Having a SAFe®certification will help you in more than one ways and if you’ve decided to get this certification, you surely won’t regret it. It’s an investment that is worth the money, time, and effort you put in. However, there are different SAFe® certifications available and the first thing you need to do is choose one that is right for you and your organisation.
Types of SAFe® Certifications
SAFe® Agilist
Highly recommended for managers and executives, this certification deals with applying knowledge in the scaled agile framework and lean and development principles for the betterment of the enterprise.
SAFe® Practitioner (SP) Certification
This basic certification course deals with everything related to Agile framework and is highly recommended for anyone, be it a team member or a manager involved in Agile software development. The SP certification also serves as the base for accelerated training for someone looking to establish a career within the Agile framework. It’s also considered one of the prerequisites for attaining higher level of certifications for training, management, and coaching positions. Getting this certification will help you apply your ScrumXP knowledge in an organisation that is planning to adopt scaled agile framework at program and team levels.
SAFe® Program Consultant Certification
This certification validates an Agile practitioner’s ability to launch new Agile Release Trains and also train IT professionals who want to become Agilists. In order to get this certification, an individual needs to be already certified in SP or an equivalent course and should have a work experience of at least 3 years in the Agile framework. This certificate course is suitable for external consultants and internal Agile change agents.
SAFe® Program Consultant Certification trains individuals to implement tools required to launch Agile Release Trains and other Agile programs that are a part of Lean|Agile change initiative.
SAFe® Product Manager/Owner Certification
This course focuses on management and is meant to validate your skills and knowledge as the product owner or product manager in a scaled agile framework. It consists of an overview of the entire framework and a certification exam.
Once, you’ve chosen the right course, you’ll need to prepare for the SAFe® certification exam. Keep the following tips in mind in order to crack the SAFe® and climb up your career ladder.
3 Tips To Crack The SAFe®
It’s important for you to understand that SAFe® certification is not just about clearing an exam and attending the course. It’s about gaining knowledge about the tools that can be used in the scaled agile framework for a better outcome.
In order to clear the exam, you don’t need to stress yourself out and prepare rigorously. Discipline and determination is all that you need.
Practical Experience
In order to clear the SAFe® exam, you’ll need both theoretical and practical knowledge. You’ll need to use your theoretical knowledge in real-time situations.
Get The Proper Material
Make sure to get hold of the right study material. Research well and make sure to join the Scaled Agile Framework community to know about the books and guides you need to refer too. SAFe® community is a great platform to connect to people of the Agile community and you can also ask questions here.
Schedule Practice Test
Make sure to schedule mock tests well in advance of the exam day to prepare well for the D-day. It’ll also give you an idea about the question pattern and type.
Lastly, make sure to enroll yourself in the right institution as not all offering SAFe® certification courses are authorised to do so.
