What a Great Time to Invest in an Agile Certification! An Overview of Your Options
If, like me, you find that you’re staying at home more recently, you might be looking for useful ways to invest your time. If you’re interested in Agile software development, I highly recommend you consider investing time in an Agile certification. But which one should you choose? In this blog, I will provide an in-depth review of the recognized Agile certifications, creating a map to help you make the best decision for your needs. I’ve reviewed the offerings from the best known providers (as of September 2020) and will provide you with an updated summary that includes: entry and advanced level requirements, costs, exam scores, renewal details, and also who typically takes these.
Why is this a great time for Agile certifications?
Until recently, most of the best-known Agile certification programs have required in-person training. Now, however, the current global situation has changed the way we learn, and many certification programs are offered virtually. Not only is virtual learning more convenient, it can save you money on travel costs.
Why should you get an Agile certification?
Software development gets increasingly competitive every year. Technology constantly evolves. For these reasons, IT professionals must be quick to adapt. Obtaining an Agile certification signals your expertise and commitment to continuous learning, equips you with the tools to do your job better, refreshes your perspective on how to develop software, and increases your attractiveness to future employers.
Which Agile certification is the best?
Before you choose an Agile certification, your first step should be to assess the current state of your professional career. Next, define your goals and what you intend to do in the next few years.
You will also want to consider the total financial commitment for the certification you choose. Most certifications start with an entry level that requires you to pay a fee to take a class, pass an exam, or both. Most certifications progress to more advanced levels as you gain more working experience. Some will require you to accumulate credits or years of experience. Some require you to pay a fee to retain the certification or advance to the next level. You should consider the full cost and time commitment of any path you choose, so you can get the most from your experience.
What are the most recognized Agile certification providers?
Although there are many Agile certification bodies, the most recognized and highly regarded organizations (as of September 2020) include:
• Scrum.Org (founded in 2009)
• Scaled Agile Inc. (founded in 2011)
• Project Management Institute (founded in 1969)
• International Consortium of Agile (founded in 2010)
So that you can assess these options, I’ve summarized the information below.
What are the different types of Agile certification?
Not only are there different certification providers, there are different types of certifications, including:
• Scrum Master
• Product owner or product manager
• Scrum developer
• Agile coach
• Agile consultant or change agent
• Agile executive or change sponsor
Scrum master certifications
Many of us have started our Agile journey with a Scrum Master certification (including me). This popular certification is an excellent start for anyone who wants to learn more about Scrum and Agile. If you are a leader/people manager, project manager, Scrum Master then you may want to consider any of these paths.
Note that I have included the Certified SAFe® Release Train Engineer (RTE) below, because an RTE usually becomes a Scrum Master first, and the role is similar but at a higher level. Check the resources at the end of this post if you are interested in the SAFe® framework.
*If viewing on mobile, be sure to turn your phone sideways for the best viewing experience for all tables.
| Certification | CSM, A-CSM, CSP-SM | PSM I, PSM II, PSM III | SSM, SASM, RTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified ScrumMaster®, Advanced Certified ScrumMaster®, Certified Scrum Professional®-ScrumMaster | Professional Scrum Master™ I, Professional Scrum Master™ II, Professional Scrum Master™ III | Certified SAFe® Scrum Master, Certified SAFe® Advanced Scrum Master, Certified SAFe® Release Train Engineer |
| Organization | Scrum Alliance | Scrum.Org | Scaled Agile Inc |
| Entry level requirements | CSM: Attend a course taught by a CST® or receive private coaching from a CAC. | PSM I: Pass the exam and pay the fee. | SSM: Experience working in a Lean-Agile environment, attend the SAFe® Scrum Master course. There are two: Safe 4 or Safe 5. |
| Exam details | CSM: answer 37 out of 50 questions correctly within 60 minutes |
|
|
| Advanced level requirements |
| PSM II and PSM III: Pay and pass the exam. |
|
| Renewal requirements |
| Does not expire | Pay fee |
| Course required? | Yes, at all levels | Optional | Yes |
| Exam required? | Yes, only at entry level | Yes. Can skip PSM I by passing PSM II exam. Same for PSM III. | Yes, at all levels |
| Approx. course cost |
| Optional |
|
| Approx. exam cost | Included in course |
| First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50. |
| Renewal cost |
| Does not expire |
|
| Expiration time | Every 2 years | Does not expire | 1 year |
| Typically taken by | Project managers, facilitators, leaders | ||
Product owner or product manager certifications
If you would like to be an Agile product owner or product manager, you might want to follow any of these certifications paths. These are typically for managers who own a product roadmap, need to write user stories, have a very close engagement with stakeholders, and are accountable for a product and its metrics/results.
