Created: 24 June 2022

Last Updated: 01 August 2023

Agile Project Management Interview: Questions and Answers

If you are applying for a job as an Agile Project Manager, you probably have the skills and experience you need, but to have a chance to show them in practice, there is an interview ahead of you. Being invited to an interview is the first step that you went through positively. There is one more to pass, which is presenting yourself as a strong candidate during the interview.

Keyword(s): Agile Project Management, Interview Questions and Answers

What can you expect? What questions may your future employer surprise you with? Be well prepared with our help.

Let's go through the most common and most important questions and answers for Agile Project Management Interview:

1. How would you define Agile?

This foundamental question shows your general knowledge about Agile which is crutial to make a good first impression during the interview.

Agile is a methodology which is based on sprints, or short cycles, to bring the best outcomes of the project and to keep the resources, budget and tasks on track. Agile helps with reducing the complexity and making the managing of the project easier.

2. What popular Agile methods and tools do you know?

The most popular Agile methods and tools are: 

Scrum 

Scrum helps teamy with proritizing tasks and generating value through efficient solutions for many complex problems.

Kanban

Kanban is a tool that helps with kemping project and all tasks organised. It is cery useful in project where the situation change basically every day. As skon as the tasks are being done or completed it is implemented info Kanban board.

Lean

Lean helps with eliminating waste, by focusing on the most important tasks/aspects.

3. Can you differentiate Agile and traditional Project Management?

Agile enables to organise everything, including design, development, and testing. It requires team collaboration, outside feedback, and flexibility. Traditional management is a linear sequence approach. This model includes the phases of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and closure. It is essential to define the scope and design requirements at the beginning of the project.

4. How would you define sprint planning meeting?

Sprint planning meeting (1) is being set by a Product Owner who presentats the goals of the sprint. The team has the opportunity to discuss the goals, set the priority and analyse product backlog. During the sprint planning meeting the whole team plans the next sprint, focusing on the amount of work that needs be done. 

5. When should we use waterfall over scrum?

When the requirements are simple and fully defined and don't require many changes, we don't need to use scrum and can rely on waterfall methodology. 

6. How would you define Agile Project Management?

Agile Project Management is an approach used to plan and run project processes in an efficient way. Agile projects are being completed in small, seperated parts. Each section of the project is called an "iteration". An iteration defines a single cycle. In Agile Project Management, Project Manager and Scrum Master work together. PM is focusing on all the processes, setting tasks, and assigning them to the team members. Scrum Master focuses on improving the dynamics of the project and keeping it on track. 

7. What is product backlog & sprint backlog?

Product Backlog consists all the general features of the project along with all the requirements. Sprint backlog on the other hand consists features that are related only to the particular sprint. 

8. What is Agile manifesto?

Agile manifesto is an approach that is related to software development. It has 4key values and 12 principals. 

9. What is "zero sprint" in Agile?

The zero sprint is sometimes called the preparation for the sprint. It includes preparing an event setting, backlog, etc. All the things that should be done before the start of the actual sprint are being done in the zero sprint. 

11. How would you rate your last project?

Questions like that are very likely to appear during the interview. Talking about your experience and work history helps your future employer to get a clear picture on your way of working, your skillset and your strong qualities, that make you a good leader. When you answer these type of questions remember to be honest and confident with your work. 

12. Have you had any challenging projects? How did you manage?

Another question about your experience that lets you show your advantages. To prove you are right for the job, you need to show an example of a success you've achieved in your work history. 

13. How would you describe Kanban?

Kanban is a management tool that helps to keep the work of the entire team on track. Thanks to this tool team is able to update progress, mark tasks and inform others when the tasks are completed. Kanban enables keeping an eye on the workflow, progress and the overall picture of the project status. 

14. What is the duration of the scrum cycle?

Scrum cycle can differentiate due to the size of the team and the project scope. Scrum teams usually have from 3 to 9 memebers and it usually takes from 3 to 4 weeks to be done with the sprint. So, on average a scrum cycle takes about 4 weeks. 

