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Kanban

Kanban on a page

Definition of Kanban

Kanban is a strategy for optimizing the flow of value through a process that uses a visual, pull-based system. Context is critical in Kanban and the primary step upon which the whole Kanban setup is built. If a team/organization is following the below 3 practices of Kanban, they are doing Kanban. There can be additional practices that teams can adopt along with Kanban practices based on their context however these 3 practices are a MUST.

3 Practices of Kanban

  1. Defining and visualizing a workflow
  2. Actively managing items in a workflow
  3. Improving a workflow

These Kanban practices are collectively called a Kanban system

Those who participate in the value delivery of a Kanban system are called Kanban system members.

Core Concept of Kanban

Flow theory is the foundation of Kanban. Flow is the movement of potential value through a system. The strategy of Kanban is to optimize value by optimizing flow. Optimization does not necessarily imply maximization. Rather, value optimization means striving to find the right balance of effectiveness, efficiency, and predictability in how work gets done.

3 aspects of value optimization – Effectiveness, Efficiency, Predictability

An effective workflow is one that delivers what customers want when they want it.

 An efficient workflow allocates available economic resources as optimally as possible to deliver value.

A more predictable workflow means being able to accurately forecast value delivery within an acceptable degree of uncertainty.

Kanban Measures

Quote – If you can’t measure it, you cannot improve

There are 4 measures in Kaban

  • WIP: The number of work items started but not finished.
  • Throughput: The number of work items finished per unit of time. Note the measurement of throughput is the exact count of work items.
  • Work Item Age: The amount of elapsed time between when a work item started and the current time.
  • Cycle Time: The amount of elapsed time between when a work item started and when a work item finished.

Summary

If one has to summarize Kanban in one sentence that would be Kanban is about flow optimization which includes effectiveness, efficiency and predictability. No flow No Kanban.

scrum

How to start a career as a Scrum Master

A common question from professionals who want to move to a Scrum Master role, before we delve further let’s understand “Who is a Scrum Master”. Do read the Scrum Guide 2020 for an understanding of the Scrum Master role.

Identify which of the category you find yourself in –

Category 1 – Professional with 6+ years of experience

Category 2 – Professional with 3 – 6 years of experience

Category 3 – Professional with 0 – 3 years of experience

Category 1 – Professional with 6+ years of experience

 There are 2 scenarios –

Scenario 1 – Your organization is not following Scrum, hence there is no Scrum Master opportunity in your organization. Refer to the article – How to get a Scrum Master Role. This will give you a detailed list of activities that will help you to prepare for securing a Scrum Master Role. The day you are confident, start applying for Scrum Master positions as there are organizations that recruit passionate individuals for Scrum Master roles and towards Scrum in general.

Scenario 2 – Your organization is following Scrum. You have an opportunity to apply for Scrum Master within your organization as part of internal job mobility or IJP program. However, before you apply for the Scrum Master role, you have to have adequate knowledge/understanding of Scrum, hence refer to the article – How to get a Scrum Master Role. This will give you a detailed list of activities that will help you to prepare for securing a Scrum Master Role.

Category 2 – Professional with 3 – 6 years of experience

(Recommendation is to gain domain/technical knowledge in your field. Observe the Scrum Master (if you are working in a Scrum setup). If you are not in a Scrum setup, refer to this article –Learn Scrum Master role without being part of a Scrum Team). Some organizations recruit Scrum Masters with less than 6 years of experience; however, it is better to move to a Scrum Master role with good domain knowledge and technical skills. For example, as part of an IT team, if you are a developer/tester/business analyst, continue working as a developer ( say Java) and be proficient in Java coupled with gain knowledge of the industry ( say Retail). With good knowledge of Java and retail industry knowledge with over 6 years of experience and observing your Scrum Master, observing the Scrum events, you are in a better position to take up the Scrum Master role.

Category 3 – Professional with 0 – 3 years of experience

For less than 3 years of experience, it is early to take up a Scrum Master role, kudos to you for having clarity in your career and having a north star to follow)

Agile

What is Test Driven Development (TDD)?

Test Driven Development (TDD) is a type of development with automated tests. It is an approach towards clean code.

Two simple rules of Test Driven Development (TDD) are –

(1) Write new code only if an automated test has failed and (2) Eliminate duplication. These 2 rules are followed by the tasks of programming which are called as TDD mantra (Red/green and refactoring).

Test Driven Development (TDD) Mantra

Red – Start simple with a little test that does not work

Green – Make the test work quickly by making changes to the code

Refactoring – Eliminate dependencies (path to clean code)

According to Kent Beck (author of Test-Driven Development by example), rhythm of TDD is as follows –

  1. Quickly add a test
  2. Run all tests and see the new one fail
  3. Make a little change
  4. Run all tests and see them all succeed
  5. Refactor to remove duplication

Refer this book – Test Driven Development by example by Kent Beck to learn about TDD, he has beautifully explained the concepts with a live example and patterns for TDD.

scrum

Scrum Master interview – General Questions

Here are general questions which you may come across as part of the Scrum Master Interview. Usually your interviewer may ask these questions in the beginning of the interview.

Refer this article for a complete set of questions for a Scrum Master interview – https://www.lighttangent.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-scrum-master-interview/

General Questions (GQ) – Scrum Master Interview Questions

GQ1 – Tell me about yourself

(Spend 1-2 minutes talking about yourselves – Focus on your Scrum Master, agile certifications)

GQ2 -What are the 2-3 things you would like before you join an organization?

(Answer in align to the job profile, Mention your affinity towards the organization,)

GQ3 -What are the 2-3 things you would like not to have in the new organization?

(Mention aspects current role challenges, limited learning opportunity, location (if applicable))

GQ4 – Why do you like to join our organization?

(Mention aspects like the advertised role, learning opportunity, brand name (based on the company), compensation)

GQ5 – What are the reasons you are looking for a job change?

(Similar to the above question, you can mention learning opportunity, role of the job based on job description, how your interest matches the new job advertised, location (if applicable))

Tip – Prepare the answers based on your experience, work context.

scrum

How to prepare for a scrum master interview?

Preparing for a scrum master interview is no different than preparing for any other interview, having said that the technical questions focus is on Scrum and a bit on agile question and team coaching (if you are an experienced scrum master, be prepared for team coaching skills). Normally an interview can be broadly divided in 4 categories –

  1. General Questions
  2. Technical Questions
  3. Behavioral Questions
  4. Situational Questions

Considering each one of us had a different journey, all your answers should be based on your own experience and the level of knowledge.

Below you will find a list of questions for each of these 4 categories, for some questions you will get the answer and for some we have shared guidance for these questions which will help you prepare for interview. Some questions are pretty straight forward, there are no answers mentioned.

Click on each category to get the questions