Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does the Scrum Alliance offer a certification program?

A: Certification programs set standards for knowledge, skills and conduct. When Scrum was first introduced, the only available training was in the form of articles, presentations and books. People were able to understand the iterative nature of Scrum through reading, but missed the empirical, incremental, self-managing and cross-functional aspects that provide the pathway and productivity necessary for successful implementation. In response, the Scrum Alliance developed a certification program. Certification is a declaration of an individual’s professional competences and affirms a measurement of knowledge and experience. The Scrum Alliance certifies Scrum practitioners, coaches and trainers who demonstrate Scrum knowledge and skills as well as commitment to the highest standards of ethical and professional practice.

Q: Why should I certify?

A: The Scrum Alliance Certification Program incorporates training and assessment in a manner that upholds the evolving standards for recognition of the competent practice of Scrum. Certification recognizes your knowledge, skills and abilities and demonstrates that you have a commitment to professional development. Certified professionals are aware of the constantly changing environment around their profession and posses the desire to anticipate, inspect, adapt and respond. Certification can lead to better visibility, opportunities and jobs. Certification showcases your personal achievement by confirming your proficiency and knowledge of Scrum.

Q: Why is the Scrum Alliance enhancing and expanding their certification program?

A: In order to keep pace with the growing interest in the use of the Scrum process, we have significantly enhanced and expanded our certification program. Like most successful 21st century organizations, the Scrum Alliance is evolving globally. Because the use of Scrum is expanding rapidly, the knowledge and skills required to implement Scrum successfully must become more apparent. Therefore, the Scrum Alliance must adjust to meet the training and credentialing needs of its members worldwide. As we reviewed our existing credentialing program, we recognized the need to ensure our members’ credentials are recognized as a meaningful and valuable proof of competency, and that they attest to current knowledge of Scrum. Consequently, a common global standard has been established that will be applied worldwide and which must be met by all certified Scrum practitioners, coaches and trainers, regardless of where they receive their training or practice their professions.

Q: What authority guides the certification program process?

A: The Scrum Alliance has engaged experts in the field of exam development and psychometrics that employ industry best practices to design and develop the exams, evaluate fairness, set passing standards, conduct psychometric analysis and offer a myriad of advice and support in implementing the many operational and administrative aspects of a credible certification program. These frameworks conform to principles that ensure valid uses and interpretations of exams scores as documented in the following standards and guidelines:

• The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (1999) by the American Educational Research Association (AERA), American Psychological Association (APA) and National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME)
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI), International Standards Organization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17024
• Computer Based Testing Guidelines by the Association of Test Publishers (ATP)
• International Test Commission (ITC) Test Adaptation Guidelines
• NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs by the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA)

Q: Why is an exam necessary to become certified?

A: The role of certification is to provide measures that are valid, consistent and fair. While there are many valid methods for certifying individuals’ skills, the Scrum Alliance has looked at the practical aspects of developing and applying a global standard for certification as well as accepted best practices. Training is an important part of the certification process—all certification candidates must complete a training course in the domain for which they seek certification—but it would be very difficult to standardize training and impossible to provide adequate oversight to ensure trainers are adhering to a single standard. Likewise, using the judgments of trainers to determine if individuals meet the minimally acceptable standards for certification introduces subjectivity and unreliability into the mix. However, we can provide trainers with course objectives, offer teaching guidelines and recommend course materials. The same objectives that are provided to trainers as well as a broad cross-section of training materials are used to develop the exam content.

Q: Why was a multiple-choice exam format chosen for the CSM exam?

A: Creating a consistent measurement is the hallmark of a good certification exam. The primary reason for using multiple choice items is that they allow for greater breadth of coverage of the content domain in a shorter amount of time when compared with constructed response items. There is also a historic misconception that multiple choice exams only assess lower-level thinking. This perception is often based on past experiences with lower-quality exams. However, the science of testing is more evolved than is commonly perceived. The exams developed for the Scrum Alliance certifications used current research on writing exam questions to create multiple choice exams that are aligned with the cognitive complexity needed for CSM and CSPO candidates. We also factored in the need to score exams and report performance to candidates quickly. Multiple choice items are more appropriate to meet these secondary measurement goals.

Q: How were the exam questions developed and selected?

A: The exams were developed and systematically reviewed under the guidance of exam development experts. Scrum Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), who have considerable experience applying Scrum principles or are seasoned Certified Scrum Trainers, were involved throughout the development process. Before being included in exams, the questions were field tested under realistic testing conditions using a broad cross-section of the intended audience. The results then underwent psychometric analysis. Only those questions meeting standards for relevance, accuracy, clarity, and an absence of bias, and distinguishing between qualified and unqualified candidates were selected for the certification exam.

Q: As a Subject Matter Expert (SME), how can I participate in the exam development process in the future?

A: Scrum Alliance is continually seeking qualified Subject Matter Experts who are able to donate their time to help develop high-quality exam content. If you have at least four years of active Scrum practice and would like to get involved, email your resume with a brief explanation of what qualifies you as a SME to our Certification Program Manager, Cristina Goodwin.