StarAgile has gathered Scrum Master interview questions to give certified professionals an idea on type of questions which may be asked during interview. After Scrum Master Certification most of the professional will update their profiles and plan to attend Scrum master interviews these questions will be useful specially for these professionals.
Basic Scrum Master Interview Questions and Answers
1. What is Scrum and how is it different from Waterfall?
Scrum is iterative, flexible, and based on sprints. The waterfall is sequential and rigid. Scrum encourages early feedback, quick changes, and continuous collaboration, while Waterfall requires completing each phase before moving forward.
2. How is Scrum different from the Iterative model?
Scrum is a type of iterative model only but it is iterative + incremental.
3. Define the key roles in Scrum (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development Team).
a)Scrum Master: The Scrum Master acts as a facilitator, ensuring that the Scrum process is followed.
b) Product Owner: The Product Owner is responsible for defining and prioritising the work that needs to be done, usually by managing the Product Backlog.
c) Development Team: The Development Team is made up of professionals who do the actual work of delivering the product.
4. What are the ceremonies performed in a Scrum framework?
In the Scrum framework, there are several key ceremonies that help the team stay on track and ensure smooth collaboration:
a) Sprint Planning: Plan tasks for the sprint.
b) Daily Standup: Share progress and blockers.
c) Sprint Review: Demo work to stakeholders.
d) Retrospective: Reflect and improve.
e) Backlog Refinement: Groom the backlog (informal but essential).
5. What are the main artifacts in Scrum?
The main artifacts in Scrum are:
a)Sprint Backlog
b) Product Backlog
c) Velocity Chart
d) Burn-down Chart
6. What is a Product Backlog and a Sprint Backlog?
The Product Backlog is a list of everything the product needs. The Sprint Backlog is a smaller list of selected items from the product backlog that the team plans to complete in a sprint.
7. What is a Scrum Sprint, and what is its ideal duration?
A Scrum Sprint is a fixed period of time during which a specific set of work is completed and made ready for review. It’s essentially a mini-project within the larger project, where the team focuses on delivering a specific set of features or improvements. The ideal duration of a Scrum Sprint is 1 to 4 weeks, with 2 weeks being the most common.
8. What is a Timeboxing in Scrum?
Timeboxing in Scrum refers to setting fixed, limited durations for certain activities or events, such as sprints, meetings, and tasks. The goal is to ensure that work is focused, efficient, and manageable within a specific timeframe.
9. What is a User Story? Can you explain with an example?
A User Story is a simple description of a feature or functionality from the user’s perspective. It’s written in a way that focuses on the value the feature brings to the user, usually following this format:
"As a [type of user], I want [a goal] so that [I can achieve a benefit]."
Example:
"As a customer, I want to be able to reset my password so that I can regain access to my account if I forget my password.
10. What are Epic, User Stories & Tasks – how are they related?
In Scrum, Epics, User Stories, and Tasks are ways to break down work into manageable chunks:
a) Epic: Think of an Epic as a big goal or feature that’s too large to complete in one go.
b) User Story: A User Story is a smaller, more focused piece of work that comes from an Epic.
c) Task: Tasks are the smallest units of work. They break a User Story down into specific steps, which are assigned to individual team members during a sprint.
11. How are they related?
An Epic contains several User Stories, and each User Story is divided into smaller Tasks. This keeps the work organised and helps teams deliver value step by step.
12. What are the three pillars of Scrum?
The three pillars of Scrum are Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation. They help teams stay aligned, regularly review progress, and make improvements as needed.
13. What are Scrum Values?
Scrum is built on five values: Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect. These values guide team behaviour and support a healthy Agile mindset.
14.What happens in a Daily Stand‑up meeting?
In a Daily Stand-up is a brief meeting to keep everyone aligned and on track. Each team member answers three simple questions to update the group on their progress:
a) What did you complete since the last meeting?
b) What do you plan to complete by the next meeting?
c) What obstacles are getting in your way?
