Unlike other providers' sessions, our A-CSM course stands out as a true advanced, 100% live, interactive, slide-free, workshop experience. While many courses rely on self-directed study with minimal interaction or focus heavily on theory, ours is designed to emphasize applied theory / real-world skills and deep engagement.
Experience the difference with our dynamic sessions, where you benefit from 46 exercises that help learn new techniques for coaching, facilitation, teaching, and mentoring. You review multiple frameworks including Kanban, XP, SAFe, LeSS, and S@S. You learn directly from a seasoned trainer and a group of experienced peers.
David A. Bulkin has delivered the A-CSM since early 2008. A key differentiator is that David continues to do agile product development, and as such, his sessions provide practical insights that can immediately benefit you.
David's sessions are high-energy and fun. The class is exercise-based, so you do approximately four exercises per hour, where exercise is followed by discussion.
Not all A-CSM Sessions are equal. With many you work on your own, with little classroom interaction. Some sessions lack intellectual depth, with all theory and no practice.
In our 100% live session you gain new techniques to facilitate, teach, mentor and grow you, your teams, and your organization.
You will leave ready to practically apply empirical approaches to grow your team and organization horizontally (across role and function) and vertically (scale).
You learn from agile experts Arlen and David, both of whom have well over 20 years of agile experience.
This workshop is 100% live, with over 30 exercises, and is built from the collaborative efforts of of the Grow-Lean Training Team, ensuring you get the perfect mix of theory and practice.
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
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Select Discount
Choose the appropriate discount then click the link for it. Not all discounts are available for all sessions.
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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.
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.
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.
"We know the impact that a great workshop experience can have so all of our trainers have a minimum of 18 years of agile experience and 15 years of training experience."
The Grow-Lean Training Team
Be careful of the company you pick. With Grow-Lean everything is covered including the certification fees and renewal of your CSM license if it has expired. There are no surprise costs when you register or accept your license.
As an added bonuses you get:
The topics are covered in an advanced manner. For example, for the Scrum Events we review multiple patterns, allowing you to identify a variation appropriate for your environment. For example, you can do a Daily Scrum column-by-column, right to left instead of person-by-person to focus on getting a small number of items all the way to done.
If you need a refresh on you CSM, talk to us about a discounted package of CSM plus A-CSM, but don't worry if you CSM is expired as it will automatically be renewed.
We start with powerful questions so we can apply them throughout the session. We briefly review the basics, then we go deep into a number of topics, such as practically applying empirical approaches, differences between scaling models like SAFe, LeSS and FAST, how to move beyond proximate cause with root cause analysis, etc.
In all cases, instead of pure theory, we make the topics tangible so you can employ them in your workplace.
By taking the session, you earn the chance to become a Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) as long as you meet requirements for work experience (one year as a ScrumMaster) and have a CSM (note your CSM does not need to be active).
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.
As an advanced class we go beyond Scrum and cover how to grow with practices from other agile frameworks:
Don't stop at Scrum. Come to this session and learn how to apply ideas from a variety of frameworks.
Grow-Lean: Trainer does agile product development
Others: Trainer who did product development once
Grow-Lean: True advanced material
Others: Rudimentary material
Grow-Lean: Trainer with 24 years in agile
Others: Trainer with less than 10 years agile experience
Grow-Lean: Leave with actionable ideas
Others: Leave with vague concepts
If you want to take a live online A-CSM Workshop you have options, but, one thing you can't get with the others is David Bulkin who:
Because you will...
Because you get...
Plus, you will laugh! We provide edutainment so that you have energy that drives retention.
You might remember taking your CSM Exam. Although there is no exam for the A-CSM or CSP-SM you can still get significant benefit from our quizzes as the review the CSM material and go beyond, covering advanced topics.
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.
In our 100% live, instructor led session, you get the benefit of learning with other experienced peers. In addition you get interactive, engaging, exercises.
The interactive exercise cover everything from the history of agile, to basic topics, all the way to advanced topics like scaling and maintaining flow.
David Collins
Awesome A-CSM class lead by David Bulkin. High energy and engaging, David encouraged thought-provoking conversation, and drilled down on concepts and techniques with practical application that I could put to use immediately.
George Baker
The A-CSM session was perfect, not boring, at a good pace, with good content, good discussion, and the application of and chance to share and evaluate real world experiences. This is the second course that I have taken with David Bulkin. He is a terrific instructor and the reason that I have and will continue to choose GL over the competition. Please continue to develop your process and offerings.
