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How to Become a Certified Scrum Product Owner?

Who is a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO® )?A Product Owner is a role defined in Scrum. Scrum is a framework for complex product development (*). The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work performed the Development Team. The role exists in Scrum to have 1 person with a clear accountability of WHAT product or service will be built. The Product Owner role is also used as a title outside Scrum, in other frameworks, but if you want to understand the definition of the role and responsibilities of a Product Owner, you need to start to look and to understand it in the scope of a Scrum Team.  (*) (“product”, to be defined in context, this is a generic term for the product or service being developed for the end-users) (*) (“development”, also to be defined in context, this is a generic term for all activities needed to create and deliver value to the end-users)A Certified Scrum Product Owner is a certification issued by the Scrum Alliance for the Product Owner role.Roles and Responsibilities of the Certified Scrum Product Owner :A Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product (or service, …) being built. The Product Owner is responsible for WHAT will be built by the development teamThe role of the Product Owner can be quite challenging and high-demanding.When reading The Scrum Guide, it says that product backlog management is the main activity for a Product Owner. The product backlog is a tool to ensure it’s clear what’s needed in the product and what’s the most valuable thing to build next. Managing a backlog, and refining items on the product backlog is a continuous activity. The Product Owner often serves as the spokesperson for the product. This means he/she needs to be able to answers questions appropriately, for example regarding product vision, roadmap, planning, why certain choices have been made, etc. This also includes NOT answering certain questions, because the Product Owner knows the development team is in a more appropriate position to answer the question more accurately, and as well to facilitate a conversation with the development team involved. The strategic significance of the CSPO®The Product Owner role in Scrum is a role, both with a tactical, strategic and operational aspect. The Product Owner is the personification of the end-users, customers, business stakeholders. He or she represents the different views, perspectives and he or she is finally accountable for maximizing value.To be able to do the job, the Product Owner has business (domain) knowledge, affinity with end-users, affinity with “development” (activities needed to deliver a piece of value), and knowledge of how to do agile product management. Product management is a multi-disciplinary job.Sometimes, a Product Owner is a role given to a person, as an additional role to his/her existing function. To my experience, a Product Owner requires at least half the time of a normal day job. I have seen Product Owners who were not involved in the necessary activities. Given below are the duties crucial to any Product Owner.Do’sTreat requirements as a hypothesis, focus on learningEnsuring Product Backlog items are clearly expressedKeep slicing for value (use techniques as user story mapping)Create a shared understanding by visualizationChallenge the team by asking open questionsChallenge your stakeholders by repeatedly asking “Why?”Engaging with end-users to get feedback, treat the sprint review at the last responsible moment to get feedbackFacilitating Product Backlog Refinement (necessary to ensure items are ready to be planned in an upcoming sprint)Treat estimates as estimates, not commitments, trust the teamFeed the team with problems not only solutionsFocus on goals (long-term and short-term)Communicate uncertainty to stakeholders, as uncertaintyUnderstanding Lean Product DevelopmentDo engage in retrospectivesBe fair about what’s done and not doneSet an example, act and speak according to Scrum Values and Agile PrinciplesTips to consider for becoming CSPO® What is CSPO®  certification?CSPO®  stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. It’s the initial (entry-level) certification of a Product Owner. Scrum Alliance is the accredited body of the CSPO® . Now, let’s see the steps for becoming CSPO® . Prerequisites to become a CSPO® There are no specific prerequisites to attend a course. To take the CSPO®  certification exam, Scrum Alliance makes it a prerequisite to attend a 2-day class given by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST). After completing the 2-day class you are invited to take the online test.Who can take up this CSPO®  course?Anyone interested in the Product Owner can take up this course.Why you should become a CSPO®  certified?A CSPO®  certification is accreditation and a proof of a body of knowledge at a specific point in time. The industry is asking for certifications, so if you want to take up the Product Owner role, a certification can give you this extra accreditation.Difference between CSPO®  and PSPO CSPO®  is an abbreviation which stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. This is a certification offered by the Scrum Alliance, specifically for the Product Owner role. PSPO is an abbreviation which stands for Profession Scrum Product Owner. This is a certification offered by scrum.org, specifically for the Product Owner role.In my opinion, both certifications are equivalent and define a high-quality standard. There’s a difference in the way of obtaining certifications and how to maintain this. Certifications issued by Scrum Alliance are obtained by taking an online exam after mandatory attending a 2-day training given by a Certified Scrum Trainer. The pass acceptance score is 24/35 questions (65%). Obviously, this is not particularly difficult to pass, but it’s not meant to be.Certifications issued by scrum.org are obtained by taking an online exam without the prerequisite of attending training. 1 attempt for the PSPO I online exam costs 200 USD. Passing score: 85%Time limit: 60 minutesNumber of Questions: 80Certifications issued by scrum.org do not expire. Of course, to test and validate your knowledge, having a decent understanding of the product owner role is mandatory, therefore preparation and study are key. Participating in training to learn, and to experience what Scrum is about, is always highly recommended. You can study the PSPO Subject Areas.Importance of the CSPO®  certification for an individual to boost his/her career as a successful Product OwnerYou need to decide for yourself if you think certifications are an added value. Eventually, it’s about a hands-on experience in the role. I do think that classroom course offers an added valueIn case you want to take up the role of a Product Owner, and you have not much knowledge yet, a classroom course is recommendedIn case you already are working as Product Owner, and you want to refresh your knowledge, take an updated perspective, a classroom course is recommendedPlease bear in mind that the certification is proof of classroom attendance and passing an online test. It’s the start of one’s career as a Product Owner. Next, you can advance your career and take part in advanced training.CSPO®  certification validityCertification gives you access to a renewable, two-year membership with Scrum Alliance. The certification is 2 years valid. You can read here how it works to renew your certification.Step-by-step process to become a CSPO®  1. Find a Certified Scrum Product Owner course on the Scrum Alliance website2. Prepare for the trainingRead and understand the Scrum GuideRead and understand the manifesto for agile software development3. Attend the 2-day course. Enjoy! 4. Complete the online CSPO®  exam, the fee is included in the course price.After completing the course, your Scrum Trainer will upload your user information into the system of Scrum Alliance, next you’ll receive an invite to do the online exam. Salary and career growth of Certified Scrum Product Owner vs Non-certified Scrum Product OwnerHere, you can see an overview of the certifications path offered by the Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org. According to the 12th state of the Agile report by VersionOne, the chapter is about “Agile Methods and Practices”, having a dedicated customer or product owner is a technique indicated by 63% of the respondents. In the 2017 State of Scrum report (by Scrum Alliance), 40% of certifications are Certified Scrum Product Owner. 81% agree that certification improves practice.ConclusionBeing a product owner is a satisfying job! If you get a certification it will add an extra line on your curriculum which will catch the eye of recruiters. Besides that, it’s a learning journey and you’ll only understand the traits of the job by experience. Get your CSPO® certification today.Have a successful career ahead!
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How to Become a Certified Scrum Product Owner?

