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Top 10 CSM Books to Prepare for Scrum Master Certification

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19th Feb, 2024
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    Top 10 CSM Books to Prepare for Scrum Master Certification

    Scrum is a project management paradigm that stresses collaboration, responsibility, and gradual change toward a very well objective. The framework starts with a basic premise: Begin with what is visible or known. Once you've begun with what you know, progress may be tracked and changed as needed. 

    If you are just starting out as a Scrum professional, being a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) will give you a solid grasp of the project management approach. It will teach you about Scrum ideals like cooperation, responsibility, and iterative progress around a well objective. With that in mind, having the best CSM books to help you with Scrum preparation would go a long way in assisting you to become the expert you desire to be. Along with the best Scrum book, it is a plus point to go for CSM online training and boost your learning. 

    Who is a CSM?

    The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certificate is an entry-level accreditation meant to provide professionals who are new to Scrum with the learning of project management. The certification program teaches applicants about Scrum concepts such as cooperation, responsibility, and incrementalism toward a well-defined objective.

    Professionals who have achieved the CSM can serve as either a Scrum Master or a member of a Scrum team. Although SCRUM Masters oversee how information is communicated, they often serve as servant leaders, assisting organization, & management of team members in reaching their objectives.

    Top 10 CSM Books

    Below is the list of 10 CSM books that will help you gain the required learning and understanding: 

    1. Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process

    Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process
    Source: AmazonA Step-by-Step certified scrum master study guide for the Most Popular Agile Process Scrum for All Team Members, Managers, and Executives: A Single-Source, Comprehensive Guide.

    • (A Mike Cohn Signature Book) 
    • Paperback, 496 pages 
    • Published July 26, 2012 by Addison-Wesley Professional (first published July 1, 2012) 
    • ISBN: 0137043295 (ISBN13: 9780137043293) 
    • Edition Language: English 
    • SeriesA Mike Cohn Signature Book, The Addison-Wesley Signature Series 
    • Good Reads Rating: 4.15 

    Book info:

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    It might be difficult to get started on generating creative services and products that thrill your clients. Try the best Agile courses to get perfection in it. Kenneth S. Rubin, the author of Essential Scrum, attempted to describe how this may be accomplished in the CSM books. As a top Scrum coach and teacher, he exposes Scrum's values, ideas, and practices and provides flexible, tried-and-true techniques to help you adopt it far more successfully. 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    This Scrum master certification book will explain, clarify, and enhance your Scrum expertise at the team, product, and spectrum levels, regardless of whether you are new to Scrum or have been using it for years. This book, based on Rubin's skills to help hundreds of businesses thrive with Scrum, presents simple explanations accompanied by more than 200 images. 

    2. The Elements of Scrum

    Elements of Scrum
    In clear, example-laden English, the book discusses every facet of the scrum process, includes team makeup, scheduling, and work flow management. 

    • Paperback, 184 pages 
    • Published in 2011 by Dymaxicon 
    • ISBN0982866917 (ISBN13: 9780982866917) 
    • Edition Language: English
    • Good Reads Rating: 3.98 

    Book Info:

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    Chris Sims, a leading scrum teacher and pioneer of active learning, and Hillary Louise Johnson, a writer and business journalist, wrote The Elements of Scrum. Through engaging narrative and beautifully presented examples, the book shows the scrum framework's concepts, techniques, and difficulties. The writing style has earned it an international appeal and a reputation as maybe the only book about software engineering that appears like a page-turner. 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    The Elements of Scrum, certified scrum master books for beginners, begins with a detailed account of a week in the lives of a scrum team. Following that, it provides a brief history and origins of scrum, contrasting it to older approaches and offering context for how scrum pertains to the colonial identity of the software industry. Following that is a discussion of the Agile Manifesto's concepts and practices, illustrated with real-world examples. This takes the reader into the minds of the scrum and agile pioneers for a strong grounding in theory. 

    3. CSM® – Scrum Narrative and PSM Exam Guide: All-in-one Guide for Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1) Certificate Assessment Preparation

     CSM® – Scrum Narrative and PSM Exam Guide
    Using the Active Learning approach, this book explains Scrum as specified in 'The Scrum Guide 2020' with context and linkages. It is an all-in-one resource for aspiring Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1) candidates, including extensive Scrum content, advice, and 250+ practice questions. 

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    You must download this handy resource if you are prepared to take the CSM® Exam or on your road to achieving a CSM® (Certified Scrum Master) credential. These and other benefits are guaranteed with the CSM® - Test PREP, your passport to passing your CSM® exam.

