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Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)®
Our Syllabus / Agenda
Trainer: Rick Waters, CST®
Class Modules At-a-glance
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Introductions & Ground Rules
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Icebreaker Q&A
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Agile Values & Principles
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Complexity Theory
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Team Maturity
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What is a Scrum Master?
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Facilitation Techniques
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Coaching Stances
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Conflict Resolution
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Coaching Product Owners
Day 1
1
Introductions & Ground Rules: We start each half-day with light intros to reduce anxiety and set context. Cameras on, be present, be respectful. We agree on norms so the class feels safe, engaged, and productive.
2
Agile & Scrum History: 2 exercises and discussions on the true history of both Scrum and 'Agile', as well as a deep dive into how the Agile Values & Principles prove that Scrum is Agile.
3
Building Scrum: Students show their understanding of Scrum by using visual elements to build a representation of Scrum.
4
Complexity Theory: There are, typically, 5 domains in Complexity theory. Agile Approaches, Traditional Project Management, and Lean work management all have their own domains.
5
All About Teams: What truly is a Team? How do they mature? What can we predict of teams? How can we ensure people's needs are met on a Team?
Day 2
1
Build a Scrum Master: Through reflection and discussion we discover the best and worst traits of Scrum Masters.
2
Empiricism at Work: Using real-life scenarios, we try to understand the importance of Empiricism in our daily lives at work. This is a discussion-based exercise.
3
Coaching Stances & Facilitation: We explore different facilitation techniques and coaching stance that we may not be aware of, or confident in. We practice using them as well.
4
Conflict Resolution Exercise: Using an adaptation of the 'Five Levels of Conflict' made popular by Lyssa Adkins, we discover we we must and when we shouldn't try to resolve conflict on the team. We also learn that not all conflict is bad.
5
Coaching the Product Owner: Coaching Product Owners is typically difficult for Scrum Masters. Usually because Scrum Masters aren't familiar with the depth of the Product Owners job. We resolve this through a classroom activity.
What Students Are Saying
“Over 7,000 professionals have taken Rick's classes — here’s what they had to say.”
The Scrum Master class is very informative and inspiring,
Aug 16, 2022
I love moment.
Aug 13, 2022
Rick is an excellent trainer and coach. I had an amazing experience all through my CSM program. He made it quite engaging and interactive. I would recommend to anyone looking for Scrum Certifications.
Aug 16, 2022
Meet Your Instructor
Rick Waters
Rick is a Certified Scrum Trainer® who has helped thousands of professionals across industries bring Agile principles to life in their organizations. Known for his energetic-yet-calm, discussion-driven teaching style, Rick makes complex ideas simple, visual, and practical. His classes emphasize real-world application over theory, helping teams adopt Scrum in a way that’s engaging, sustainable, and immediately useful.
