Interview questions in Agile & Scrum, page 6
How do you fix a team that consistently overcommits in sprints?
This tests diagnosing process failures, not just bad estimates. A good answer investigates root causes like external pressure or poor refinement, then proposes using historical velocity and tracking actual capacity.
How do you fix a team that consistently overcommits?
This tests diagnosing systemic process failures. A great answer investigates root causes like stakeholder pressure, then proposes using historical velocity, tracking actual capacity, and improving backlog refinement.
What strategy would you propose to fix an unmanageable backlog?
Expose bloat, inspect for value so the PO re-orders and trims waste, then inspect regularly.
How would you fix a long, unmanageable product backlog?
Tests your ability to fix a core process failure, not just list grooming tactics. Propose a dedicated workshop to define a clear Product Goal, ruthlessly prune the backlog against it, and establish a sustainable refinement process. Red flag: blaming the PO.
How do you fix a 200-item unmanageable product backlog?
Tests strategic thinking and Agile leadership. A strong answer proposes a collaborative workshop, re-anchors on the Product Goal, ruthlessly triages items, and establishes a new refinement process.
What is the Sprint Goal and how does it guide planning?
Goal-driven Sprints vs ticket batches. The Sprint Goal is the agreed objective guiding selection of ordered backlog items to build a valuable Increment and enable inspection. Red flag: calling it optional or pulling the top N items without negotiation.
What is a Sprint Goal and how does it influence planning?
Tests if you grasp that a Sprint Goal defines a valuable outcome, not just a list of tasks. A good answer explains it's a filter for selecting work, provides flexibility, and creates team coherence. Red flag: equating the goal with 'finishing all the tickets'.
Sprint Goal: Purpose and Influence on Sprint Planning
Tests if you understand a Sprint is about a single objective, not just a list of tasks. Define the Sprint Goal as the 'why'—a commitment providing focus and flexibility that guides PBI selection. A red flag is defining the goal as a summary of tickets.
Daily Scrum ticket updates: what primary purpose is missing?
This tests whether you know the Daily Scrum inspects Sprint Goal progress and adapts the plan rather than reporting status. A strong answer identifies the missing purpose as team inspection and adaptation against the Sprint Goal.
What is the primary purpose of the Daily Scrum?
This tests your understanding of Scrum events as tools for inspection and adaptation, not status reports. A great answer states the purpose is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and plan the next 24 hours.
What's missing from a ticket-focused Daily Scrum?
This tests if you know the Daily Scrum is for Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal, not a status report. A great answer states this purpose, explains how it enables adapting the next day's plan, and focuses on the team.
Explain the difference between code complete and Done. What artifact defines this?
Tests whether you know Done means a usable Increment, not just written code. Strong answer: code complete is a dev milestone; Done means the Increment meets quality standards. Red flag: saying testing happens after Done or that Done is optional.
Code Complete vs. Done: What's the Difference?
Tests your understanding of value delivery vs. task completion. A great answer defines 'code complete' as a developer milestone and 'Done' as a team-agreed state of shippable value, governed by the Definition of Done.
Difference Between 'Code Complete' and 'Done'?
Tests if you grasp value delivery vs. task completion. A great answer defines 'code complete' as a dev step and 'Done' as a team-agreed state of shippable value, governed by the Definition of Done. A red flag is equating 'Done' with just 'QA passed'.
A task takes longer than estimated, jeopardizing the Sprint Goal. Next steps?
This tests empirical adaptation when forecasts fail. Strong answer: inspect in the Daily Scrum, adapt scope with the Product Owner, and protect the Sprint Goal via self-management.
A mid-sprint task jeopardizes the Sprint Goal. What now?
This tests your grasp of Scrum's core principles: adaptation and prioritizing the Sprint Goal. A great answer involves immediate transparency, collaborating with the Product Owner to renegotiate scope, and adapting the plan. A red flag is suggesting overtime.
What do you do when a Sprint Goal is in jeopardy?
Tests your grasp of adaptation over rigid plans. A great answer involves immediate transparency, team problem-solving on how to still meet the Sprint Goal, and negotiating scope with the Product Owner.
How do you help establish a Sprint Goal when the PO hasn't?
Ask why the items matter, find a unifying outcome, and draft a goal the selected work supports.
How do you help establish a Sprint Goal?
This tests your agency beyond coding and your ability to facilitate collaboration. A good answer involves asking probing questions to find a theme, suggesting a value-oriented goal, and getting team buy-in. A red flag is passively accepting the task list.
How do you establish a Sprint Goal in planning?
This tests your ability to shift from a task-taker to a value-driver. A great answer involves asking 'why' to find a theme, proposing a goal based on that theme, and then negotiating scope against it. A red flag is passively waiting or confronting the PO.
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