With the Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) you build on the CSPO and grow your ability to establish and communicate an actionable vision, rapidly test hypotheses, work effectively with stakeholders, and manage the backlog using a host of advanced techniques.
Unlike sessions offered by others, our A-CSPO is a true advanced session that is 100% live, completely interactive and slide-free.
The course uses Mural in a unique way that has been a huge hit with students and helps you stay fully engaged from beginning to end. We explore topics through exercises that drive deep discussion and you will learn from the industry’s most experienced CSP-PO Trainers, as well as from other advanced attendees. You leave ready to implement techniques the next day.
Arlen Bankston, was one of the first trainers to ever deliver the CSPO, and also one of the first to deliver the A-CSPO. Utilizing his extensive graphic and instructional design background he creates a uniquely entertaining and practical experience.
Arlen’s lengthy career as a founding executive in one of the earliest agile consultancies and the fact that he has filled multiple roles over his training and coaching career means that you’ll enjoy a consistently fresh and open-minded approach to agility that leans on real experience and anecdotes. Finally, Arlen goes to great lengths to help students share with one another, a benefit unique to these most advanced classes.
David A. Bulkin has over 40 years of product and systems development experience. He continues to build products, often filling the role of Product Owner. David also gets hands-on, keeping his coding and testing skills sharp. David started with agile in 2001 when he led the development of the JP Morgan Chase banking site, leading the first successful agile team in the retail bank.
David’s A-CSPO is reality-based, with no fluff, filler, videos, or long dissertations. If you want actionable insight, register with Grow-Lean. But David's training is not for everyone. You will be required to do multiple exercises and participate in deep discussions. You must also keep an open mind.
This live online workshop is delivered by trainers Arlen Bankston and David Bulkin. Both with over two decades of agile product management experience.
The result is like a private consulting experience, just more fun.
We assesses personal situations and dynamically reorient towards creating practical paths forward for each participant. As such, to get maximum benefit and to receive the certification you should have a minimum of one year’s experience in a product role.
Request your discount on the session (a class on date/time with a trainer) you want. If more than one discount applies explain in your comments.
You can pay in up to 12 installments by choosing Splitit at checkout.
For Grow-Lean Alumni, log in or use your account email when registering, and receive an automatic discount. If you also qualify for another discount, request it, and, if your email matches, we know you are an alumni.
If you have a Visa or Mastercard credit card you can pay in up to 12 monthly installments. There are no fees or interest if you pay on time! Your available credit must be enough to cover the full cost and there is a hold on your credit card for the amount that you have not paid.
For example, if your final fee is $1,000 and you chose 10 installments:
If you are not familiar with the term "hold" this is similar to what hotels do when you check in, to cover extra expenses you may incur including the mini bar.
The benefit to you is that you do not pay any interest or fees if all payments are on time.
Find Session
Find the session you want on the class list, then click "Discounts" link. Early-bird discounts do not need to be requested.
Choose Discounts
You will be on the discounts tab for the class.
Select Discount
Choose the appropriate discount then click the link for it. Not all discounts are available for all sessions.
Enter & Submit
Provide the requested information then click "Submit".
Combines With: Everything
Able to register in advance?
The Early Bird discount is available on many of classes.
There is no need to request it. Simply register while it is available.
If you receive another discount it will combine with the Early Bird.
Combines With: Alumni, Early Bird
Paying yourself and won't be reimbursed?
The Out of Pocket is for you if you won't be reimbursed. If you are unemployed, a military veteran, or a student request the appropriate discount.
Choose a specific session (class on a date with a trainer), click on Discounts, and complete the request form. If you are not sure of the date, choose a session and explain in the comments.
Combines With: Early Bird
Bringing friends or colleagues to one or more sessions or want a private session?
The Group and Private Discounts are for sending three or more attendees to one or more events or for private events (i.e. just for your team).
To request, choose a session (class on a date with a trainer) you are interested in, click the Discount Link, and when filling out the form describe your situation.
Our Training Team will reach out to you.
Combines With: Early Bird, Hardship, Out of Pocket, Student, Veteran
Get 5% off for each public session, over $495, you took with us, up to 20%.
The Alumni Discount provides you discounted rates to future Grow-Lean training.
For each Grow-Lean session* you take with us, at a rate of $495 or above, you accumulate another 5% off of a future training, up to 20% off*.
* We have a small number of partner events where the alumni discount does not apply.