    • 64 pages, Paperback 
    • Published June 10, 2017 
    • This edition 
    • Format 164 pages, Paperback 
    • Published June 10, 2017, by Independently published 
    • ISBN 9781521475461 (ISBN10: 1521475466) 
    • Goodreads rating: 4.5 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    The author, CSM Mohammed Musthafa Soukath Ali, certified Scrum master books has put all of the relevant knowledge into a single, comprehensive course to assist you in reaching your objectives. He has walked in the same shoes as you, experienced the difficulties that come with attempting to succeed in your job, and understands the importance of time. In writing this one-of-a-kind handbook, his thought was to provide his skills and resources as little more than a helping hand to anyone entering the industry. 

    Learn the Knowledge and Information Required to Pass - Without Fail. There is a section on test tactics that will substantially benefit people who know the facts but choke and struggle to get the responses out under the strain of taking the exam. 

    4. Scrum Mastery: From Good to Great Servant Leadership

    Scrum Mastery
    Scrum Mastery is designed for existing Scrum Masters who aspire to grow into excellent servant-leaders capable of moving their teams beyond basic procedure compliance.

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    Being a great Scrum master, one who genuinely embodies the ideals of servant-leadership and assists a team in reaching the high-performance levels available with Scrum, is difficult. It necessitates a plethora of experience, which many people lack. In this regard, the authors of this book present a compilation of experiences and practical advice gleaned from over ten years of mentoring countless Scrum teams which will help you on your journey to excellence. 

    If you are a practicing Scrum master looking to grow into a great servant-leader capable of leading your team(s) beyond basic procedure compliance, this book by Geoff Watts will strike the mark. 

    • 288 pages, Paperback 
    • First published June 4, 2013 
    • This edition  
    • Format 288 pages, Paperback 
    • Published May 30, 2013, by Inspect & Adapt Ltd 
    • ISBN 9780957587403 (ISBN10: 0957587406) 
    • Language English 
    • Good Reads rating: 4.24 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    Some of the things you may learn from it are as follows: 

    • Great ScrumMasters' abilities and attributes 
    • How to develop, sustain, and improve team involvement 
    • Make Scrum meetings, including retrospectives and daily scrums, more successful. 
    • How to Create a More collaborative and innovative Workforce 
    • How can the team's performance be improved? 
    • How to Tell if You're a Successful ScrumMaster 

    5. Scrum Fundamentals: A Beginner’s Guide to Mastery of The Scrum Project Management Methodology

     Scrum Fundamentals
    By the conclusion of this book, you will possess the courage to introduce Scrum to your business, conduct your first iteration, and get others on board. 

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    Jeff Cohn, the author of this Scrum master certification guide thinks that in a pace with the fast world of customer expectations and new technologies, organizations must be Agile to stay ahead. He demonstrates how, by utilizing Scrum, any company can also be prepared to respond to the inevitable transformation.

    • 288 pages, Paperback 
    • First published June 4, 2013 
    • This edition 
    • Format 288 pages, Paperback 
    • Published May 30, 2013, by Inspect & Adapt Ltd 
    • ISBN 9780957587403 (ISBN10: 0957587406) 
    • Language English 
    • Good Reads rating: 2.81 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways  

    • How to Adopt an Agile Mindset 
    • Scrum's various phases 
    • How to deconstruct and prioritize a complicated task 
    • How a Scrum lineup looks as well as how to put one together 
    • Real-world examples of how to perform sprints 
    • The most common errors and ways to avoid them 
    • Metrics that are meaningful for tracking progress 
    • Scrum applications beyond the software development 
    • How to Begin Scrum and Conquer Any Resistance 
    • Check out this Amazon book to further your expertise. 

    6. Scrum Fundamentals for ScrumAlliance (R) ScrumMaster (R) Certification: Pass the CSM Assessment in One Week (Pass Certification Assessments at the First Attempt)
    Scrum Fundamentals for ScrumAlliance (R) ScrumMaster (R) Certification

    This ebook provides a single, complete source of knowledge on how to pass Scrum Alliance's Certified Scrum Master (R) Assessment (R).  

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    This CSM certification preparation provides a single, complete source of knowledge on how to pass Scrum Alliance's Certified Scrum Master (R) Assessment (R). This information covers pertinent information about the Certification/Assessment, a plan for preparing for and taking the assessment, and enough learning materials for the assessment. 

    The sole purpose of Feroz Khan's CSM exam preparation book is to present a concentrated approach to assisting the audience in achieving their targeted goal: obtaining Scrum Master Certification at the lowest possible cost and time. 

    • Good Reads rating: 3.93 
    • Kindle Edition 
    • First published June 20, 2015
    • This edition  
    • Format Kindle Edition 
    • Published June 20, 2015, by XYePRESS, a division of XyberG Systems LLC 
    • Language English 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    CSM exam book does not attempt to give a thorough understanding of Agile methodology or a comprehensive presentation of Scrum concepts and practices. The emphasis is on giving as much data as is needed, just in readiness. 

