Software Development Management

Question 1

How would you define Kanban?

Answer 1

Kanban is a visual workflow management method used to organize tasks, limit work in progress, and optimize efficiency in teams — especially in software development and product management.

Key elements:
1. Kanban Board: A visual tool (physical or digital) to track tasks through stages like [To Do] → [In Progress] → [Review] → [Done]
2. Cards (Tasks): Each task or work item is represented by a card that moves across the board.
3. Columns (Stages): Each column represents a step in the workflow (e.g., design, development, QA).
4. Work-in-Progress (WIP) Limits: Caps on how many tasks can be in one column at a time to prevent overload.
5. Pull System: New work is “pulled” into a stage only when there is capacity, not pushed.
6. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen): Teams analyze bottlenecks, cycle time, and efficiency to improve the process over time.

Question 2

Why do agile teams need daily stand-up meetings?

Answer 2

To stay aligned, identify blockers, and maintain momentum.

Question 3

What are sprint planning, review, and sprint retrospective meetings?

Answer 3

They are key scrum ceremonies that structure and guide the team’s work.

1. Sprint Planning: Decide what work will be done in the upcoming sprint and how it will be accomplished.
2. Sprint Review: Inspect the completed work at the end of the sprint and gather feedback from stakeholders.
3. Sprint Retrospective: Reflect on the sprint and identify ways to improve how the team works.

Question 4

What is the purpose of decomposition in programming?

Answer 4

To break down complex problems or systems into smaller, more manageable parts. It:
1. Simplifies complexity
2. Improves reusability
3. Enhances maintainability
4. Enables parallel work
5. Facilitates testing
6. Supports modularity