10 Agile Interview Questions and Answers

What is Agile? That’s a great question, unless of course you’re planning on working in this field, in which case you should already know this. Good thing for all of us there’s a website entitled “What is Agile?” This website defines Agile as “a time boxed, iterative approach to software delivery that builds software incrementally from the start of the project, instead of trying to deliver it all at once near the end.” Projects are broken into “user stories,” then they are prioritized, and then they’re delivered in iterations, which are approximately two-week cycles.

Now that you’ve brushed up on your background of the process, here are 10 Agile Interview Questions and Answers.

What is Agile testing?
Obviously if you are going into this field hiring managers want to ensure that you know what Agile testing is. Use the background shared above and be sure to stress how the requirements change according to the project. Also include how it involves small codes for testing.

How long were the iterations on the projects you’ve worked on?
As we said above, iterations are approximately two-week cycles so stay consistent. This is a fast-paced field, so answer appropriately. If your answer to this question is longer than three weeks, explain why they were so long.

What is velocity in Agile?
Very similar to the general physics definition of velocity, this is how you can predict how much work Agile can finish per interval as well as how long it would take to complete the project.

How do you approach your work when requirements change continuously?
Preface this by saying you always make sure that everyone involved knows that changing requirements happens more often than they may think. Additionally, talk about how you’ll write generic test plans rather than focusing on the details, as this way they’re better suited for change.

What are two key factors of an Agile team?
The first is to prevent defect, as it is your job to ensure that the best practices are being taken in regards to whatever project you’re working on. The second is to provide fast feedback – as I’ve said many times above, this is a fast-paced field.

Have you worked on a project where your iterations overlap?
Unfortunately there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Having iterations overlap can be a strategy taken, however as with answering all questions in an interview, be ready to explain how this worked and why this approach was taken.

How comfortable are you with changing requirements?
Have I stressed enough the importance of change? You need to be able to go with the flow and know that change is part of the job. If something is not working, or not working as efficiently as desired, it will need to be changed right away. Talk about how you’re good with change and how you think fast on your feet.

What are burn-up and burn-down charts? What are their differences?
Both of these charts are intended to keep track of the progress being made on the project. Burn-up charts show how much work has been completed. Burn-down charts show the work that is left in a project.

What characteristics do good Agile workers have?
Good Agile testers should be able to think on their feet, understand what is needed quickly, know the background principles of Agile and the project they’re working on, and good with change.

What is re-factoring?
Re-factoring is when the functionality of the code remains the same, but the existing code is modified in order to improve the performance.

As always, be sure to brush up on your common interview questions and answers as well, as you will be asked questions in addition to Agile-specific questions. Furthermore, remember that these ten questions are only a glimpse of some questions you may be asked. As this is such a specific field, be sure to go into your interview with an understanding of all the concepts, principles, and terms.