Agile professionals have long been waiting for the “next step” on their learning path, one that builds on the skills they learned during their pursuit of the Certified ScrumMaster certification. The A-CSM course has been meticulously designed to provide participants with an experience like no other. Using hands-on exercises and dynamic interactions, this course introduces and reinforces important concepts to help address the real-world problems that Scrum Masters face daily.
This two-day class expands on the Certified ScrumMaster™ (CSM) certification to provide Scrum Masters and agile leaders with practical tools and skills designed to enhance their effectiveness in teams and organizations. We have redesigned this course to be offered online, with the same interactivity and learning experience you have come to expect from Chris.
This course is designed for the Scrum Master who has the desire to grow their skillset and become more confident in the concepts and techniques necessary to progress their career. For those looking to differentiate themselves from the pack, A-CSM certification arms Scrum Masters with new skills, and also an industry-recognized distinction from other Scrum Masters. Agile coaches, consultants, program and project managers, facilitators, and technical leaders can all benefit tremendously by building on their CSM certification with the A-CSM.
Everyone is welcome to take this course, and there are zero restrictions on registering for the class. However, to receive your A-CSM certification from Scrum Alliance students must have an active CSM certification and satisfy the following requirements:
Pre-Course Learning
Our course includes a short assignment prior to class to help prepare you for course discussions, drawing ties to your own context. Please plan to spend up to four hours completing this pre-course assignment.
Reset
We will focus on “resetting” the elements of Scrum covered during your CSM course, including concepts, roles, events, and artifacts. This provides a common understanding of Scrum topics to build on for the rest of the course.
Foundations
This module goes deeper into the fundamentals of Scrum, including values, principles, Scrum alternatives, and Empirical Process Control. We will explore ways to effectively communicate these topics to others who may be new to Scrum.
Concepts
Scrum Masters often face challenging questions about the role of Scrum Masters, and the changing dynamics of teams within an agile transformation. This module arms you with tools and information to approach these situations, including conflict characteristics, visioning, agenda building, and understanding the differences between Facilitation, Coaching, Mentoring, and Training.
Coaching
Scrum Masters are often required to function in the capacity of an agile coach. By building on the previous module, we practice techniques to enhance your coaching capabilities and be a more effective coach within your organization.
Decisions
Making decisions as a group can be challenging. We outline decision-making frameworks that you can use with your teams to suspend judgment, integrate the viewpoints of others, and to poll and visualize a group’s decisions.
Teamwork
There is a big difference between a group of individuals working on a similar effort and a “real team.” We define the characteristics of a team, focusing on attributes necessary for a group of co-workers to truly become a team. We look at ways to enhance team development, including crafting working agreements and introducing team development models.
Challenges
Scrum Masters deal with challenges, roadblocks, and impediments all the time. In this module you will learn tools and techniques used to explore problems, evaluate impediments, and identify root causes. We also take a closer look at re-formulating a “Definition of Done,” and ways to scale Scrum for a multi-team environment.
Presentation
Our A-CSM course includes an interactive presentation simulation based on the real-world scenario of responding to a customer. This exercise helps solidify your learning by showcasing your strategic and tactical approaches in a supportive team environment, gathering valuable feedback on your opportunities for growth.
Self
We close the course with areas of personal reflection and evaluation relative to Scrum values. By assessing your own driving factors and personal goals, we start to build your own action plan for the next steps in your organization and your career as an agile leader.