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How to Become a Certified Scrum Product Owner?

Who is a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO® )?

A Product Owner is a role defined in Scrum. Scrum is a framework for complex product development (*). The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work performed the Development Team. The role exists in Scrum to have 1 person with a clear accountability of WHAT product or service will be built. The Product Owner role is also used as a title outside Scrum, in other frameworks, but if you want to understand the definition of the role and responsibilities of a Product Owner, you need to start to look and to understand it in the scope of a Scrum Team. 

 (*) (“product”, to be defined in context, this is a generic term for the product or service being developed for the end-users)

 (*) (“development”, also to be defined in context, this is a generic term for all activities needed to create and deliver value to the end-users)

A Certified Scrum Product Owner is a certification issued by the Scrum Alliance for the Product Owner role.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Certified Scrum Product Owner :

A Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product (or service, …) being built. The Product Owner is responsible for WHAT will be built by the development team

The role of the Product Owner can be quite challenging and high-demanding.

When reading The Scrum Guide, it says that product backlog management is the main activity for a Product Owner. The product backlog is a tool to ensure it’s clear what’s needed in the product and what’s the most valuable thing to build next. Managing a backlog, and refining items on the product backlog is a continuous activity. 

The Product Owner often serves as the spokesperson for the product. This means he/she needs to be able to answers questions appropriately, for example regarding product vision, roadmap, planning, why certain choices have been made, etc. This also includes NOT answering certain questions, because the Product Owner knows the development team is in a more appropriate position to answer the question more accurately, and as well to facilitate a conversation with the development team involved. 

The strategic significance of the CSPO®

The Product Owner role in Scrum is a role, both with a tactical, strategic and operational aspect. 

The Product Owner is the personification of the end-users, customers, business stakeholders. He or she represents the different views, perspectives and he or she is finally accountable for maximizing value.

To be able to do the job, the Product Owner has business (domain) knowledge, affinity with end-users, affinity with “development” (activities needed to deliver a piece of value), and knowledge of how to do agile product management. Product management is a multi-disciplinary job.

Sometimes, a Product Owner is a role given to a person, as an additional role to his/her existing function. To my experience, a Product Owner requires at least half the time of a normal day job. 