    7. A Breathtakingly Brief and Agile Introduction

    A Breathtakingly Brief and Agile Introduction

    A pocket-sized explanation of roles, deliverables, and the sprint cycle derived from Chris Sims and Hillary Louise Johnson's best-selling book The Elements of Scrum.

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    Chris Sims and Hillary Louise Johnson Scrum master certification preparation did an amazing job with this fantastic guide. It is well-written, well-organized, and has some subtle comedy. 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    When you have no prior knowledge of scrum/Agile, this information will be extremely beneficial to you. The Elements of Scrum, a popular book, has been reduced into a pocket-sized synopsis of roles, deliverables, and the sprint cycle. 

    • Goodreads rating: 3.95 
    • 54 pages, Kindle Edition 
    • First published March 26, 2012 
    • This edition 
    • Format  
    • 54 pages, Kindle Edition 
    • Published on July 30, 2014, by Dymaxicon 

    8. Scrum Narrative and PSM Exam Guide: All-in-one Guide for Professional Scrum Master

    Scrum Narrative and PSM Exam Guide

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    Scrum is a unique product development approach that produces excellent results. Scrum Guide, according to Soukath Ali and Mohammed Musthafa, is the official knowledge compendium of Scrum. It's just too complicated to comprehend without context and connections. Using the Active Learning approach, this book covers Scrum as outlined in 'The Scrum Guide 2017' with context and linkages. It offers potential Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1) candidates a one-stop shop for major Scrum knowledge, guidance, and 250+ practice questions.

    • 164 pages, Paperback 
    • This edition 
    • Format 164 pages, Paperback 
    • Published June 10, 2017 by Independently published 
    • ISBN 9781521475461 (ISBN10: 1521475466) 
    • Good Reads rating: 4.43 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    With this essential Scrum CSM certification book, immerse yourself in deep study and do it correctly the first time. With over 250 practice questions, you would be kept occupied and focused on the certification which is what it thinks you want to attain. There are several real-life situations included that will ensure you can tackle any Scrum question. 

    9. The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time
    The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    This is a thought-provoking book on the Scrum methodology for people who believe there has to be a more agile and efficient way for people to get things done. An analytical approach to problem resolution that is changing our way of working and life. This book was written by Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of the Scrum Framework. 

    Scrum excellently addresses the challenges of a constantly changing business landscape by enabling quick adaptability, controlling and minimizing risk, enhancing employee engagement, and promoting creativity and innovation. Scrum is easy to understand owing to Jeff Sutherland. It's a concise and convincing overview of Scrum and its bright future. 

    • Good Reads rating: 4.16 
    • 237 pages, Hardcover 
    • First published January 1, 2014 
    • Original title  
    • Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time 
    • This edition  
    • 237 pages, Hardcover 
    • Published September 30, 2014 by Crown Business 
    • ISBN 9780385346450 (ISBN10: 038534645X) 
    • Language English

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    In this book, you'll go to the front lines of Scrum, where Jeff's system of deep accountability, team interaction, and continuous iterative improvement is, among other things, bringing the FBI into the twenty-first century, perfecting the design of an affordable 140 mile per hour/100 mile per gallon car, assisting NPR in reporting fast-moving action in the Middle East, changing the way pharmacists interact with patients, reducing poverty in the Third World, and even helping to bring the FBI into the twenty 

    10. Continuous Delivery: Reliable Software Releases Through Build, Test, and Deployment Automation

    Continuous Delivery

    Overview of What is Covered in the Book 

    Jez Humble and David Farley best book for scrum master certification describes the ideas and technology techniques that allow users to acquire high-quality, meaningful extra capabilities in a timely and gradual fashion. Regardless of the size of a project or the complexity of its code base, delivery teams may publish changes in a matter of hours—sometimes even minutes—by optimizing the build, delivery, and testing process and enhancing collaboration between developers, engineers, and operations. 

    The authors set the basis for a low-risk, quick delivery approach. After that, the "deployment pipeline," an automatic process for managing all changes from check-in to release, is implemented. Finally, they examine the "environment" necessary for continuous delivery, which includes infrastructure, knowledge, configuration management, and governance.

    The certified scrum master books list offers cutting-edge solutions such as automated infrastructure management and data migration, as well as the usage of virtual machines. They examine significant challenges, identify and assess, and illustrate how to limit risks for each. 

