Agile Scrum Master Guide with Interview Questions

Introduction

If you are a tech savvy then you must have heard of agile and scrum terms frequently. Both have its own strange language like stand-ups, planning pokers, or sprints etc. If you are also new to the agile scrum then you should refer this blog thoroughly otherwise you can be hooked at the workplace. The way how it takes complicated problems, prioritizing the tasks and the best ways to solve each of the tasks are incredible.

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Agile Scrum Master Tutorial Guide

You with all the fundamental knowledge you need regarding Agile and Scrum Master in the following sequence:

• What is Agile?
• What is Scrum?
• What are the features of Scrum?
• Important parts or people of the Scrum Framework
• How to start a Basic Scrum Framework?
• Agile Process - transparent Work
• What is the need of iteration or Improvements?
• Scrum Master Interview Questions & Answers 
• Final Words

What is Agile?

Most of the times, both terms agile and scrum are used interchangeably but there is an important difference between the two.

Agile is defined as the complete set of methods that are based on principles or values expressed in the Agile Manifesto as the cross-functionality of teams, collaboration, or self-organization etc.

Hopefully, you are understood what is agile? Next, we will check what is scrum master? 

What is Scrum Master?

Scrum is the framework used to implement the agile development successfully. So, you must be able to differentiate between analogy recipe and diet now. A diet is the set of methods based on principles or values. A recipe is a framework that can be used to implement the vegetarian diet ahead. Here, Agile is the diet and Scrum is the recipe.

Today, a lot of Companies are not just involved in software development but embracing the agile methodologies too. From all agile methods, Scrum is one of the popular names used frequently by Companies. In the next section, we will discuss the features of the Scrum and who can enjoy the maximum benefits from the Framework.

What are the Features of Scrum?

You must be thinking that Scrum is suitable for Software engineers or developers only. But it can be utilized for almost any type of project either it is complex or simpler. If you are in a marketing team and needs to write a copy of the complex project then Scrum is definitely the best option for your team.

It can be used by everyone like marketing agencies, FBI, construction crews, any type of product, a software application, or a small email campaign. Scrum always helps you to complete the most complicated work in almost half the time. The different roles associated with Scrum are the product owner, Scrum Master, Scrum developer, Agile expert etc.

Here are the things that can be performed by Scrum masters successfully –

• This is easy to plan for sprints, releases, daily activities etc.
• Developers can understand the artifacts including Sprint backlogs, products, deliverables, definitions etc.
• Explain the best practices around the sprints or releases that are really helpful during the execution.
• Developers could understand how to track or monitor a Scrum project with appropriate matrices or indicators.
• You are free to focus on advanced topics like complex systems, distributed teams etc.
• A combined knowledge of agile methods and scrum best practices can work magically for your project.

Important Parts or people of the Scrum Methodology

To understand the Scrum topic in depth, you should know the people and part of the Framework well. The best part is that you don’t need any special experience or certification to start. There is a need for organizing your thoughts and your backlogs. Let us break down the parts that make Scrum happen:

• Scrum Framework starts with the Product Owner and he is the person who expresses the best interests of users and he has the authority to decide what should be added to the final product.
• The product owner takes care of the Backlog that involves tasks or requirements for the final product needs. This is an important part and BACKLOG should be prioritized wisely here. This is the job of a product owner only.
• Next important part is the Sprint that is described as the predetermined framework helping the team to complete a set of tasks from the Backlog. Each task is to set some deadlines based on the length or efforts.
• Teams work together almost daily to meet up the deadlines to add the progress status in the Daily Scrum. For a few people, it is named as the daily stand-ups too.
• For each Sprint, there is added one Retrospective or we can say Review in simple words where the work of the team is reviewed well and possible ways are discussed to make necessary improvements in the next Sprint.

So, you can see yourself there is no need for specific training to get started. Still, you should follow the standard rules or guidelines to make the Scrum work. If you will compare the Scrum and Poker together then this is not wrong but its rules can be learned in ten minutes only. Obviously, it takes time in getting great at it.

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How to start a Basic Scrum Methodology?

When you are tired of using the same methods again and again. Why not give a chance to the Scrum Framework today? As we have discussed already, there is no need for special training to get started and it takes a matter of minutes only to learn the things on your own. You can also refer to the free guide available on the Scrum official site.