I have seen Product Owners who were not involved in the necessary activities. Given below are the duties crucial to any Product Owner.

Do’s

  • Treat requirements as a hypothesis, focus on learning
  • Ensuring Product Backlog items are clearly expressed
  • Keep slicing for value (use techniques as user story mapping)
  • Create a shared understanding by visualization
  • Challenge the team by asking open questions
  • Challenge your stakeholders by repeatedly asking “Why?”
  • Engaging with end-users to get feedback, treat the sprint review at the last responsible moment to get feedback
  • Facilitating Product Backlog Refinement (necessary to ensure items are ready to be planned in an upcoming sprint)
  • Treat estimates as estimates, not commitments, trust the team
  • Feed the team with problems not only solutions
  • Focus on goals (long-term and short-term)
  • Communicate uncertainty to stakeholders, as uncertainty
  • Understanding Lean Product Development
  • Do engage in retrospectives
  • Be fair about what’s done and not done
  • Set an example, act and speak according to Scrum Values and Agile Principles

Step-by-step process to become CSPO

Tips to consider for becoming CSPO® 

  • What is CSPO®  certification?

CSPO®  stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. It’s the initial (entry-level) certification of a Product Owner. Scrum Alliance is the accredited body of the CSPO® . Now, let’s see the steps for becoming CSPO® . 

  • Prerequisites to become a CSPO® 

There are no specific prerequisites to attend a course. To take the CSPO®  certification exam, Scrum Alliance makes it a prerequisite to attend a 2-day class given by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST). After completing the 2-day class you are invited to take the online test.

  • Who can take up this CSPO®  course?

Anyone interested in the Product Owner can take up this course.

  • Why you should become a CSPO®  certified?

A CSPO®  certification is accreditation and a proof of a body of knowledge at a specific point in time. The industry is asking for certifications, so if you want to take up the Product Owner role, a certification can give you this extra accreditation.

  • Difference between CSPO®  and PSPO 

CSPO®  is an abbreviation which stands for Certified Scrum Product Owner. This is a certification offered by the Scrum Alliance, specifically for the Product Owner role. PSPO is an abbreviation which stands for Profession Scrum Product Owner. This is a certification offered by scrum.org, specifically for the Product Owner role.

In my opinion, both certifications are equivalent and define a high-quality standard. 

There’s a difference in the way of obtaining certifications and how to maintain this. 

Certifications issued by Scrum Alliance are obtained by taking an online exam after mandatory attending a 2-day training given by a Certified Scrum Trainer. The pass acceptance score is 24/35 questions (65%). Obviously, this is not particularly difficult to pass, but it’s not meant to be.

Certifications issued by scrum.org are obtained by taking an online exam without the prerequisite of attending training. 

  • 1 attempt for the PSPO I online exam costs 200 USD. 
  • Passing score: 85%
  • Time limit: 60 minutes
  • Number of Questions: 80

Certifications issued by scrum.org do not expire. Of course, to test and validate your knowledge, having a decent understanding of the product owner role is mandatory, therefore preparation and study are key. Participating in training to learn, and to experience what Scrum is about, is always highly recommended. You can study the PSPO Subject Areas.

  • Importance of the CSPO®  certification for an individual to boost his/her career as a successful Product Owner

You need to decide for yourself if you think certifications are an added value. Eventually, it’s about a hands-on experience in the role. I do think that classroom course offers an added value

  • In case you want to take up the role of a Product Owner, and you have not much knowledge yet, a classroom course is recommended
  • In case you already are working as Product Owner, and you want to refresh your knowledge, take an updated perspective, a classroom course is recommended

Please bear in mind that the certification is proof of classroom attendance and passing an online test. It’s the start of one’s career as a Product Owner. Next, you can advance your career and take part in advanced training.

  • CSPO®  certification validity

Certification gives you access to a renewable, two-year membership with Scrum Alliance. The certification is 2 years valid. You can read here how it works to renew your certification.
Stakeholder Management

Step-by-step process to become a CSPO®  

1. Find a Certified Scrum Product Owner course on the Scrum Alliance website

2. Prepare for the training

Read and understand the Scrum Guide

Read and understand the manifesto for agile software development

3. Attend the 2-day course. Enjoy! 

4. Complete the online CSPO®  exam, the fee is included in the course price.

After completing the course, your Scrum Trainer will upload your user information into the system of Scrum Alliance, next you’ll receive an invite to do the online exam. 