Najma Small
I did the Scrum Alliance CSM course on April 24-25, 2021 with this institution. David Bulkin is an effective Scrum Trainer. He understands that new material is not immediately registered in the brain and so he repeats and asks questions in different ways just to get us thinking. I appreciate his methods. He is also energetic. The course materials were useful and I am of the impression that he gauges his sessions based on the experience of his audience which is good. I plan to do the A-CSM with him.
Noel
I enjoyed taking my Advanced ScrumMaster course from Grow-Lean. David was a great instructor. He created a very interactive course that furthered our knowledge of Scrum and made us reflect on how we can better our own teams. I also enjoyed taking the course with my classmates because sharing their experiences helped evolve my thinking even more.
Mark C.
The A-CSM class perfected the fit for the continuation of the CSM class. The materials and class structure, already built on an established baseline, provided a deeper-dive and advanced understanding of utilizing additional SCRUM techniques in a competitive Agile world. David Bulkin provides a very enriched approach to learning with accentuated student involvement. Great class and great instructor!
Michael Pritsker
This was a refresher CSM course for me. My initial experience with Grow Lean was in 2015 with David Bulkin, as my class instructor in an in-person classroom setting. I was not sure whether an online environment would be beneficial for learning. But I have to command David for clarity of communicating key Agile concepts, ability to effectively train his audience via a remote setting and just an unbridled enthusiasm for Agile methodology. David is a master motivator, who keeps all of his class attendees engaged, participating and learning while have fun! Grow Lean is clearly the best in the business and David Bulkin proved this yet again. I appreciated an opportunity to enhance my knowledge of Agile methodology and looking forward to an Advanced CSM class next month!
Andy Inks
David hosted a fun and informative class and he kept me engaged during the two days. I really enjoyed learning from someone with a wealth of knowledge and experience and appreciated the extra time David was willing to spend 1:1 to address any extra concerns and learning opportunities. David, you gave great advice during the class, went above and beyond the learning objectives, and helped me achieve my ACSM. I will definitely recommend your classes to my colleagues and look forward to attending another class in the future. Thank you!
Emily V.
David was a great teacher. He made the class relevant and kept the pace hopping. Questions and discussions were encouraged. I would take a class from him again.
Gautam
If possible, I would have given six stars. As usual, David just doesn't stick to the Scrum Alliance material, but goes to the bottom of topics and shares his rich expertise and insight during the class which helps us to get a better grip on it. The lively debate and conversation that he drives is very much enjoyable and is a bonus. Thanks David.
Danny Siques
Always entertaining. Course subject matter is great and does in fact represent real-world scenarios in most cases. I found this quite helpful. Thanks, David.
Maria Myers
David Bulkin is an amazing instructor! I have taken several certification classes, and David is by far the best and my most favorite instructor ever. David is highly knowledgeable and extremely personable. He easily kept the entire class engaged the entire 16-hour session by making everyone feel included. David also made the material easily digestible by presenting a fantastic breakdown of the information along with relevant real-life examples and experiences. I was not initially excited about taking this class since it was a weekend session. Also, the class happened to fall on the same week that I moved into my new home. However, the time flew by extremely fast. During the time I was in attendance for David's class, I did not think about the many boxes that were sitting around my new home waiting to be unpacked. That says a lot about David and his teaching style. I never actually saw David take a break during the class sessions. The students recognized David as an expert in his field and used their breaks to seek advice or gain more golden nuggets of wisdom from him. David is also a very positive person with great energy, which makes him extremely approachable. If possible, I will definitely take more of David's classes.
Paul Kolmodin
The training offered by Grow-Lean for the Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster was a master class on advanced scrum methodologies and theory. The material compiled and presented by Arlen Bankston was high quality and it was clear that we were in great and experienced hand for the subject matter. I highly recommend this course for all who have chosen Scrum mastery as their career choice.
Cynthia Trevino
David was a fantastic facilitator. The two days flew by quickly and everyone was engaged in the conversation. David effectively used Mural to create fun activities and made sure everyone had a voice and participated. There was also enough humor to keep learning fun and interesting, but not enough to be a distraction. I would absolutely take another course with David and Grow-Lean. Overall, this was a wonderful experience.
Anonymous
Thank you David for another great session. It was awesome!! I must say I have learned a lot in the A-CSM course and I am hoping to apply all the learned skills in my daily job. I look forward to sign up more classes in the future. Thank you again
Paul Seaton
David provided a wealth of information that came from decades of real world experience. The conversations within helped connect the concepts to actual situations. There was a good blend of practical advice and application with theory and concepts for deeper study.