15. What is Velocity, and how is it measured?
Velocity is a metric used in Scrum to measure how much work a team completes during a sprint. It’s calculated by adding up the story points (or any other units of measurement) completed by the team during the sprint. The more story points a team completes, the higher their velocity.
16. What is a Definition of Done (DoD)?
The Definition of Done is a clear checklist that shows when a task or feature is fully complete. It ensures quality and sets shared expectations for delivery.
17. What are Burn-down and Burn-up charts?
Burndown charts show how much work is left to do in a sprint or project over time, typically tracking the remaining effort. Burn-up charts, on the other hand, track how much work has been completed, showing the total work done as the project progresses.
18. What are common tools used in Scrum projects?
Popular Scrum tools include Jira, Trello, Asana and ClickUp. These tools help teams manage tasks, track progress, and collaborate easily.
19. What are the impediments in Scrum? Give some examples.
Impediments in Scrum are obstacles or issues that slow down the team’s progress, preventing them from delivering a “Done” increment. Examples of impediments include:
a) Missing resources or sick team members
b) Technical or operational challenges
c) Lack of support from management
20. What is Scope Creep, and how do you handle it?
Scope Creep happens when unapproved changes or additions are made to the project scope, leading to more work and delays. To handle it, the Scrum Master ensures proper backlog management, and the Product Owner keeps the focus on priorities.
Advanced Scrum Master Interview Questions
21. How do you prioritise user stories in a backlog?
User stories are prioritized based on their business value, urgency, and dependencies. The Product Owner works closely with stakeholders to focus on stories that deliver the most value, ensuring the team works on the most important tasks first.
22. How do you estimate user stories – hours, days, or story points? Why?
User stories are usually estimated using story points, which measure effort, complexity, and uncertainty. Story points provide a relative estimate, allowing the team to compare stories more easily. It also focuses on effort rather than time, promoting better planning and tracking across sprints.
23. What is the difference between MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and MMP (Minimum Marketable Product)?
An MVP(Minimum Viable Product) is the simplest version of a product that meets the basic needs of early users, allowing for quick feedback. MMP ( Minimum Marketable Productt), however, includes features that make the product market-ready, with enough value to attract a broader audience and be successfully sold.
24. Explain Empirical Process Control in Scrum.
Empirical Process Control in Scrum is based on the idea of learning through experience. Scrum uses transparency (visibility of processes), inspection (regular checks on progress), and adaptation (making improvements based on feedback) to continuously evolve and improve the product and process.
25. What is Sprint 0 and what is a Spike?
Sprint 0 is a preparation sprint before development begins, focusing on setting up the environment and refining the backlog. A Spike is a time-boxed research task used to explore unknowns or gather information needed to make decisions in future sprints.
26. How do you handle fatigue in Retrospectives?
To prevent fatigue in retrospectives, I keep them short and engaging by changing the format, including interactive activities, and encouraging everyone’s participation. It’s important to maintain energy levels and make the retrospectives something the team looks forward to rather than a chore.
27. What does a Scrum Master do to enhance team productivity?
A Scrum Master helps enhance team productivity by removing obstacles, facilitating Scrum ceremonies, coaching the team, and ensuring the process runs smoothly. They foster a positive, collaborative environment and ensure the team stays focused on delivering value, making the team more efficient and aligned.
28. How do you follow up on action items decided in Retrospectives?
After a retrospective, I ensure that action items are clear, assigned to the right people, and tracked throughout the sprint. I follow up during daily stand-ups and monitor progress, making sure the team stays accountable and continuously improves on the points discussed.
29. When should a Scrum Master not act as a facilitator?
A Scrum Master shouldn’t act as a facilitator if it compromises the team’s self-organisation or if another role, like the Product Owner, is better suited for the task. It’s important that the team has ownership of their own processes and decisions.
30. How do you handle conflicts or disagreements within the team?
I address conflicts by creating an open, respectful environment where team members can express concerns and work through issues together. I facilitate discussions, encourage active listening, and help the team focus on the common goal, fostering collaboration and alignment.