Salary and career growth of Certified Scrum Product Owner vs Non-certified Scrum Product Owner

Here, you can see an overview of the certifications path offered by the Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org. According to the 12th state of the Agile report by VersionOne, the chapter is about “Agile Methods and Practices”, having a dedicated customer or product owner is a technique indicated by 63% of the respondents. 

In the 2017 State of Scrum report (by Scrum Alliance), 40% of certifications are Certified Scrum Product Owner. 81% agree that certification improves practice.

Conclusion

Being a product owner is a satisfying job! If you get a certification it will add an extra line on your curriculum which will catch the eye of recruiters. Besides that, it’s a learning journey and you’ll only understand the traits of the job by experience. Get your CSPO® certification today.

Have a successful career ahead!

Frederik

Frederik Vannieuwenhuyse

Blog Author

Frederik is an experienced consultant, professional facilitator, coach and trainer. Frederik is constantly looking to help organisation to gain more agility and to create happy workplaces

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1 comments

Maricruz 07 Jan 2019

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KnowledgeHut Editor 23 Jan 2019

Thank you so much Maricruz.

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Managing the Team Working together is what makes any group project successful and that is one of the duties of a Scrum Master; to ensure that there is adequate cohesion amongst the members of the team. The Scrum Master should invest in creating an environment of openness, respect, and honesty so that the team members can feel comfortable with each other and with themselves. Such is important, since an individual would be more resourceful if they worked in conditions where they are not being intimidated, judged or discriminated in any way. In the event of a fallout between team members, a Scrum Master is responsible for identifying, resolving and eliminating the source of conflict. It is also in the power of the Scrum Master to appoint a project manager if it is deemed necessary. 5. Foster Proper Communication Poor communication is arguably one of the fastest ways to ruin a well-planned project, regardless of how good the developers may be. A Scrum Manager needs to be well equipped with excellent verbal and written communication skills to ensure that every piece of information gets to the team, related stakeholders and is delivered accurately and on time. This starts with the initial scope of the project, and it is even more important when it comes to relaying changes. All important changes of scope, project plan, change in timeline and so on should be communicated as soon as possible to ensure minimal interruption to the workflow. A Scrum Master should also ensure that there is a good communication flow within the development team internally, in particular, between the developers and the user experience or visual designers. They should also make sure that other relevant stakeholders know what's going on in the company. This encourages transparency and builds up trust across the whole organization. 6. Dealing with Impediments A Scrum Master should anticipate, identify, track and remove any impediments. Predicting impediments makes the Scrum Master alert to potential threats to the project and ensures that they can easily identify and eliminate them. They find ways to deal with the issues internally, and they can also get help from the larger company or other stakeholders, if it is beyond their power. As part of coaching, the team can be trained to identify impediments themselves or the Scrum Master can select members to remove the barriers once they come up. 7. Be a Leader A Scrum Master should be a leader to the team. They should be ready to come up with new solutions, and they should be open to receiving new ideas from team members and other stakeholders to make the deliverables meet the required standards. They should be able to work with the team and develop and empower the individuals, helping them achieve their full potential as developers and as individuals. They should also be servant leaders in that, it is not all about giving orders for them; they can also dive in and give a helping hand and work with the developers, which is the traditional meaning of leading by example! Conclusion How do you choose a scrum manager? Above is just a summarized list of responsibilities of a scrum master. The responsibilities and duties may vary from one organization to another or from one project to another, but it does not take away the base importance of having a Scrum Master as part of the development team and the organization as a whole.
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Scrum Master Job Descriptions and Responsibilities In Agile
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All You Need to Know About Leading SAFe® 4.5 Certification With Knowledgehut