Combines With: Early Bird, Alumni
Suffering an economic hardship and able to provide an unemployment notice or separation agreement?
The Hardship Discount is for you if you are suffering an economic hardship and are able to provide an unemployment notice or separation agreement and are not being reimbursed.
Choose a specific session (class on a date with a trainer), click on Discounts, and complete the request form. If you are not sure of the date, choose a session and explain in the comments.
Combines With: Early Bird
Are you a full-time student or educator, with a .edu email address?
The Student Discount is for you if you are a full-time student or educator with a .edu email address.
Choose a specific session (class on a date with a trainer), click on Discounts, and complete the request form. If you are not sure of the date, choose a session and explain in the comments.
When completing the request tell us your major and expected graduation date or explain what you teach and where.
Combines With: Early Bird
Are you active duty military or a veteran?
The Military / Veteran Discount is applicable if you are active duty, reserve, or retired from the military.
Choose a specific session (class on a date with a trainer), click on Discounts, and complete the request form. If you are not sure of the date, choose a session and explain in the comments.
When completing the request tell us if you will be reimbursed or not.
CST | CSP-SM | CSP-PO | CAL | A-CSM | CSM | A-CSPO | CSPO | LSS MB | SAFe SPC5
Arlen Bankston, a pioneering figure in the agile movement, was one of the first to integrate lean systems thinking and user experience practices with agile software development methodologies. His innovative approach has left a lasting impact on the field.
Currently, Arlen is a sought-after coach and trainer, specializing in advanced courses such as the Advanced CSPO, Certified Scrum Professional PO, Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster, Certified Agile Leadership Essentials and Team, as well as custom sessions including the Grow-Lean Remote and Hybrid Work. His expertise extends beyond the realm of software, exploring Lean, Six Sigma, BPM and other process management and systems thinking approaches to provide organizations with a comprehensive perspective.
Arlen's journey in the agile world began with his early involvement in the Scrum Alliance (member number 41) and as one of the first Certified Scrum Trainers . He further expanded his knowledge by becoming a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt during his six-year tenure leading a Lean-Agile practice. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found the consultancy LitheSpeed, which he successfully led for fifteen years before joining Grow-Lean.
Known for his thought leadership and dynamic, entertaining, and practical training style, Arlen has trained and mentored thousands of ScrumMasters, Product Owners, team members and executives. He designed the Agile Leadership Academy to address the leadership and structural challenges that many successful companies still face.
Arlen's client list spans across every industry and includes notable names such as RBC, Monster, Marriott, NBC Universal, CNBC, NGA, Capital One, T. Rowe Price, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and the Armed Forces Benefits Association. His book “HR and the Agile Organization” provides valuable insights on how human resources departments can adapt to support organizations striving for adaptability while enhancing employee engagement and retention.
Scrum Alliance: CST | CSP-SM | CSP-PO | CAL 1 | SAFe | SPC | PMI: PMI-ACP
David Bulkin is a managing director and head of training services at Grow-Lean. He assists teams as a coach / mentor; delivers training, and builds product. He has trained 20,000 students, and impacted thousands via public speaking and coaching. Unlike many trainer/coaches, he continues to build systems.
David delivers training, including the CSM, A-CSM, CSPO and A-CSPO courses; and has trained over 20,000 students with over 10,000 being with the Scrum Alliance.
David mentors and coaches teams and individuals.
He does all of this while actively building software, filling various roles at different times, including designing, coding, testing, PO and Scrum Master (think about that, someone who does what they teach).
David's commitment to helping others and his continued work as a team member positions him to deliver a practical perspective that will help you boost your career.
David's thought leadership in 2009 on progressive elaboration for agile requirements influenced what is now known as refinement (entering Scrum in 2011). David has successfully applied agile to manufacturing, marketing, sales, finance, and other areas outside of IT. He was an independent reviewer of the original PMI-ACP body of knowledge that fed the creation of the PMI-ACP Exam and has worked on the exam questions for the Certified Scrum Master Exam. David’s broad background ensures you are getting up-to-date ideas to apply.
David is an industry veteran with 40 years of product development experience. In 2001, David's eBanking Team at JP Morgan Chase implemented agile with Kent Beck, the Father of Extreme Programming (XP), and perhaps also Agile, was the team coach. In addition to eBanking, David was also responsible for Online Account Opening, Insurance and Retirement Services.
