The A-CSM® expands on the CSM® certification to provide Scrum Masters and agile leaders with
practical tools and skills designed to enhance their effectiveness in teams and organizations.
Upon completion of the A-CSM® course and 12 months of Scrum experience, students will be
conferred the A-CSM® certification from Scrum Alliance. The A-CSM® certification is the next step
to achieving the CSP-SM certification.
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 in their career.
For those looking to differentiate themselves from the pack, A-CSM® certification arms Scrum
Masters with new skills and 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®.
Below is a summary of the topics covered in our A-CSM® course. The learning experience covers
all elements of the Content Outline and Learning Objectives identified by Scrum Alliance,
presented in an interactive and exercise-based format.
Pre-Course Homework
Prior to attending class, students will complete a homework assignment designed to familiarize
them with concepts that will be covered during the course, and explore real-world experiences
in preparation for class discussions. Students are asked to set aside up to three hours to
complete this pre-course assignment.
Scrum Reset
This module focuses on the fundamental aspects of Scrum that students learned during their
CSM® course. It concludes with a quiz that reinforces knowledge in the topics that form the
basis of the rest of the course.
Foundations
This module concentrates on the foundational elements of Scrum, and agility as a whole. It
includes focusing on values and principles, discussing Scrum at a high level, and exploring
alternatives to Scrum.
Self
This module is oriented towards the learner themselves, including personal reflection and
evaluation relative to Scrum values. It then shifts towards learning, demonstrating, and
practicing facilitative listening and the neutral coaching stance.
Facilitation
This module explores a mix of facilitation techniques and concepts. Highlights include
interactive demonstrations of coaching techniques and the journey to developing a Product
Backlog from the Product Vision.
Discussions
This module contains exercises to help participants in the conversations they are sure to be a
part of. Students facilitate discussions around the Definition of Done, and develop a Lean
Coffee session to discuss their own techniques to improve organizations.
Teamwork
This module highlights the role of the Scrum team. Exercises focus on attributes of an excellent
agile team, and how this team would approach various challenges and impediments.
Organization
This module branches out from the team and looks at more organizational concepts, including
technical practices and scaling frameworks. The module finishes with a focus on group
dynamics and team-based decision-making techniques.
Presentation
Teams of participants evaluate a set of artifacts and case studies, similar to a scenario they may
confront in the real-world. Based on their learning's and practical application of Scrum, each
team creates, refines, and delivers an oral response, showcasing their strategic and tactical
approach to the rest of the class.
Certification Eligibility
The A-CSM® is an advanced course intended for experienced and practicing Scrum Team
members. Anyone may attend the course, however students must fulfill the following criteria
for A-CSM® certification:
- Students must have an active Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification with Scrum
Alliance.
- Students must participate in the full two days of class. Missing more than 30 total
minutes of class may result in loss of eligibility.
- To complete the certification process, students must have, and upload to their Scrum
Alliance profile, at least 12 months of role-specific experience. This is evaluated directly
by Scrum Alliance to determine fulfillment of this certification requirement.