    • Good Reads rating: 4.19 
    • 463 pages, Hardcover 
    • First published July 27, 2010 
    • Literary awards Jolt Award (2011) 
    • Series  
    • Martin Fowler Signature Book, The Addison-Wesley Signature Series 
    • This edition 
    • 463 pages, Hardcover 
    • Published August 5, 2010, by Addison-Wesley Professional 
    • ISBN 9780321601919 (ISBN10: 0321601912) 
    • Language English 

    Key Benefits and Takeaways 

    • Automating all aspects of software development, integration, testing, and deployment. 
    • Putting deployment pipelines in place at the organizational levels. 
    • Improving developer, tester, and operational cooperation. 
    • On big and distributed teams, features are developed iteratively. 
    • Putting in place an effective configuration management approach. 
    • From analysis through implementation, acceptability testing is being automated. 
    • Capacity for testing and other non-functional needs 
    • Continuous deployment and zero-downtime releases are being implemented. 
    • Infrastructure, data, components, and dependencies must all be managed. 
    • Managing risk, ensuring compliance, and audits. 

    Discover your true potential with our easy-to-follow best project management online course. Gain the essential skills to thrive in any field!

    Preparation Tips for Certified Scrum Master

    • Make an informed decision about your scrum master course.
    • Review the Learning Objectives for the Certified ScrumMaster Course.
    • Take a practice CSM test.
    • Be aware of specifics, both suggested and explicit.
    • There is no need to pay for exam preparation.

    Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct CSM Certification Training Course Online

    CSM Certification in BangaloreCSM Certification in SydneyCSM Certification in Chennai
    CSM Certification in New YorkCSM Certification in LondonCSM Certification in Chicago
    CSM Certification in SingaporeCSM Certification in Pune CSM Certification in Washington
    CSM Certification in TorontoCSM Certification in DubaiCSM Certification in Los Angeles
    CSM Certification in HyderabadCSM Certification in MelbourneCSM Certification in Atlanta

    More Ways to Learn for CSM

    • Determine Your Path. Look through our courses given by teachers all over the world. 
    • Stick to Your Plan. Completing a live online and in CSM course is required. 
    • Pass Your Exam. Activate your Agile Alliance® certification account and complete your CSM exam by completing 37 of 50 questions correctly within the 60-minute time restriction.

    Conclusion

    As you walk on this road pursuing your dreams with certified scrum master books 2023, keep in mind that all will work out in the end. When the time comes, determination, strength, and good literature have a way of bringing them to come true. And yet when your turn comes, don't squander it. Also, go for KnowledgeHut CSM online certification. 

    Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct CSM Certification Training Course Online

    CSM Certification in BangaloreCSM Certification in SydneyCSM Certification in Chennai
    CSM Certification in New YorkCSM Certification in LondonCSM Certification in Chicago
    CSM Certification in SingaporeCSM Certification in Pune CSM Certification in Washington
    CSM Certification in TorontoCSM Certification in DubaiCSM Certification in Los Angeles
    CSM Certification in HyderabadCSM Certification in MelbourneCSM Certification in Atlanta

    Top CSM Books - Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

    1Is certified Scrum Master exam open book?
    You can use any online or written resources while taking the Scrum master certification exam. If you have made any notes or worksheets, you can use them as a reference during the exam. Hence, you can fairly say it is an open-book exam. 
    2Which Scrum study guide is the best?

    There are countless books and reference guides for Scrum study. However, the SBOK guide is considered the best of all. It provides comprehensive information related to effective scrum implementation. 

    3What should I read for CSM?

    For CSM, you should rely on trusted study resources that your educators suggest. If you have joined a certification program, rest assured that your trainer will provide you with enough resources that you can read. Apart from this, you can go for renowned books or guides like SBOK for CSM.  

    4What are the best Scrum books for beginners?

    The recommended books for beginners learning Scrum are: 

    • 1. Scrum Mastery: From Good to Great Servant Leadership 

    • 2. The Elements of Scrum 

    • 3. Scrum Mega Pack 

    • 4. The Scrum Field Guide 

    5Is CSM test hard?

    CSM is not a hard test if you have prepared well for it. The exam comprises 50 multiple-choice questions on the basis of the outlined objectives. You must score 74% or get 37 correct answers to pass the exam. 

    Profile

    Lindy Quick

    Blog Author

    Lindy Quick, SPCT, is a dynamic Transformation Architect and Senior Business Agility Consultant with a proven track record of success in driving agile transformations. With expertise in multiple agile frameworks, including SAFe, Scrum, and Kanban, Lindy has led impactful transformations across diverse industries such as manufacturing, defense, insurance/financial, and federal government. Lindy's exceptional communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills have earned her a reputation as a trusted advisor. Currently associated with KnowledgeHut and upGrad, Lindy fosters Lean-Agile principles and mindset through coaching, training, and successful execution of transformations. With a passion for effective value delivery, Lindy is a sought-after expert in the field.

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