Agile is a project management process which encourages self-organization, accountability, and teamwork. This methodology progresses a moderate project management process by reducing the time required for review and adaptation. SAFe® combines the power of Agile with Lean product development and systems thinking. It integrates delivery, collaboration, and alignment for multiple Agile teams and provides significant improvements to business agility, including quality, productivity, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, time-to-market, and more. The new version i.e SAFe® 4.5 was released on June 22, 2017. This advanced version speeds up the delivery process of products and services and also offers a 360-degree build-measure-learn feedback cycle. With four major updates, SAFe® has grown faster with the market since the initial release in 2011 and keeps on being a work in process. SAFe® 4 Agilist certification helps you to build a strong foundation on Agile practices, standards, and applications required to enhance the  probability of the project's overall success. You might be searching for the best institute to take the course and might be thinking why only KnowledgeHut and why not others? Here we answer all your queries about Leading SAFe® 4.5 Certification with KnowledgeHut. Looking for a quick overview of #SAFe®? Check out our most popular download: https://t.co/Iw7rVXSK6U pic.twitter.com/oPEExo8mUY — Dean Leffingwell (@Deanleffingwell) October 31, 2017 Who is the certifying agency? SAFe® Enterprise or the Scaled Agile Framework is the provider of this SAFe® 4 Agilist Certification. KnowledgeHut offers this course by professional trainers with years of industry experience.     SAFe® Agilist certification exam cost?   The exam cost for the first attempt is included in the course fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Also, the candidate can retake the exam if not cleared in the first attempt and each retake attempt charges $50. Who will benefit from leading SAFe® 4.5 course? The following individuals will benefit from this course: Leaders and Executives, Directors, Managers, CIOs, and VPs Enterprise, System, and Solution Architects QA, Development, and Infrastructure Management Project and Program Managers PMO, Portfolio Managers, and Process Leads Product and Product Line Management Is it mandatory to attend the course or can a person just take the exam directly? Yes, candidates should have completed the 2 days’ Leading SAFe® 4.5 certification training course to take the exam. After successful completion, of course, your trainer registers you to Scaled Agile, Inc. and after this registration, you will receive an e-mail that includes an exam link. Thereafter, you will have 30-days to take the test.  What do attendees get from the course? The course registration includes: SAFe® 4 Agilist PDF certificate SAFe® 4 Agilist digital badge to promote your online accomplishment  Comprehensive courseware materials by Scaled Agile Institute 1-year membership with Scaled Agile Access to members-only resources such as advance notice of upcoming SAFe® products, guidance presentations, and webinars 16 SEUs and 16 PDUs 1 free attempt of the exam as the course fee includes the exam fee Can I cancel my enrollment? Do I get a refund? Your amount will be refunded in full only if the registration is cancelled within 48 hours and the refunds will be processed within 30 days of the request. For more details, check our refund policy. Note: Due to transactional costs that are applicable while refunding, all cancellations will cause a 5% deduction in the refunded amount. What topics are covered? The topics covered in our 2-day course are: Introducing the SAFe® (Scaled Agile Framework) Embracing a Lean-Agile Mindset Experiencing PI (Program Increment) planning Understanding SAFe® Principles Implementing an Agile Release Train Leading the Lean-Agile Enterprise Exploring, Executing, and Releasing Value Building an Agile Portfolio and Empowering a Lean Portfolio Prerequisites for SAFe® 4.5 Certification? Anyone regardless of experience can attend the course. But the following knowledge and skills are highly recommended for those who really want to take the SAFe® 4 Agilist certification exam: 5 plus years of experience in business analysis, testing, product or project management, and software development Good experience in Scrum What will I learn from the course? On completion of the course you will be able to: Apply SAFe® to scale Lean and Agile development in your organization Identify and apply a Lean-Agile Mindset and principles Empower with a Lean Portfolio Improve your Lean-Agile leadership skills Continuously explore, integrate, deploy, and release value Coordinate the development of large value streams Support a Lean-Agile transformation in your organization How can I apply? Follow the below steps to apply for Leading SAFe® 4.5 certification exam- Step  1: Take the 2-day Leading SAFe®4.5 course Step 2: Your trainer will send all your details to Scaled Agile after successful completion of course. Now, the Scaled Agile, Inc. will send you two emails: a Welcome Letter and a Learning Plan Assignment. The Learning Plan Assignment e-mail includes information about the exam. Step  3: Take the online SAFe® 4 Agilist certification exam. Step 4: Once the test is completed with the minimum passing score, Scaled Agile, Inc. will update your profile to disclose the certification. Step 5: You will receive an email including official notification from Scaled Agile, Inc. which allows you to the member area and helps you to make your profile public within the Scaled Agile Community. 1-year membership with Scaled Agile will be provided as well. Why KnowledgeHut for Leading SAFe® 4.5? KnowledgeHut is a silver training partner of Scaled Agile Inc (SAI) and offers world-class learning to its students with excellence and provides in-depth knowledge required to become a successful world-class professional. KnowledgeHut also offers: Free materials from Scaled Agile Framework. Tricks and tips from our professional Certified Leading SAFe® experts who have years of experience in implementing it in a variety of environments. 1-year membership with Scaled Agile included in the course fee. We hope this article cleared all your queries related to SAFe® 4 Agilist certification. Connect with us to know more about the Leading SAFe® 4.5 course.t                               Training Cost                               India        USA               LVC                5500                                                499                                  E-Learning                665                   5165 Exam cost                151                   612
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All You Need to Know About Leading SAFe® 4.5 Certification With Knowledgehut
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All You Need to Know About Leading SAFe® 4.5 C...

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