What experience do you have with Agile software development? What do you like about this methodology?
Virtually every software development organization uses the Agile methodology for software development. Interviewers expect you to be familiar with this and be able to discuss it in depth. This is another qualifying question that will indicate your compatibility with the organization and your ability to perform the task required by this job.
"I have used the Agile software development methodology in several of my previous positions. I like this process because it is an iterative development methodology that requires a great deal of collaboration between all the stakeholders involved with a software development project. Before beginning work, the team holds daily standup meetings to review what was accomplished during the previous day and plan the upcoming activities. This provides the team with the opportunity to confirm that they are moving in the right direction and to catch any errors which may have occurred during the development process, correcting them before they have a greater impact on subsequent activities or the final product. My experience has been that the Agile methodology enables teams to deliver software products quicker, with greater accuracy, and higher quality."
If you mention Agile in your previous answers during the interview, you're likely to be asked about it in more detail in a subsequent question. As a senior software engineer, you should be intimately familiar with various development processes, including Agile, SCRUM, and Waterfall. Even if you have not used one of these processes and one of your previous positions, you should describe them and their advantages and some of the additional tasks they add to the development process. If you have thoroughly researched the organization before the interview, you will understand which of these processes they use and be prepared to answer questions about it.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I have had experience in both non-Agile development and Agile development environments. Since adopting Agile development, the software development lifecycle has become much smoother, faster, and more clearly defined with better communication between the teams involved. It's allowed me and my team to produce more robust and resilient code with significantly fewer bugs.
Amanda's Feedback
Good job! Consider improving this answer by communicating how many years of experience you have with Agile development or quantifying how many projects you've completed using Agile principles. If an Agile environment is especially beneficial for the kind of projects you'd be working on in the role you're applying for, this is a good place to connect the position's requirements with your prior experience. This helps the interviewer understand the depth and breadth of your experience with the methodology.
Unlock all 47 Senior Software Engineer questions
Unlock expert responses to system design and leadership questions interviewers expect.
Get Started