David's deep experience, his high energy level, and his continued hands-on work helps David stay practical and level-headed . He can understand your needs so you benefit from his experience.
At present there is no examination required to achieve the Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) Certification. Taking the session earns your A-CSPO if you meet the requirements outlined below.
The advanced certification will differentiate you, but more importantly the deep learning will allow you to interview with confidence and apply advanced techniques in the work place.
The A-CSPO also allows you to pursue Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO) certification, which completes the Path to CSP.
The PO role is challenging and misunderstood. We demystify the process and equip you with the strategies to succeed. We draw from decades of experience and provide innovative problem-solving techniques. You leave with new ideas and practical solutions.
How do you deal with unplanned mid-Sprint changes?
We’ll practice several techniques from the lean and product management communities for dealing fluidly and systematically with emergency and unplanned work. We’ll also help you prepare for fixed date deliveries, ensure the team has appropriate time to deal with technical debt and process improvements, and show how to avoid both over- and under-committing within the sprint.
Does your Sprint Review fail as a true product feedback loop and put participants to sleep?
It doesn’t have to be this way. Learn some unique tricks for bringing interactivity, life and practical worth to a session that often functions as little more than a status check to turn it into a session where we align and adjust future plans. You will also learn patterns for running large-scale reviews with many interdependent teams.
There is no exam for your certification, but you can still get significant benefit from our practice quizzes as they help ensure you know the basics so your classroom experience can focus on the big picture.
If you have time prior to the session use them as a refresher. Or perhaps, during the session you notice some weak spots and review the quizzes post class to fill in the knowledge gaps.
Rastko Anicic
To be very honest, I thought this is going to be just like other certifications I attended: CSPO and A-CSPO where we'd sit and talk about the basics of PO role and learn about 5-10% of new stuff. This class completely exceeded my expectations. Arlen was an amazing mentor. I learned plenty of new stuff: different PO techniques and tools, how to think like a PO person from different angles I've never encountered in my career so far. This was definitely a course worth attending.
Senior Product Owner
The A-CSPO course with instructor Arlen Bankston was everything I had hoped for. We learned new ways of approaching backlog prioritization, story refinement, sprint reviews and more. The class was dynamic and engaging. Arlen did a great job of tailoring content to the questions and interests of attendees.
Christie
Excellent A-CSPO course delivered by Arlen Bankston. Well presented, packed with useful information, high quality visuals, and interactive, engaging team exercises. Arlen brings solid industry experience with relevant stories and scenarios to support the course content. Highly recommend.
Sabrina
The CSP-PO class was informative, thought provoking and the breakout sessions made it more transparent how different organizations view the Agile process. Thank you Arlen!
Mason
Of the scrum alliance classes I've taken thus far Arlen's CSP-PO class was by far the best. It was apparent that he knew/created the materials he taught from, he shared a great many personal insights, and he created an environment that encouraged the rest of the class to share their experiences and be heard. Would train with Arlen again.
Ankita Upadhyay
Arlen Bankston took my A-CSPO course and this was the first Scrum course that I recommended to other people because I absolutely loved it. The way he conducted the exercises helped me understand concepts. We also had a small exercise with David Bulkin which was also worth it.
Trey S.
My instructor, Arlen, was phenomenally knowledgeable and added a little bit of color to each section of the course. The way he connected each aspect of the material (by grounding the lessons in his past experience) made the class engaging and led me to seek out *more* courses he was leading.
Rob
Arlen Bankson is a fantastic instructor with a massive amount of experience. It made learning new tools and techniques easier because he could recall real examples to make the content more relatable. I will use Grow Lean and Arlen for my CSP-PO and SM.
Kunal Shah
I had the privilege of attending Arlen's A-CSPO training, and I must say it was an exceptional learning journey that far surpassed my expectations! Arlen's shared invaluable insights and tips on the Product Owner role. I highly endorse Arlen to anyone seeking to elevate their Product Owner knowledge to new heights.
Gaurang
Great training experience. Arlen is a knowledgeable trainer with vast experience in consulting. He brings various tools and exercises to help get the point across. It is a rich learning journey through his training sessions.
