Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)®
Our Syllabus / Agenda
Introductions
We start every half-day of class off with a few introductions. Going through every student at the beginning of class delays the start and makes some students anxious. So, we do a few here and there throughout class.
Ice-Breaker
It's time for an ice-breaker exercise. We get to know a little more about what the big concerns of the students are, and we reassure them that we actually know what we are teaching.
Agile Principles
The Manifesto al defines 12 Agile Principles that help us understand how to begin to reach the goals that the Values create for us. The Principles take quite a bit of explaining for the uninitiated.
Scrum Events
Through discussion, exercises and an interactive drawing, our trainer leads the students through multiple opportunities to learn the intricacies of the 5 Scrum Events and how each role on the Scrum Team is accountable for the outcomes of these events.
Scrum Master Skills
We spend several hours of class explaining, discussing and playing out how Scrum Masters facilitate the Product Owner and the Developers becoming more self-organizing, as well as facilitating Scrum events to their intended goals. Our instructor is one of only a few that will teach you HOW to facilitate the most difficult event in Scrum - the Sprint Retrospective!
Ground Rules
Virtual classes have so many more rules than in-person, so we start from a position of mutual understanding - cameras on, be polite, be 100% dedicated to the class, speak up and participate.
Agile Values
The establishing document "Agile Manifesto for Software Development" has four main Values stated up-front that everyone should be able to relate to. We explore how different people can interpret those Values.
Scrum Values
Finally, the last set of foundational values are the Scrum Values. Without them, we aren't doing Scrum, yet so many people like to disregard them at the times that suit them best. We help make them more transparent.
Scrum Accountabilities
We will take a deep dive into the formal accountabilities of each role on the Scrum Team - how these accountabilities are defined, how they play out in real life, and how they get distributed on teams that aren't as Agile as they might claim to be.
To Sum Up
We have spent 6 years continually improving this course so our trainers can provide the absolute best learning experience for new Scrum Masters. Being a Scrum Master today isn't like it used to be when WE were in the mix, but we are actively involved with practicing Scrum Masters, so our classes stay true to what our students will actually see at work.
What Our Students Say
All I need to do is attend the class, right? Actually, attendance is mandatory, but participation is actually the big thing. For virtual classes, you can’t just turn on Zoom, turn off your camera, and walk away for 2 or 3 days. You will also need to pass a fairly easy exam for certification. The exam is included in the cost of the class, but it is not administered during the class.
I've heard the exam is open-book You are allowed to use whatever reference materials you want. You are even technically allowed to take the exam with the other students you met in class. The instructor cannot help you assemble for this though. The big rule is that you cannot have anyone help you if they are already certified.
Scrum Masters are just Agile Project Managers, right? No. Not at all. Project Managers are Project Managers. Scrum Masters are something totally different. Please leave all of your Project Managment experience at home when you take a Scrum Master class.
Why isn't the exam done during the class? The big reason is beacuse trainers are not allowed to help students with the exam. Students take the exam on their own, when they feel the time is right for them. You have until 90 days after class to take the exam – we encourage students to take it within 48 hours of the end of class.
Is there prep-work? We would prefer it if you read the Agile Manifesto, and the Scrum Guide. Most students who have not read these foundational documents have a slower time acclimating to the class.
Can I take the class twice? If you take the class once with us, we’ll allow you to keep taking it as a refresher for free. If you took it from another trainer, and you had a bad experience, click the “Ask a Question” button below – we might let you take it from us for free.
I took this class 10 years ago and my certification lapsed. Is it the same class? Yes and no. The certification is the same, but everything else is different. Scrum today is very different than Scrum 10 years ago. Scrum continues to evolve.