Today’s software development relies on a number of different software development management frameworks. Agile is one of the most popular development methodologies around, and businesses are always looking for experienced practitioners of the craft. Understanding the Agile interview questions you’re likely to encounter in your next job application will give you a leg up. When you have confidence in your knowledge, you project an air that screams, “Hire me, manager-type person.”
In this guide, you’ll get answers to the most popular Agile methodology interview questions. We cover Agile Scrum interview questions ranging from the simple to the complex, and we do it all to help you finally secure the sort of challenging and lucrative gig you’ve always dreamed of getting. You’ll be prepared and ready to rock after reading our article.
What’s the Difference Between Agile and Scrum?
One of the first bits of developer jargon you probably heard when you ventured into coding was “Scrum.” So what are the differences between Agile and Scrum? Your hiring manager will want to gauge your knowledge level in a hurry, so plan on getting knowledge questions like this as soon as you arrive for the interview. Having an answer ready to go will put you in the “call back” group and set you on a path for success.
The best way to think of the relationship between Agile and Scrum is to imagine them as music. You might like music in general and have a special preference for country music, for example. Agile would be general music, and Scrum would be country music. Agile is an overarching methodology that dictates the general framework under which you develop software, while Scrum contains specific values and principles that work in conjunction with the parent methodology.
Okay, So Are There Other Agile Frameworks?
There are roughly a squintillion businesses in the world, and of those businesses, about ten jillion of them engage in some manner of software development. Even if all of those software development centers used Agile, they all have different needs. Some software development setups don’t work for Scrum for one reason or another. In amongst the tough whiteboard and knowledge questions you’ll encounter are sure to be some questions about frameworks. What frameworks does Agile support, and when would you use them?
Scrum is ideal for dynamic and constantly shifting projects that involve iterations and close work with the product owner. Lean Software Development is also iterative, and it focuses on delivering products quickly and deciding as late as possible in development. You’ll often find Kanban alongside Lean—Kanban concerns itself with visualization, work-in-place development, and flow enhancement.
Extreme Programming, or XP, concerns itself with continuous delivery and speed. Crystal is a lightweight methodology that focuses on personnel and interaction, while the Dynamic Systems Development Method works best for projects that focus on business needs and timely delivery. And Feature Driven Development works to develop an overall model and developing feature lists. You’ll run across some or all of these methodologies during your time in the development trenches.
Scrum Master Interview Questions and Answers
Hiring managers want to know that you have experience and that you can handle any number of roles within the company. To that end, you’re likely to get some questions about Scrum teams.
One of the most common ones deal with managing the teams—they’ll want to know about times when you’ve been a team manager and how you did in the role. This question is most likely to pop up during interviews for management roles, but it can surface during interviews for other positions as well.
Think before you respond; Scrum guidelines state that there should be only one Scrum master per team, but that’s not what they’re asking about. Scrum masters are team leaders, not managers. The difference is important and might be the reason your hiring manager asked the question. Choose the correct word, and make sure to distinguish between management and team leadership. Getting this one right ups your chances of a callback.
What Are Your Thoughts on Automated Testing?
As our computers have become more advanced and able to perform multiple complex tasks without slowdown or error, automated testing has grown in popularity. Different companies have different opinions on the rise of automation, and there’s a good chance you’ll get asked about it during your interview. Think carefully about your response, and take your time; your answer can determine whether you get a job offer.
Using automated testing is up to the individual company to some degree, but Agile in general and Scrum, in particular, encourage automated testing. When you use an automated regression or performance testing tool, you create an avenue for continuous and quick development and delivery. This helps to create customer loyalty and satisfaction and leads to greater revenue and growth over time.
Agile is everywhere in software development, and you can expect some questions about it in your next developer interview. Our guide gives you Agile Scrum interview questions and helps you prepare to knock your next interview out of the park. Paired with some studying, our Agile interview questions will set you up for career success.
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