Ahsan
It was fantastic, cleared up so many of the concepts that I wasn't sure about and also provided some amazing insight on how to deal with things at the workplace, we went through many scenarios and discussed them in detail, and David Bulkin was amazing, willing to stay after class for as long as we wanted in order to help clear up anything we may have missed.
Courtney
I took the ACSM course with David. It was great to dig deeper into some of the topics you would cover in the CSM course, but with more of a focus on real world implementation and problem solving. The course ran at 6 am local time for me and still managed to be very engaging despite the early hour!
John Au
David Bulkin, our instructor had high/consistent energy which keep the class going strong over the 2 days. He delivered great content for me to leverage in my current role.
Yvette Rock
David keeps the class interesting. He always has good input to real life situations, relative to the situations and he really does an excellent job of keeping the conversation focused on Agile and Scrum.
Billy Callahan
A-CSM training focuses more on the practical application of the framework than the overview (CSM). Performing mini "case-studies" as we go through the material is extremely helpful in learning how to apply and see real world examples of Scrum implementation. The Powerful Questions and Conflict sections are something we can all benefit from learning.
Jeffrey Romanowski
The class had a TON of real world examples and really puts a lot of your current mindset into perspective. It gave me a handful off new tools and ideas I could apply to my job the very next day, in fact I actually did apply a few. David was really willing to go over something that I either had questions on or I was confused about. I could write a 5 paragraph essay about the parts I enjoyed but that is probably overkill. It was overall a really solid experience.
Srinivas Diddi
This is my second training with David Bulkin, David is a very active, energetic and a great trainer. He has in depth knowledge but has a down to earth personality when comes to his class. He teaches the subject extensively but in a interesting manner. I am very glad to have connected with him who's training made a big change in my way of thinking and career. Hope to get associated with David in near future. Would like to comment about Online training session - Though I read the reviews by other students about the online training, was still skeptical when I was choosing mine. But now after attending Grow Lean's ACSM training, I am convinced and have full confidence that It was really a best choice i made to attend Online session.
Michael Duffee
I have left with numerous valuable assets that I will apply immediately to my company and peers. How to better facilitate meetings, what powerful questions to ask and when to ask them, why cycle time is a valuable metric to use and so much more. Some online 2 or 3 day sessions could be stale and boring not so with Davids class. He kept a great pace and made it fun and very informative. I am grateful I took this class. I have left this class more confident knowing I’ll be able to take what I learned and apply it to my every day life and company.
Asim Shah
I have had David for all 4 classes I have attended. Cspo, Csm (all three levels)-- he was/is great at combining humor and practical knowledge, each class has been wonderful. If you want to enjoy learning and bring real world experience to these classes, these are the folks to do it with! Theygenuinely want to bring something new from each class to your real job/career.
Cassandra Rathjen
Let me just say how amazing David is. This was the first class I've ever taken that gave me a practical view of Agile in the workplace and the value I took away from it is priceless. You will not be sorry for this amazing investment of your time.
Nathan Sebolboro
David was fantastic! Very engaging and kept the class very entertained. Wonderful information. Really looking forward to incorporating what I learned at work.
Karen Baldwin
Instructor was knowledgable, personable and a good instructor. Enjoyed the class tremendously!!!
Elias Nakhoul
I took the A-CSM course with David Bulkin; it was a fantastic experience. He provides real-world examples and is patient, considerate, and accommodating. The class is interactive and supported by hands-on exercises. Last year, I completed CSM with him, and I am thrilled to have continued the journey. I highly recommend him as an instructor!v
M. Kirkland
David Bulkin's ACSM course was thought-provoking and had lots of examples of real-world applications. The mechanics of Agile were baked into the course in a way that didn't overshadow everything else. I was even able to take some of what I learned and applied it to my workplace before completing all the sessions.
Elias Nakhoul
I took the A-CSM course with David Bulkin; it was a fantastic experience. He provides real-world examples and is patient, considerate, and accommodating. The class is interactive and supported by hands-on exercises. Last year, I completed CSM with him, and I am thrilled to have continued the journey. I highly recommend him as an instructor!
Shawn Hurley
Great real world examples. Excellent approach to Scrum without being a total purist. Really drove home the empirical approach of the Scrum guide. Class went very quickly. Very interactive a great opportunity to discuss in smaller groups.
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.