31. How do you coordinate between multiple Scrum teams (Scrum of Scrums)?
I coordinate between multiple Scrum teams by organizing Scrum of Scrums meeting these regular check-ins help team representatives discuss progress, dependencies, and blockers across teams. This keeps everything aligned, ensuring smooth collaboration and communication throughout the project.
32. What are the 5 phases of Risk Management in Scrum?
The 5 phases of Risk Management in Scrum are Identification, Assessment, Prioritization, Mitigation, and Monitoring. These phases help teams identify potential risks early, assess their impact, prioritize actions, mitigate risks, and continuously monitor to avoid problems later.
33. How do you track Sprint progress as a Scrum Master?
I track Sprint progress by using tools like Burn-down charts, which visually show the remaining work versus time. I also monitor team velocity, sprint goals, and any impediments that might arise, ensuring the team stays on track and delivers value by the end of the sprint.
34. How would you describe a Release Candidate?
A Release Candidate is a version of the software that is nearly ready for production. It has passed initial testing and is considered feature-complete, awaiting further testing (such as User Acceptance Testing) before it’s officially released to customers.
35. How do you deal with difficult stakeholders?
I deal with difficult stakeholders by actively listening to their concerns, managing expectations, and fostering open communication. I work to build trust by regularly updating them, ensuring their needs are met, and aligning their expectations with the team’s progress.
36. Is Scrum Master a management position? Explain.
No, a Scrum Master is not a traditional management position. Instead, the Scrum Master acts as a facilitator and coach, helping the team follow Scrum practices, remove obstacles, and improve collaboration. They guide the team but don’t manage the team in the traditional sense.
37. What is Scrumban and when would you use it?
Scrumban is a hybrid framework that blends Scrum and Kanban. It’s useful when a team needs the flexibility of Kanban for continuous flow but also the structure of Scrum for managing sprints. It’s often used when a team requires more flexibility but still needs to deliver in iterations.
38. Can the Scrum Team participate in product discovery? How?
Yes, the Scrum Team can participate in product discovery by collaborating with the Product Owner to explore user needs, validate ideas, and contribute insights. The team’s technical knowledge helps ensure that product discovery aligns with both user needs and technical feasibility.
39. How do you ensure timely delivery of action items?
I ensure timely delivery by setting clear deadlines, tracking progress in daily stand-ups, and holding the team accountable. I also work to remove any impediments that might delay progress, ensuring that the team has everything they need to meet deadlines.
40. Should velocity be increased for optimum productivity?
No, the focus should be on achieving an optimal velocity that balances speed and quality. Pushing to increase velocity may compromise product quality, leading to bugs or incomplete features. Sustainable velocity helps maintain team health while delivering quality work consistently.
Additional / Scenario‑Based Scrum Master Interview Questions
41. How does agile testing methodology differ from other testing methodologies?
Agile testing breaks work into smaller steps. Testers and developers collaborate continuously, adapt quickly, and test early, unlike traditional testing, which often happens after development ends.
42. What is the “Three Amigos” concept in Scrum?
The "Three Amigos" practice in Scrum is teamwork and collaboration. It is where three important individuals—the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team—sit down together to discuss and clarify the specifics of a user story or feature prior to beginning any work on it.
43. What is an ideal team size for Scrum and why?
The optimal Scrum team size is usually between 3 and 9 members. This number is thought to be best since it's big enough to possess a variety of skills but small enough to stay agile and communicate well.
44. What are tracer bullets in Agile, and how are they used?
In Agile, tracer bullets are small, functional parts of a system built early to test the path forward. They help teams explore technical feasibility, validate architecture, and guide future development by showing how components work together without building the full solution upfront.
45. How can QA add value to an agile team?
QA can provide value addition by thinking differently about the various scenarios to test a story. They can provide quick feedback to the developers whether new functionality is working fine or not.QA is not a separate silo but is part of a cross-functional agile team. It is included in the project from the beginning, and the whole team works together on user stories using the same tracking tools. The Director of the QA team works closely with the executive management team to identify technology and staffing needs in relation to project pipelines.
