25 Scrum Master Interview Questions And Answers

What does a Scrum Master do?
The Scrum Master manages the Scrum process. This includes facilitating Scrum meetings like the daily stand-up and sprint review and removing any obstacles to the team’s progress.

How do Scrum Masters and Project Managers differ?
Project Managers plan, coordinate, and manage the project, while Scrum Masters help the team use Scrum. The Project Manager leads, but the Scrum Master serves the team.

How do you ensure Scrum compliance?
The Scrum Master can ensure the team follows Scrum by regularly facilitating Scrum events like the daily stand-up and sprint review, coaching the team on Scrum principles and practices, and helping the team identify and resolve issues.

Do you resolve team conflicts?
The Scrum Master can resolve team conflicts by promoting open and honest communication, encouraging healthy debate and discussion, and mediating when necessary.

What’s the team’s priority?
The team prioritizes their work using the product backlog. The Scrum Master can help the team prioritize backlog items by explaining their value.

Changes to the product backlog during a sprint—how?
To minimize team disruption, product backlog changes during sprints should be handled carefully. The Scrum Master can work with the team to assess the impact of the change and determine the best course of action, which may include adjusting the sprint scope or negotiating with stakeholders to address the change in a future sprint.

How do you ensure team commitments?

The Scrum Master can help the team meet its commitments by facilitating progress reviews like the daily stand-up and sprint review and identifying and addressing any issues or challenges.

Scope creep?
Scrum teams struggle with scope creep. The Scrum Master can prevent scope creep by enforcing the definition of “done” for each user story and managing product backlog changes with the team.

What’s the team’s progress?
The Scrum Master can track team progress by reviewing the product backlog, burn-down chart, and velocity. They can also lead daily stand-ups and sprint reviews to assess the team’s progress and identify issues that may be affecting delivery.

What motivates teamwork?
By encouraging open and honest communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution, the Scrum Master can help the team collaborate.

How do you manage underperformers?
The Scrum Master can help the team address underperformers. This may involve identifying the root cause and helping the team member develop a performance improvement plan.

How do you encourage team improvement?
By holding regular retrospectives and encouraging the team to identify and fix problems, the Scrum Master can promote continuous improvement. They can also set and track team improvement goals.

Stakeholder communication: how?
The Scrum Master communicates with stakeholders throughout the project. Attending meetings, updating the team, and addressing stakeholder concerns may be required.

How do you satisfy stakeholders?
Scrum Masters must manage stakeholder expectations. Set clear expectations at the start of the project, regularly update stakeholders on progress, and work with the team to resolve any issues.

Do you resolve stakeholder disputes?
The Scrum Master can resolve stakeholder conflicts by communicating openly and facilitating discussions to find a win-win solution. Conflict resolution may require team members or senior leadership.

How do you ensure the team meets customer needs?
The Scrum Master can ensure that the team is meeting customer needs by regularly soliciting and incorporating customer feedback, facilitating customer communication, and working with the team to address customer issues and concerns.

How do you handle customer requests?
Scrum teams struggle with customer requirement changes. The Scrum Master can handle these changes by working with the team to assess the impact and determine the best course of action, which may include adjusting the sprint scope or negotiating with stakeholders to address the change in a future sprint. To meet customer needs, involve them in these discussions.

How do you guarantee team quality?
Regular progress reviews and encouraging the team to follow standards and practices can help the Scrum Master ensure high-quality work. They can also help the team identify and resolve issues affecting work quality.

How do you help the team improve their work?
The Scrum Master can help the team improve by facilitating regular retrospectives and encouraging the team to identify and address areas for improvement. They can help the team set and track quality improvement goals.

How do you handle underperformers?
The Scrum Master can help the team address quality issues with a team member. This may involve identifying the root cause and helping the team member develop a performance improvement plan.

How are external dependencies and blockers handled?
Scrum teams struggle with external dependencies and blockers. The Scrum Master can identify and communicate these issues to stakeholders, help the team develop contingency plans, and remove any impediments to the team’s progress.

How do you ensure the team meets project commitments?
The Scrum Master can help the team meet its project commitments by facilitating regular progress reviews, such as the daily stand-up and sprint review, and identifying and addressing any issues or challenges.

How do you handle unreliable teammates?
The Scrum Master can help the team address a member’s noncompliance. This may involve identifying the root cause and helping the team member develop a performance improvement plan.

Team morale management—how?
The Scrum Master can manage team morale by fostering a positive and supportive team culture, encouraging open and honest communication, and helping the team identify and address any morale-affecting issues.

How do you handle unfit teammates?
The Scrum Master can help the team and stakeholders decide how to handle a bad fit. This may include coaching, reassigning, or, in extreme cases, removing the team member. It’s important to handle this situation with compassion and respect while considering the team’s and organization’s goals.