Interview questions in Agile & Scrum, page 3
How does a team forecast work for a Sprint?
This tests if you know the Developers own the forecast, not the PO or SM. A good answer cites past performance, current capacity, and the Product Backlog as inputs. A red flag is saying the Product Owner dictates the work.
How does a team forecast work for a Sprint?
Tests your grasp of Scrum's empirical forecasting. A great answer cites three inputs: the Product Backlog, past performance, and team capacity. The Developers pull the work; they don't have it pushed on them. A red flag is saying a manager dictates the scope.
Stakeholder approaches mid-sprint with a feature request. What is the Scrum process?
Tests whether you know the Product Owner orders the backlog and the Sprint selection is fixed. Strong answer: send the stakeholder to the PO, who decides placement. Red flag: adding the work to the Sprint Backlog yourself.
How do you handle an urgent mid-sprint feature request?
This tests your understanding of Scrum roles and protecting the Sprint Goal. A great answer redirects the stakeholder to the Product Owner, who then assesses the request's impact and negotiates with the team if it can be swapped in without harming the Sprint…
How do you handle an urgent mid-sprint feature request?
This tests your understanding of Scrum roles and protecting the Sprint Goal. Acknowledge the request, redirect the stakeholder to the Product Owner who manages the backlog, and explain the trade-offs.
Why the Sprint is a 'container' for empiricism
A steady cadence creates regular inspection points, the Sprint Goal stays fixed once committed, and Developers are shielded from scope churn.
How does the Sprint container enable empiricism and protect developers?
This tests your grasp of the Sprint's structural role in Scrum. A good answer defines the Sprint as a fixed-length container for all events, explains how this cadence enables empiricism, and how the Sprint Goal protects developers.
How does the Sprint container enable empiricism and protect developers?
Tests if you see the Sprint as a time-box for empirical control. A good answer explains how the fixed duration and Sprint Goal create a cadence for inspection and protect developers from shifting priorities.
How do the Sprint Retrospective and Definition of Done support empiricism?
Tests if you see the DoD as a transparency standard and the Retrospective as inspect-and-adapt. Explain that the DoD makes true progress visible, enabling honest inspection, while the Retrospective inspects process and adapts the DoD.
Scrum Empiricism: Retro and Definition of Done
This tests your grasp of Scrum theory beyond mechanics. A great answer links the Definition of Done to transparency, the Retrospective to inspection, and the Retro's output to adaptation. A red flag is confusing the Sprint Review with the Retrospective.
How do the Sprint Retrospective and Definition of Done support empiricism?
This tests connecting Scrum theory to practice. Answer by linking the Definition of Done (Transparency) to the Retrospective, where the team Inspects process effectiveness and Adapts by improving the DoD itself. Red flag: defining terms in isolation.
How do you handle a mid-Sprint urgent feature request?
Send the stakeholder to the Product Owner; do not add directly to the Sprint Backlog; protect the current plan.
How do you handle an urgent, mid-sprint stakeholder request?
Tests your understanding of Scrum roles and stakeholder management. First, acknowledge the request's urgency. Then, redirect the stakeholder to the Product Owner, who manages all new work. A red flag is saying 'yes' and derailing the sprint, or a flat 'no'.
How do you handle an urgent request during a Sprint?
This tests your ability to protect team focus while managing stakeholders. Acknowledge the request, explain its impact on the Sprint Goal, and redirect the stakeholder to the Product Owner, who owns the backlog. A red flag is saying 'yes' or 'no' directly.
What is Definition of Ready and why must the PO uphold it?
Tests grasp of backlog refinement as a team agreement. Strong answers define ready as value, scope, and acceptance criteria; explain it stops mid-sprint churn; and cite dependencies mapped and designs attached.
What is the Definition of Ready for a backlog item?
Tests your grasp of upstream quality gates in Agile. Define DoR as a team's checklist for sprint-ready items, explain it protects dev focus and predictability, and give examples like clear acceptance criteria.
What is the 'Definition of Ready' for a backlog item?
This tests your understanding of Agile team contracts and preventing sprint waste. A great answer defines 'Definition of Ready' as a team checklist for actionable work, explains how it enables predictable sprints, and gives examples like clear acceptance…
Describe your engineering contribution in backlog refinement and needed PO info
This tests if you treat refinement as collaborative planning. A strong answer covers feasibility feedback, sizing, dependency flags, and the business value or priority you need from the PO. Red flag: claiming engineers only receive requirements.
Your Role in a Product Backlog Refinement Meeting
This tests your proactive role in Scrum beyond just coding. A great answer covers decomposing work, asking clarifying questions, estimating effort, and identifying technical risks.
Your Contribution in Backlog Refinement
Tests your proactivity in shaping work, not just executing it. A good answer covers adding technical detail, estimating effort, and splitting stories. From the PO, you need the business goal and clear acceptance criteria.
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