15. How would you handle a team member who is not working well?

I would try to do couple of things that could help me to help them, which would be:

• Motivate them 
• Try to avoid any emotional outburst
• Take their opinion into consideration during the decision making
• Motivate all team memebrs to support and help each other
• Arrange follow-ups to be up-to-date with the team 
• Show them that they are important part of the project and the team
• Reward and appreciate their work and improvement

16. When a project goes off-track, how would you manage that?

Fisrt, I would verify if the budget of the project is under control. Then I would analyse if the project is not taking too much time, than it suppose to take. If I would find out that the project is actually going off the track I would try to fix it, by trying to follow the initial vision and goals and to adjust the budget, resources. I would also discuss the issue with stakeholders and clients to define the best way to put the project back on track. 

17. How do you prioritize tasks?

When it comes to proritizing tasks I usually follow a few rules:

• I list down all the tasks and roles
• I define what tasks are the most impotant 
• I point the most urgent tasks to be done
• I try to set the order og the tasks
• I rememebr to be flexible and able to adapt to changes

18. How would you describe your communication style with your team?

It is important to show that you are able to communicate easily and to adapt to changes in a quick and efficient way. You could also outline that you are trying to create a good atmosphere among the team, and help them to stay motivated and support each other. It is also a good idea to prove your communication skills with some real example from the projects that you've been working on in the past. 

19. Do you know some of the latest trends in Agile Project Management?

As a Project Manager you need to be up-to-date with the latest management trends and tools. For example, some of the lates trends are: 

• The use of Artificial and Data Intelligence Technology 
• The increasing popularity of Hybrid Project Management Techniques

With the ever-changing trends and new tools and techniques used in Project Management, professional Managers that are focused on the market is in high demand. Knowing that you are able to easily adapt to the lates trends makes you a strong candidate. 

The most important thing you need to remember during the interview is to be honest, open and confident. Try to present your experience in a way that will make the future employer see you as a strong candidate and a person who will perfectly match his expectations. Knowing the most common interview questions is an important part of preparing for an interview so that you don't get caught off guard during the interview. If you want to persue Agile Project Management career but you still need to develop your skillset in that area, learn more about AgilePM® courses on our website and start your development!

External resources:
1. Adobe https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/sprint-planning
2. BMC https://www.bmc.com/blogs/sprint-zero/

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Advised Skills Research Team - Blog Author 
The Advised Skills Research Team is a professional group dedicated to investigating and publishing information on the latest trends in technology and training.
This team delves into emerging advancements to provide valuable insights, empowering individuals and organizations to stay ahead.
Their work significantly contributes to the ever-evolving landscape of technological education and workforce development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Agile Project Management:

1. What is Agile Project Management?
   Agile Project Management is a flexible and interactive method of managing projects. Instead of planning everything at once, Agile methodologies encourage teams to constantly evaluate and adjust their plans, making it easier to manage changes. This approach is particularly useful in software development, but can be applied in various other industries as well.
2. How does Agile Project Management differ from traditional project management?
   Traditional project management often follows a linear process, with tasks planned in detail from start to finish before the project begins. On the other hand, Agile Project Management works in iterative cycles, called sprints, allowing for regular feedback, adaptation, and changes as the project progresses.
3. What are the main principles of Agile Project Management?
   Agile Project Management principles are guided by the Agile Manifesto, which prioritizes individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan. The goal is to deliver value to the customer in a flexible and collaborative way.
4. What roles are typically involved in Agile Project Management?
   Common roles in an Agile project team include the Product Owner, who represents the stakeholders and the product vision; the Scrum Master, who facilitates the process and removes obstacles; and the Development Team, which includes the individuals actually executing the work.
5. What are some of the challenges associated with Agile Project Management?
   Implementing Agile Project Management can have challenges such as resistance to change, difficulty in managing changing requirements, issues with meeting deadlines due to iterative planning, and ensuring the entire team understands and is aligned with Agile principles. It's important for organizations to provide appropriate training and support when transitioning to Agile methodologies.