| Certification | CSPO, A-CSPO, CSP-PO | PSPO I, PSPO II, PSPO III | POPM, APM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified Scrum Product Owner®, Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner, Certified Scrum Professional®-Product Owner | Professional Scrum Product Owner™ I, Professional Scrum Product Owner™ II, Professional Scrum Product Owner™ III, | Certified SAFe® Product Owner / Product Manager, Certified SAFe® Agile Product Manager |
| Organization | Scrum Alliance | Scrum.Org | Scaled Agile Inc |
| Entry level requirements | CSPO: Attend a course taught by a CST® or receive private coaching from a CAC. | PSPO I: Pass the exam and pay the fee | POPM : Experience with Agile/Lean. Attend the SAFe® Product Owner/Product Manager course. (applies to both POPM4 or POPM5) |
| Exam details | Not required |
|
|
| Advanced level requirements |
|
| APM: Experience being a Product Manager, Product Marketer, Product Owner, Business Owner, or bringing products to market. Attend the Agile Product Management course. |
| Renewal Requirements |
| Does not expire. | Pay fee. |
| Course required? | Yes | Optional | Yes |
| Exam required? | Not required | Yes. Can skip PSPO I by passing the PSPO II exam. For PSPO III, you need to pass both PSPO I and PSPO II. | Yes, at all levels |
| Approx. course cost |
| Optional |
|
| Approx. exam cost | Included in course |
| First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50. |
| Renewal cost |
| Does not expire |
|
| Expiration time | Every 2 years | Does not expire | Every year |
| Typically taken by | Product Managers, leaders | ||
Scrum developer certifications
Scrum developer certifications are more suitable for those technical enthusiasts who are passionate about technology. These courses are typically taken by software engineers, developers, and solutions architects.
| Certification | CSD, CSP | PSD | ASE, SDP, ARCH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified Scrum Developer®, Certified Scrum Professional® | Professional Scrum Developer™ | Certified SAFe® Agile Software Engineer, Certified SAFe® DevOps Practitioner, Certified SAFe® Architect |
| Organization | Scrum Alliance | Scrum.Org | Scaled Agile Inc |
| Entry level requirements |
| Pass the exam and pay the fee. |
|
| Exam details | Yes, for CSD | Passing score: 85%, 60 mins, 80 questions |
|
| Advanced Level Requirements | For CSP: hold a CSD. Validate 36 months of Agile/Scrum work experience in any role. Gather 70 SEUs from the past three years. | N/A | ARCH: Application of Lean-Agile principles. Attend the SAFe® for Architects course. |
| Renewal Requirements |
| Does not expire | Pay fee |
| Course required? | Yes | Optional | Yes |
| Exam required? | Yes | Yes | Yes, at all levels |
| Approx. course cost | CSD: $1500-$3250, depending on the track you choose | Optional |
|
| Approx. exam cost | Included in course | $200 | First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50. |
| Renewal cost |
| Does not expire |
|
| Expiration time | Every 2 years | Does not expire | Every year |
| Typically taken by | Software engineers, DevOps engineers, solution architects | ||
Agile coach certifications
If you enjoy coaching people, or are an experienced Agile practitioner, this path may be most suitable.
Please note the following table does not include the SAFe RTE, SPC or SA certifications. These options are also excellent coaching career options, and are included in the Agile consultants certifications section below.
| Certification | CTC, CEC, CST | PMI-ACP | ICP, ICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified Team Coach®, Certified Enterprise Coach, Certified Scrum Trainer® | Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner | ICAgile Certified Professional, ICAgile Certified Expert |
| Organization | Scrum Alliance | PMI (Project Management Institute) | ICAgile (International Consortium of Agile) |
| Entry level requirements |
|
| ICP: At least 12 months of experience. Take the Agile Fundamentals course. |
| Exam details | Peer assessment | 120 multiple-choice, 3 hours | N/A |
| Advanced level requirements | N/A | N/A | You must earn the ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP) certification and the two specialty certifications on the track you’re interested in. There are multiple tracks to choose from, including coaching, which is very popular. |
| Renewal requirements | Available in the Renewal Program 2018–19 under Coach Resources Dashboard (restricted access) | 30 professional development units (PDUs) in Agile topics every three years | Does not expire |
| Course required? | N/A | Strongly suggested | Yes |
| Exam required? | Peer assessment | Yes | No |
| Approx. course cost | N/A | Optional | $1100 – $2200 |
| Approx. exam cost | $250 application fee and annual $500 license fee. | $435 – $495 | N/A |
| Renewal cost | N/A | $150 | Does not expire |
| Expiration time | N/A | Every 3 years | Does not expire |
| Typically taken by | Coaches, consultants, senior managers | ||
Agile consultant or change agent certifications
If you envision yourself as a consultant, change agent, or need to scale Agile these are excellent options.