Quality Assurance is empowered to support projects and add value in whatever way the situation requires. Examples include design reviews, requirements assessments, browser and device support, process, tools, risk assessments, and helping to determine “Definition of Ready” and “Definition of Done.”
QA sits with the project team whenever possible, allowing for increased conversation and problem-solving in real time. The QA team attends and contributes to all relevant planning meetings and sprint ceremonies and also work directly with clients on quality and testing processes.
Members of QA teams always learn as individuals, as project team members, and as representatives of a skilled discipline within the organization. Our process and approach to testing evolve to keep up with advances in technology and the changing needs of clients. What works for one client or project might differ radically from another. Flexibility is the key.
46. Does maximum velocity mean maximum productivity? Why or why not?
No, maximum velocity does not always mean maximum productivity. Focusing solely on maximising velocity may lead to shortcuts in quality, such as skipping testing or customer collaboration, and neglecting bug fixes.
47. How to measure velocity if iteration lengths change?
Measuring velocity can be tricky if iteration lengths change, as consistency is key to tracking progress. A fixed iteration length ensures steady rhythm and reliable predictions.
48. What is the difference between Agile and other frameworks like Kanban or XP?
Agile is a broad philosophy for iterative development, while Kanban focuses on continuous flow with no time-boxed iterations, and XP (Extreme Programming) emphasises technical excellence and close collaboration. Each offers unique approaches to project management, but they all prioritise flexibility and customer value.
49. How do you ensure that user stories meet requirements?
I ensure user stories meet requirements by collaborating with the Product Owner to clarify acceptance criteria, ensuring the team fully understands the story. We also conduct regular reviews, test early, and adjust as needed to ensure that the story meets the needs of the customer.
50. How many Scrum teams have you managed simultaneously and what challenges did you face?
I’ve managed up to three Scrum teams simultaneously. The main challenges include ensuring alignment between teams, managing cross-team dependencies, and maintaining clear communication. I overcame these by organizing Scrum of Scrums meetings and ensuring teams were aligned on goals and priorities.
51. How would you handle a situation where the team resists Scrum practices?
If a team resists Scrum, I would listen to their concerns, address any misconceptions, and provide training or resources to help them understand the benefits of Scrum. I’d also start with small wins to show how Scrum practices improve efficiency, helping them gradually adopt the framework.
52. What metrics or reports do you use to track Scrum success?
I use metrics such as Velocity, Burn-down charts, Sprint Goal Completion, and Lead Time to track progress and success. These metrics help assess the team’s efficiency, identify areas for improvement, and ensure alignment with the project goals.
53. How would you deal with last‑minute requirement changes?
I would assess the impact of the change and work with the Product Owner to prioritise it in the Product Backlog. If the change is urgent, I would adjust the Sprint Backlog to accommodate the new requirement, ensuring the team understands the impact on timelines and goals.
54. What does Confidence Vote mean in Scrum, and why is it important?
A Confidence Vote is a quick poll where the team expresses their confidence in achieving the sprint goal. It helps identify potential issues early and ensures the team is aligned and committed to the goal, promoting transparency and proactive problem-solving.
55. When should you use Waterfall over Scrum?
Waterfall is best for projects with well-defined, fixed requirements, such as construction or manufacturing. If the scope, timelines, and budget are rigid, Waterfall may be more suitable than Scrum, which works best for projects with evolving requirements and the need for flexibility.
56. Would you recommend automated testing in Scrum projects? Why?
Yes, automated testing is highly recommended in Scrum projects. It ensures consistent, fast testing, catching defects early. Automated tests can be run frequently during each sprint, improving product quality and reducing the time spent on manual testing, which helps maintain velocity.
57. What does INVEST stand for in User Stories?
INVEST stands for Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable. It’s a guide to writing good user stories in Agile projects.
