects?

36. What is the role of a Product Owner on a Scrum team?

37. What is the difference between Scrum and SAFe?