Typically these professionals are excellent communicators, negotiators, who are able to adapt their communication style to different audiences, they are also able to influence.
| Certification | CSaSP | SPS | SPC, SA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified Scrum@Scale™ Practitioner | Scaled Professional Scrum | Implementing SAFe® with SAFe® 5 Program Consultant certification (SPC), Leading SAFe® With SAFe® 5 Agilist Certification (SA) |
| Organization | Scrum at Scale, LLC is a joint venture between Scrum Alliance and Scrum, Inc. | Scrum.Org | Scaled Agile Inc |
| Entry level requirements | CSaSP: Hold a CSM. Attend a 2-day certified Scrum@Scale course with a certified Scrum@Scale trainer. A CSPO is suggested as well. | Pass the exam and pay the fee | SA: 5+ years experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product or project management. Experience in Scrum. Attend the Leading SAFe® course. |
| Exam details | N/A | Passing score: 85%, 60 mins, 40 questions |
|
| Advanced level requirements | N/A | N/A | SPC: Facilitation skills, Agile experience, technical fluency, emotional intelligence. Attend the Implementing SAFe® course. |
| Renewal requirements | N/A | Does not expire |
|
| Course required? | Yes | Optional | Yes |
| Exam required? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Approx. course cost | $1000 | Optional |
|
| Approx. exam cost | Included in course | $250 | First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $250. |
| Renewal cost | N/A | Does not expire |
|
| Expiration time | N/A | Does not expire | Every year |
| Typically taken by | Consultants, professionals looking to scale Agile within their organizations | ||
Agile executive or change sponsor certifications
If you are an executive, senior manager, Agile change sponsor or consultant, you may be interested in these certifications.
| Certification | CAL I, CAL II | PAL | LPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified Agile Leadership I, Certified Agile Leadership II | Professional Agile Leadership | Certified SAFe® Lean Portfolio Manager |
| Organization | Scrum Alliance | Scrum.Org | Scaled Agile Inc |
| Entry level requirements | CAL I: No requirements | Pass the exam and pay the fee |
|
| Exam details | N/A | Passing score: 85%, 60 mins, 36 questions | Passing score: 42 out of 60 (70%) in 2 hours |
| Advanced level Requirements | CAL II: Active CAL I, Advanced Education and validated practice (year-long journey) | N/A | N/A |
| Renewal requirements |
| Does not expire | Pay fee |
| Course required? | Yes | Optional | Yes |
| Exam required? | Not required | Yes | Yes |
| Approx. course cost | $1750-$4000 | Optional | $2000 |
| Approx. exam cost | N/A | $200 | First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50. |
| Renewal cost |
| Does not expire | $295 |
| Expiration time |
| Does not expire | Every year |
| Typically taken by | Executives, senior managers, Leaders, change agents, coaches, consultants | ||
Pro tips for Agile certifications
• Remember that one SEU equals one hour of education, training, and so on. Holders of multiple Scrum Alliance certifications, please use this calculator.
• It’s easy to accumulate SEUs. You can use your other non-Scrum Alliance Agile certifications to claim SEUs. You can also use webinars, conferences, virtual summits, and so on. You may also be able to claim PDUs from the PMI for other certifications; for example, SAFe certifications also grant you PDUs.
• Note that CAL I will be replaced by CAL-Essentials (CAL-E), CAL for Teams (CAL-T), and CAL for Organizations (CAL-O).
Agile certifications should be part of your continuous learning commitment
Whether you are a people manager, software engineer, coach, or consultant, you should now have a clear picture of which certification may best meet your needs or your career ambitions. Refer back to this article whenever you need to compare your options against your current career path. And be sure to share it with anyone who might need some guidance in their professional development.
I hope this post will inspire you to take the next step in your professional career, or give you the tools to help someone you know who needs it. Earning a certification may be your key to unlocking a world full of possibilities. As Malcolm X once said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
References
1. Scrum Alliance. About the Scrum Alliance. June 30th, 2020.
https://www.agilealliance.org/sponsors/scrum-alliance
2. Scrum.Org . About. June 30th, 2020.
3. Scaled Agile Inc. The Scaled Agile Story. Story. June 30th, 2020.
https://www.scaledagile.com/about/about-us/
4. Project Management Institute. PMI Founders. June 30th, 2020.
https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/founders
5. International Consortium of Agile. About. June 30th, 2020.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/icagile
6. Scaled Agile Inc. Certification FAQs