Brandi Hatley
This comprehensive training program exceeded my expectations in terms of content, delivery, and value. The course content was well-structured and covered a wide range of topics essential for an advanced Scrum Product Owner role. One aspect that truly stood out was the quality of the instructor, Arlen Bankston. Not only does he possess extensive practical experience as a Product Owner, but he was able to present complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner. He encouraged active participation, fostered discussions, and shared valuable real-life examples that enriched the learning experience. Grow-Lean's online training for the Scrum Alliance Advanced Scrum Product Owner Certification (A-CSPO) exceeded my expectations in terms of content quality, expert instructors, interactive learning materials, and overall value. I highly recommend this company and training program to anyone seeking to enhance their skills as a Scrum Product Owner and achieve advanced certification.
customer
I actually quit a competitor's A-CSPO course cause it was an awful experience. Had a great time in Arlen's class. Very likable guy with tons of real world experience. Will definitely recommend him to others.
Micheal Dick
Arlen was great. The training really highlighted the items that you should be doing as a good Product Owner. The instructor was sure to take time to ensure everyone knew the skills, and assignments given. Took time to allow for open discussion, that helped foster a safe emotional space. You could ask and give answers without feeling like you would be judged. 10 / 10 would recommend this class to anyone.
RENE AREVALO
Best experience so far in a Class/Certification. Arlen is a great communicator and goes into detail to help you understand tools and concepts.
JR
The A-CSPO training course was an amazing learning experience. David Bulkin is a very talented and enthusiastic instructor who made the concepts easy to understand. It was a very interactive and engaging session that included break-outs for practicing new strategies with your teammates. David is very thorough in his work and offers practical insights. Highly recommend!
Freeman Burns
I thoroughly enjoyed the course and I couldn't have had a better trainer. David knows his stuff and forces you to think deeper than just surface level. I am totally new to the Agile Framework and Scrum methodologies and this was an excellent course for a beginner. I can't wait to take the more advanced courses. I am not it the IT field, but the training can be used across multiple disciplines.
Pankaj Goel
David is great instructor, he is very knowledgeable and his approach to involve people in discussion and workout / case study was fabulous. He provided lots of real -time example that helped in getting subject knowledge further better.
BC Galloway
Very well run class. You can read the mechanics of being a ScrumMaster in a few hours to be just OK at it. David Bulkin's class expertly teaches you the art of being a ScrumMaster to be great at it.
Michael Manchester
Wonderful training for scrum, project ownership, et al. Engaging, useful, and funny presentations from David Bulkin make the experience seem less than a full day, while you still get all the knowledge you need for whatever project management initiative you are undertaking.
Rich Rinaldi
I take all of my certification classes with Grow Learn -- it is highly applicable, engaging, and key learnings are synthesized. You get an authentic experience of what agile really looks like, hands on. David Bulkin's sessions have -- and I cannot understate this -- literally changed our organization.
Anum Saiyed
Excellent Company and Excellent Trainer. The class is very enjoyable because of David who has an excellent way of presenting and engaging the participants.
I H
David makes his training session a very engaging experience that keeps you mentally & physically awake. The first time I took the training class with David was in-person in Dec 2018. This week was my renewal session after 2 years. It was amazing to experience how well David kept the web session alive and interactive... Best coach I ever had !
Ritu Ahuja
A weekend well spent! The material was covered in the most interactive and intuitive way. David has deep real world knowledge that he applies to the concepts. He keeps it engaging fun
Tricia M
This was an excellent class. There are several educational options out there, and I am glad I chose this one because Arlen's real-life experience and skill in designing this course made it valuable and fun. It was two days, and Arlen made it so relevant and interesting, I would be happy to spend many more days learning from him! Thank you!
customer
Arlen is knowledgeable and clearly explained all the concepts
Anika Topete
Arlen was amazing, he took the time and effort to answer every question that I asked and others asked. I would definitely sign up for a course with him again.
customer
Great course. Interactive and very interesting. Arlen Bankston was a great instructor.
Erin A
David Bulkin was amazing!! Very engaging and interactive class, utilizing Mural platform for course which definitely cultivated a space for grasping the material even further
Troetta Ward
What an amazing course! David Bulkin did an job engaging our class and providing us with the information we need to pass the exam. But he also took time to provide tips and techniques that would help us become true practitioners of scrum. He provided us with scenarios in and out technology to help us apply scrum in multiple ways.
customer
ARLEN IS A GREAT INSTRUCTOR! Scrum is about people > process, and Arlen made everyone feel like they were a part of the training! GREAT TRAINER!
Lance
Arlen was AWESOME in the CAL E & O course. I took away tons of stuff to try out with my organization. I will be back! I'll also send some colleges your way.
