Scrum Master Interview Question and Answer

1. Name the phases of risk management.

Ans. There are 5 phases of risk management –

• Risk identification
• Risk categorization
• Risk response
• Risk review
• Risk closure

2. What are the primary tools used in a Scrum project?

Ans. The primary tools used in a Scrum project are –

• JIRA
• Rally
• Version One
• nTask
• Targetprocess
• VivifyScrum
• QuickScrum
• Yodiz
• ScrumDo
• Pivotal Tracker

3. What is Scrumban?

Ans. A Scrumban is a management framework and Kanban-based model for software development. It is used in software projects that require continuous maintenance, problem-solving, error fixation, etc. This model is chosen to complete a project within minimum time.

4. What is API?

Ans. API or Application Programming Interface is a communication protocol between clients and servers. This contract is created to ensure smooth functioning and building of client-side software. The client describes its requirements, and the server is responsible for delivering the product as agreed.

5. What is a product roadmap?

Ans. It is a product vision that offers a holistic view of product features. A product roadmap helps the product teams to communicate the strategy with cross-functional teams as well as key stakeholders.

6. How is estimation done in a Scrum project?

Ans. The entire team does estimation in a Scrum project during the sprint planning meeting. This is achieved by using relative Agile estimation techniques.

7. Which techniques are used for estimation?

Ans. Techniques used in estimation include –

• T-shirt Estimation Technique
• Planning Poker Estimation Technique
• Estimation by Analogy Technique
• Disaggregation Estimation Technique

8. What are the most common risks in a Scrum project?

Ans. The most commonly encountered risks in a Scrum project are –

• A scope creep
• Timeline issues
• Budget issues

9. What is Scope Creep? How will you avoid Scope Creep?

Ans. Also known as requirement creep, Scope Creep refers to damages or deviations in any project’s scope within the same resource range, and these are beyond human control. It indicates poor project management and is a potential risk to a project.

10. What are the common reasons behind Scope Creep?

Ans. It can be because of any uncontrolled issue, but the primary reasons behind Scope Creep are –

• Poor or miscommunication between the stakeholders of a project
• Improper documentation of project requirements

11. What is the Gap Analysis?

Ans. It is a method to assess differences in performance between the existing system and functionalities of a business. It is a performance level comparison that checks whether business requirements are being met and devises the ways that can help to get the required results.

12. Can you differentiate a Risk and an Issue?

Ans. Yes, a Risk is a problem that has been predicted earlier, and improvement plans are devised for them, while an Issue is a problem that has already occurred.

13. What is the role of Sashimi in Scrum?

Ans. Sashimi is used in Scrum to check if all the functions are completed after a product is displayed. It involves different methodologies like analysis, designing, coding, testing, and documentation.

14. What is Product Backlog & Sprint Backlog?

Ans. A product backlog contains features and requirements of a product.

A sprint backlog is a subset of the product backlog. It has features and requirements only related to a particular sprint.

15. What is Project Scope Management?

Ans. Project Scope Management is a set of processes followed in Agile projects to ensure that a project’s scope is accurately defined and mapped. The process involves steps like –

• Planning scope management
• Collecting requirements
• Defining scope
• Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
• Validating Scope
• Controlling Scope

16. Name different types of metrics used to measure the work done by Scrum teams.

Ans. Metrics that help to measure the work done by scrum teams include –

• Sprint Goal Success
• Escaped Defects and Defect Density
• Team Velocity
• Sprint Burn-down
• Time to Market
• ROI
• Capital Redeployment
• Customer Satisfaction

17. What is a burn-down chart?

Ans. A burn-down chart is a graphical representation of work left to do versus time.

18. What is RC?

Ans. RC is the abbreviation of the Release Candidate. It is an internally released build to check for any undetected critical issues left during the previous development period. RC is only used for testing purposes.

19. Name the most important tools used in Agile projects.

Ans. The most important tools used in Agile projects are –

• Active Collab
• Agile Bench
• Bonfire
• BugDigger
• BugShooting
• JIRA Agile
• LeanKit
• Pivotal Tracker
• Planbox
• qTrace
• Snagit
• Telerik TeamPulse
• Usersnap
• VersionOne

20. Name some Agile project management tools.

Ans. Some popular Agile project management tools are –

• Active Collab
• Agilo for Scrum
• Atlassian Jira
• Gravity
• Icescrum
• Kanbanize
• com
• Nifty
• Pivotal Tracker
• SpiraTeam
• SpiraTeam
• SprintGround
• VSTS
• Wrike

21. Mention the responsibilities of a Scrum Master?

Ans. Following are the key responsibilities of a Scrum Master involves:

• Tracking and monitoring
• Work to reach the project goal
• Communication and reporting
• Protect the team from detachments
• Understanding requirements properly
• Improving the performance of the team
• Lead the meetings and resolve issues
• Process checking master and quality master
• Resolution of conflicts and impediments

22. Mention Some major principles of Agile testing.

Ans. Following are some major principles of Agile testing:

• Focus on essence
• Self-organized
• Collective work
• Customer satisfaction
• Continuous feedback
• Successive improvement
• Sustainable development
• Quick respond to changes
• Error-free clean node

23. Mention some methodologies and development where we can use the Agile model.

Ans. Some methodologies and development where we can use the Agile model:–

• Crystal methodologies
• Dynamic development
• Feature-driven development
• Lean software development

24. What benefits do you get by holding any agile certification? Mention the reason to choose this certification?

Ans. Agile and Scrum certifications are trending in the market, candidates decided to hold one or more. Below is a list of popular Agile and Scrum certifications:

• ASM (Agile Scrum Master)
• CSM (Certified Scrum Master)
• ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner)
• PSM (Professional Scrum Master)
• Safe Agilist

25. What is the procedure to do estimation in a Scrum project? Name the techniques used for estimation?

Ans. Estimation can be processed by using relative Agile estimation techniques. It is a Scrum project. Following are the technique used in the Scrum project-

• Planning poker estimation
• T-shirt estimation technique
• Estimation by analogy technique
• Disaggregation estimation technique

26. When can we use Waterfall over Scrum?

Ans. We can use waterfall over Scrum if the requirements are basic, fully defined, predictable, and understood.

27. Mention the roles included in the Scrum framework?

Ans. Scrum framework includes three roles-

• Product Owner
• Scrum Master
• Development team

28. Mention the most common risks in a Scrum project?

Ans. Following are the most common risks in a Scrum project:

• Budget issues
• A scope creep
• Timeline issues

29. Mention how many Scrum teams we can manage at one time?

Ans. We can manage more than one team at a time. It will be great if an experienced leader will manage all these with his achievements.

30. Mention the five phases of Risk Management?

Ans. Following are the five phases of Risk Management:

• Risk identification
• Risk categorization
• Risk response
• Risk review
• Risk closure

31. Explain Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in Scrum?

Ans. An MVP is defined as the product with the minimum available features to be viewed to the stakeholders and be required to ship for production.

32. What are the main advantages of using Scrum?

Ans. The main advantages of using Scrum are:

• Early feedback 
• Production of the MVPs (Minimal Viable Product) to the stakeholders

33. Mention the disadvantages of Scrum?

Ans. Following are the disadvantages of Scrum:

• A strong and acknowledged project depends on the maturity and dedication of the entire team.
• Regular Scrum meetings need frequent reviews and substantial resources.