Obviously, learning the basics could be easy for you but how to master the scrum skills is a challenge for you. For this purpose, you should join some online education institute like JanBask Training to make the things easy and more significant for you. Once you will master the scrum, you can be more productive and happier employee like never before.

Let us learn the basics of how should you get started…????

• First of all, you need to download the PFD file from the official site of Scrum. Read it thoroughly in your free time and highlight the important things too. Learn the phrases that are new to you and start memorizing them quickly.
• In the next step, decide on your role, either it is a Project Manager or the Scrum Master. There is no place for ego when you are working with Scrum and it avoids team conflicts too.
• Now start with the creation of the Backlog where you can list everything related to the project and prioritize them based on their importance. Don’t forget that Backlog is always incomplete. As soon as the project starts taking shape then needs are added to it automatically. The Product Owner is primarily responsible here.
• Now, plan for the Sprint and decide on tasks from the backlog that you are planning to complete in the first Sprint. Keep in mind that Sprints are always time restricted so you should pick tasks accordingly. Make sure that tasks are assigned to the right people based on their skills or knowledge.
• This is the time to start work on the planned Sprint. Team members will start working on the tasks one by one and you may check the progress in Daily Scrum whenever needed. So, it will take only a few minutes to check what did you work on yesterday, what will be started today and is there anything that needs more help.
• In the last step i.e. Retrospective, the work will be reviewed carefully by the concerned people and feedback is given to make the next Sprint even better.

Once you first Sprint is complete, this is the right time to start over again. Pick up more tasks from the backlog and repeat the process again.

Agile Process – Transparent Work

The important principle or best practice in Scrum is Transparency. The team leader should understand that everyone is working for the Company and equally responsible for the progress and achievements accomplished. That’s why keeping thing more transparent is important for complex software projects.

The major component of Framework for the transparency is the Scrum Board. This is the place where you could manage backlogs, or tasks effectively and check the progress of the current Sprint together. Scrum Boards are simple to understand like sticky notes where charts or other tracking features are added for each task.

The main objective here is to check each task is visible completely to the users. The team members can see the work themselves and start on the same already. There is no reason that they should come to the project manager all the time for work. When tasks are outlined in detail properly before you assign them, work can be completed much faster than your expectations.

Before you begin your career, you should be knowing everything about this job profile. Here is What Is A Scrum Master Role & Responsibility?

What is the need for iterations or improvements?

One of the best features of Scrum that makes it even more powerful is the idea of iteration or continuous improvements. Every time you deliver a Sprint to the client then it does not signify that work is complete but one milestone is achieved successfully.

Imagine you spent thousands of dollars in working on a complex project and realized later it was not good for your Company at all. Learning the issues after the final product deployment is not acceptable at all. This is the reason why iterative deliveries are so popular these days. Instead of deploying the complete project together, it should be delivered in chunks over time. It would make the changes easy and affordable too. Besides the iterations, Scrum focuses on improving the process with each new cycle too.

During the Retrospective meeting, everyone can give his opinion on how the efficiency of a project can be improved. He can suggest solutions to work even better in the next Sprint. Ultimately, the team would be able to deliver more with each new cycle.

Most Asked Scrum Master Interview Questions

Q. What is Velocity?

Ans: The amount of work that a team completes during a sprint is measured by a statistic called velocity. It speaks of how many user stories were finished during a sprint. Questions related to velocity, you should not miss when preparing with Scrum Master interview questions. 

Q. What is a chart showing burnup and burndown?

Ans: A burnup chart is a tool used to keep track of the work that has been performed and to show how much work is still left to be done for a sprint or project.

A burndown graphic shows how quickly user stories are completed. It compares the overall effort to the amount of work required for each iteration. It is one of the most asked scrum master interview questions these days. 

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Q. Describe the Sprint.

Ans: Scrum uses the term "sprint" to refer to a time-boxed iteration.

A particular module or feature of the product is developed during a sprint.

A sprint might last anywhere from one week to two weeks.

You should not miss these kind of Scrum master interview questions while preparing for your job interview. 

