Not a direct answer to what you asked, but I want to appreciate the questions your manager has asked. I think they apply to any aspect of life, not just a software job.

I haven’t gone through the resources you have linked, nor can I pretend to know what matters in a software role beyond what I’ve heard (I’m yet to start working in a ML role, which is what I’m targeting) but I can say this.

The spirit behind the questions seems to be to:

1. Set macro level understanding of where you are and where you want to go. That is, to situate yourself. Emphasis on where you want to go being your choice.

2. Understanding the micro level tasks that will facilitate how to get there, and the obstacles, which I think could be concrete (idk a programming language or concept) or meta (I need to improve my work ethic or I need to make behavioural changes for the next promotion)

3. The metrics serve to ensure that you’re moving along the way in a manner that serves both your and your manager’s interests and goals, which may differ at times.

How you choose to answer these questions comes down to how you translate the spirit behind them into concrete terms.