What is Scrum?
Scrum is an agile framework for delivering products in complex environments. “Environment” here refers to all the factors that contribute to the success or failure of a product. Scrum Masters are in charge of putting the framework into practice within their teams and scrum certifications are a popular job requirement in the software industry.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Scrum Master
The Scrum Master ensures that the team follows the scrum principles and their duties may include:
- Facilitating Scrum Events: The Scrum Master facilitates Scrum events including the daily stand-up, sprint planning, sprint review, and sprint retrospective. Please note that it’s not compulsory for the Scrum Master to attend the daily stand-up.
- Coaching the team: The Scrum Master educates the group in agile principles and techniques and works with them to continuously enhance their procedures.
- Promoting collaboration: The Scrum Master fosters a culture of openness and transparency by encouraging collaboration and communication among team members.
- Facilitating self-organization: The Scrum Master assists the team in becoming self-organizing and encourages team members to take ownership of their work.
Do I Need a Scrum Certification?
Most Job descriptions for I.T Project or Product managers list a Scrum Certification as either a preference or a requirement. It is widely recognized in the software industry. However, I was able to pivot to IT project management without having a Scrum certification. I was in the process of preparing for the exam when I got hired but I was able to highlight transferable skills from my previous position as a regulatory affairs Project manager.
PSM vs. CMS
PSM vs. CMS: What’s the Difference?
The difference between PSM (Professional Scrum Master) and CSM (Certified Scrum Master) primarily lies in the organization that offers the certification.
- PSM (Professional Scrum Master): Offered by Scrum.org, founded by Ken Schwaber, one of the co-creators of Scrum.
- CSM (Certified ScrumMaster): Offered by the Scrum Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Scrum.
Passing the PSM Exam
- Read the Scrum Guide.
- Practice Open Assessments on Scrum.org
- Practice Free Online Scrum Tests
Read The Scrum Guide
This is the source for all things Scrum. It is crucial to read it carefully if you want to understand the framework’s guiding concepts, beliefs, and practices. The language used in the booklet will be used on the exam, so be very familiar with it. Please read it many times. Reading it a hundred times would not be overkill.
The actual exam is like an English exam. For example, the fact that the guide says you should do something does not mean you must do it. Many questions will test how familiar you are with the guide. It’s apparently not enough to have a good understanding of the guide, you have to take note of how sentences are phrased in the guide.
Practice Open assessments
The open assessments provided by Scrum.org can help you prepare for the real exam. The open assessment is a good start but the actual exam is 2-3 times tougher than the open assessment. The results of open assessments are immediately available, allowing you to assess your level of understanding and identify areas for improvement.
Practice Free Online Tests
There are several websites offering free tests. To be honest, most of them are not very user-friendly but I used them anyway.
These two Scrum practice websites were good: test-questions.com and mlapshin.com
To start, try test-questions.com. I also used mlapshin.com
mlapshin.com was rather useful. I practised here many times, reviewed the questions I missed and based on those re-read certain sections of the Scrum guide. Keep in mind that while these online tests can be a useful tool in getting ready for the Scrum certification examinations, they shouldn’t be the only method of getting ready.
PSM Exam Fee
How Much Does the PSM Certification Cost? It costs 150 USD. But I got a discount of 40% courtesy of Google. So if you complete the free Google Project Management certificate on Coursera, you’ll get a discount from Google.
Self-Assessment
Compare your knowledge by taking the sample questions (the open assessments). If you consistently, pass the open assessments, then you are almost ready for the exam. Scrum.org provides these resources to assist you in determining your exam readiness. Also, take those tests on mlapshin.com. the higher your score, the better your chances of passing the Scrum exam.
Scrum Exam Day Tips
While it’s important to get ready for the Scrum exam, having a game plan for the actual exam day is key. To help you ace your Scrum exam, consider the following advice:
- Make sure your internet is good and your laptop is charged.
- If you are a coffee person, have some coffee before you start.
- It’s an open exam but time is of the essence. Manage Your time
- Some of the questions are long. Read them aloud. Reading aloud improves mental focus and comprehension in high-pressure situations.
- Have a good night’s sleep
- Stay Calm.
In Conclusion
Your chances of receiving an interview and, ultimately, a job as a Scrum Master will improve when you pass the PSM 1 exam. So, It is imperative to become familiar with the Scrum handbook, practice open assessments, and take free online Scrum tests if you want to pass the examination.
Here’s my badge. Now go get yours. I wish you all the best. You’ve got this.