Q. “Scrum of Scrums" – what is it?

Ans: It is a word for scaled agile technologies, which are necessary to manage and work together with numerous scrum teams. It works best when teams are working together on challenges.

Additionally, it is employed to guarantee that the conditions for transparency, cooperation, adaptation, and adoption are formed as well as the deployment and delivery of the products. It is one of the most frequently asked scrum master interview questions.

Q. What is User-Story Mapping, exactly?

Ans: User stories that aid in understanding system functionalities, system backlog, planning releases, and giving value to customers are represented and organised using user story mapping.

On the horizontal axis, user stories are arranged according to their priority. They are depicted on the vertical axis according to the escalating degrees of sophistication. Among the easiest scrum master interview questions and answers, user-story is something you must know when looking to make your career in scrum. This is among the most frequently asked scrum master interview questions.

Q. Describe Scrum-ban.

Ans: A combination of Scrum and Kanban is known as Scrum-ban. To satisfy the needs of the team, reduce work batching, and implement a pull-based system, scrum-ban can be employed.

It cleverly combines the Scrum framework with Kanban's adaptability and visualisation capabilities.

This is among the most frequently asked scrum master interview questions.

Q. Describe the Scrum team's roles.

Ans: Product Owner: The product owner is in charge of enhancing ROI by deciding which features of the product should be prioritised in a list, what should be the emphasis of the next sprint, and much more. These are updated and prioritised frequently.

The team is assisted by the scrum master in understanding how to utilise scrum to maximise business value. 

The scrum master helps the team embrace agile principles by removing obstacles and protecting them from outside distractions.

Scrum Team: They are a group of people who collaborate to guarantee that the stakeholders' needs are met.

This is among the most frequently asked scrum master interview questions.

Q. What does the abbreviation INVEST mean?

Ans: Invest, Negotiate, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable are the letters in the acronym INVEST. It is a manual for creating effective user stories. make sure to include it in your scrum master interview questions and answers list. Make sure to include it in your scrum master interview questions and answers list. 

Q. What makes MVP and MMP different from one another?

Ans: The term "Minimum Viable Product" (MVP) refers to a product prototype with the most fundamental functionalities that has been launched onto the market so that early adopters can use it and offer valuable feedback.

The software that is functional and prepared for monetization is the Minimum Marketable Product. It includes all the very basic requirements. It is prepared to enter the market. You don't have to spend the time developing the entire product with all of the functions. Customers can receive what they desire from you.

 It another question you should be prepared while going through the different scrum master interview questions and answers.

Q. What does Scrum's timeboxing mean?

Ans: Giving a specific period of time to a task is known as timeboxing. A unit of time is a timebox. For Daily Scrum, a timebox should not exceed 15 minutes, and for Sprint Planning, no more than 8 hours. To become a professional scrum master, you must complete timeboxing training. Hopefully, you have understood well about the timeboxing of Scrum, it is an important point to remember. So make sure to include it in your scrum master interview questions and answers list. 

Q. What benefits come from using Scrum?

Ans: The benefit of using scrum is that it allows for continuous testing.

• It reduces the risk as a result of system modifications.
• It enhances the procedure continuously and raises ROI (Return on Investment).
• It quickly and repeatedly examines software that is really in use.
• Anyone can view actual working software and make improvements for a subsequent version.

While going through different types of scrum master interview questions and answers, do not forget to read about the benefits of using Scrum. 

Q. How long is a cycle of a scrum?

Ans: The team's use of the Scrum cycle relies on the project being undertaken. It often lasts between two and four weeks and almost a month. One of the major scrum master interview questions you need to work on. 

Q. What is a user story in Scrum?

Ans: A user narrative in scrum is a succinct, one-sentence explanation of a feature or functionality. It is another question you should be prepared while going through the different scrum master interview questions and answers. 

Final Words:

The objective behind the framework is not to do more work but to work smarter and achieve more. With Scrum Framework, you can always complete the twice of work in half the time. With the Scrum, achievements are measured based on the work completed not on the basis of the number of hours. In this way, you can always spend more time with people and things you love. It would create perfect life-balance approach too. Think of joining our Scrum Master Course to get in-depth understanding of Agile Scrum Master and crack your job interview. ! 

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