Brandon
Great course! The content was very relevant and the way it was presented made it immediately applicable. The collaborative nature of the course also enabled for more meaningful delivery of the concepts AND different perspectives on how to apply it. Arlen is great and I would definitely attend another session led by him in the future. Thanks!
Orenthal V. Hawkins
David is an excellent instructor. There is a lot of room for discussion and through breakout sessions, the class had the opportunity to share skills and experience. The class was based in the Agile mindset while teaching it.
Wayne Paulette
The class was excellent! David knowns his topics, presents well with examples, and explains things when questions are proposed. He utilized tools, such as Mural, very well with breakouts and activities. Although the class was 9-5, it had built in breaks and activities that kept us engaged without the meeting be a drain or feeling as though it was dragging on. The use of Mural was great; I had experience with Miro in the past and other whiteboards, but using Mural was an excellent way to get experience using a new tool. The course also discussed other tooling options and comparisons that we can use in our own daily processes.
Kaloyan Chalakov
I had great training with David. One of the most important things for me was sharing real-life examples and relating them to the theory. One more benefit was the frequent opportunity for the participants to discuss different points of view and work on practical users cases. I am looking forward to my next training course.
Mark
It was a great class and Arlen was an excellent instructor. He adapted and adjusted the focus of the course as we went to make sure that everyone in the class got the most they could out of it.
Alexander Anthony
David is an amazing coach of agile and general leadership. Where many teachers will provide textbook observations, David provides practical advice based on real experiences. I always feel that I come away with tactical improvements that I can make as a leader and coach for my own teams. He also has a unique ability to make even a virtual training engaging and totally fun.
customer
Arlen is a skilled facilitator and brings a wealth of experience to the table. This enriches the experience significantly.
customer
Great training with lots of additional, personalized material. Arlen was terrific.
customer
Arlen was excellent and brought some excitement to the course. Perfect blend of practical exercises, class discussion and instructor lead information.
customer
One of the better Agile courses I have taken. The content was very well presented, interesting, and useful. The format was engaging and interactive, and it moved at a smart pace (I didn't doze off once). The instructor (Arlen) clearly put a lot of effort into preparing the course material/resources. I would definitely recommend.
Don S
David was an amazing instructor, and the pace of the course was perfect, with many real world examples. The whole structure was really well done. There were folks from all over the US, with varied backgrounds, and working situations. I would definitely recommend this course with David for anyone seeking this certification.
Deborah
First class in a long time where I was fully engaged. Smaller classes, and very interactive. Real world scenarios. I really enjoyed having David Bulkin as an instructor. He was super funny and helpful. Thanks for an amazing class.
Nathanael Forsberg
This was another great course provided by David Bulkin! The content was conveyed in a way that was easy to understand, and the ability to work with other class members via breakout rooms helped me practice what was taught. The pace of the course was good, and the structure of the course kept me interested the entire time. I definitely learned a lot from this course; and will apply it to my current job. I plan to take another course from David in the near future!
Logan
David was a fantastic teacher and it was obvious he truly has a passion for what he does. Class was fun and informative. Can't wait for the next one!
L M
David Bulkin and Arlen (Grow-Lean) are great instructors! I've already taken part on three certifications provided by them, and am every time grateful that I took the time to do it. They have a lot of experience and thrive on teaching us how to use Scrum on an real-life Agile Environment! Would recommend to anyone!
Kevin Kappeler
Arlen is a wonderful instructor and comes prepared to coach up and down. He brings a wide variety of domain knowledge, practical shared experience, and remains open to ideas from students. A class is only as good as the instructor leading it. Thank you!
Dexter
The entire course was well structured and started with asking attendees what they wanted from the course. Arlen made sure to check in multiple to make sure we were covering the topics we asked for from the beginning. I found the exercises to be very well thought out and beneficial to applying the techniques and topics reviewed.
Tenille Diel
Grow-Lean is the best Agile Training Company by far! Their instructors are very knowledgeable and give practical advice and scenarios to learn from. The medium they use for sharing and engaging students in a virtual environment is fantastic! I would recommend them over any other training company I have worked with. David did an amazing job of covering the material in an engaging way that involved everyone even though it was in a virtual environment. He is knowledgeable and experienced and is a great instructor. I would recommend him and the Grow-Lean training company any time!
Kitty
David was awesome! We had a very small class (class of 5 plus him) and he made it very interactive.