The Scrum Master helps the Developers and Product Owner grow as individuals and as a team to improve the quality of outcomes for each person, the Scrum Team and the organization.The Scrum Master also works organizationally to helps individuals and the organization improve.

The descriptions below give examples of how the Scrum Master helps others.

Assisting the Developers and the Product Owner

• Ensure they understand and apply self-management. As one example related to the Developers and the Product Owner, the Developers should significant levels autonomy and authority at Sprint Planning.
  • The Developers discuss, with the Product Owner, the ideal set of items to bring into the Sprint.
  • The Developers make the final decision on what items will be brought into the Sprint.
  • The Developers plan the Sprint, including how the work will be done and by whom.
  • This is in contrast to a Product Owner, or Project Manager, or Tech Lead, telling the Developers what to do.
• Help the Developers and Product Owner identify and address impediments.
  • You may often hear that the Scrum Master removes impediments. In some cases this is feasible. Perhaps for example the Scrum Master can follow up with another team in respect to a dependency, to expedite work by that other team to address a dependency.
  • In other cases the Scrum Master ensures that we do what is feasible to maximize the quality of delivery in the face of impediments when it is not possible to simply solve the impediment.
  • In all instances this contrasts to accepting the circumstances around us letting it impede progress.

Assisting Developers

• Help them understand, and ensure they apply, self-management.
  • They figure out what to work on and how to work on it, while aligning with the Sprint Goal.
  • This contrasts to waiting to be told what to do.
• Help Developers work across role and function.
  • For example, perhaps an analyst can help test the product, or a tester can do analysis.
  • There are significant benefits to this including individual growth, as Developers learn new things, their is increased motivation from learning new things, and their is a reduction of risk as we have more than one person capable of doing each type of work.
  • Despite the benefits, Developers are often hesitant to work outside their core competency so the Scrum Master creates a safe space for role sharing, often by coaching collaboration patterns where two or more Developers work together.
  • The alternative is where each Developer focuses on only one area of expertise which limits career growth, creates risks (perhaps they are out), while also creating bottlenecks (work can't move because team members are waiting on the one expert.
• Help them execute the Scrum Events, to maximize the application of empirical, evidence based, approaches, instead of just executing the mechanics of Scrum. For example a well executed Daily Scrum:
  • Is run by the Developers, for the Developers.
  • Results in the the Developers self-managing to create a better plan for the next 24 hours.
  • This is in contrast to a poorly executed Daily Scrum that focuses on status.
• Helps them improve their technical processes. Depending on the type of product being developed this could include:
  • Test First: write a test before creating the product, create the product, use the test to prove it works.
  • Pairing: two Developers working on the same things at the same time for a continued period of time (a day, a week, etc.).
  • Swarming: multiple Developers working on the same thing at the same time until completion.
  • Refactoring: cleaning up existing code.

Assisting the Product Owner

• Help them understand and apply empirical product development.
• Help them convey a clear and concise vision.
• Help them create a long term roadmap.
• Help them organize and sequence the Product Backlog.
• Help them plan and forecast.
• Help them apply evidence based, empirical, product development methods.

Assisting the Organization

• Ensure all involved understand what an evidence based, empirical approach, entails.
• Addressing structural issues that negatively impact the application of evidence based, empirical approaches and Scrum. Examples include:
  • Budget cycle: move from a yearly budget cycle to continuous flow budgeting.
  • Structure: break down function silos and move to feature teams.
  • Measurement: move to outcome based measurements.
• Create and execute a long-term road maps for achieving ever greater levels of agility.
• Removing individual blockers as they arise.

The agile community originated in software development but has expanded over the years. Many attendees in a CSM are looking for career change, so we attendees include teachers, sales people, health care professionals, administrators, and others, looking to move into information technology (IT).

We also get a fair amount of attendees, like those in marketing and product development looking to use agile to enhance their current roles.

Unlike many other companies, our sessions are 100% live with the only exception being short videos that consume less than five minutes of class time.

Be aware that many other trainers use hours of pre-recorded content!

All of our CSM Sessions use Zoom. Depending on the trainer, additional technologies like Mural, Miro and Google Drive are used.

• You can find out the specific technologies used for a session by clicking "Details" then clicking the "Prep" tab.
• All of the technologies used in the session are included in your registration fees.
• If you need assistance, we can help you prior to the session.

The list below specifies what you need. If you need assistance preparing, please contact us.

• Internet connected Computer / Tablet: Many participants use a single device for the session, others use two devices, perhaps their work laptop for the webcam and a separate device for sharing.
• Working Webcam: Virtually all laptops have integrated webcams. If you don't have that, you can set up your phone as a webcam.
• Working headset or speaker plus microphone: Your laptop microphone, laptop speaker, or earphones are options.
• Access to Zoom: If you haven't used Zoom, test it at: https://zoom.us/test. Click "Join", and follow the prompts. If you have problems, check the Zoom article at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115002262083-Joining-a-Zoom-test-meeting
• A location from which to participate: .
  • Ideally this location will:
    • Have good lighting
    • Be relatively quiet
    • Ensure that you have minimal interruptions
  • But, no worries if you don't have a perfect spot. It is expected that kids, dogs, cats, spouses, siblings, roommates, parents, or someone else makes some noise, or appears on camera.

You will get material prior to, at, and after your Certified ScrumMaster (CSM).

• Prior to the course you will receive links for videos, pre-reads and practice exams.
• If the trainer uses a PDF workbook you will receive a link prior to the class so you can print the PDF.
• All of our trainers use interactive boards during the class.

Grow-Lean is a safe and wise choice to help you on your CSM journey:

• We are a ScrumAlliance approved Registered Education Provider (REP).
• Our Certified Scrum Trainers (CSTs) are some of the longest-tenured in the world.
• All of our trainers have a minimum of 15 years experience with agile.
• We do not use death by PowerPoint, or canned videos, instead, our sessions are high quality, real, interactive workshops.
• Our training material and approaches are vetted by experts.
• We have caring customer support before and after training.
• We can help you complete your journey with our advanced courses like the Advanced CSM and Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster.

Grow-Lean's has four trainers delivering the CSM. Arlen Bankston, Chris Doss, and David Bulkin all have 20+ years of agile experience, with each of them starting the 1999 to 2001 time period (Agile Manifesto for Software Development was signed in 2001). Don Patti started with agile in 2006, which is 15+ years of experience.

All have 15 or more years experience delivering training, and Arlen and Chris were two of the first to deliver the CSM. Between them, our four CSM trainers have certified over 20,000 Scrum Masters with the Scrum Alliance.

Yes, Grow-Lean as an organization, and Grow-Lean Trainers, are approved by the Scrum Alliance.

• Grow-Lean is an approved Path to Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) Educator meaning we can, and do, provide the Advanced CSM (A-CSM) and the Certified Scrum Professional = Scrum Master (CSP-SM).
• Grow-Lean is an approved Registered Education Provider (REP) for the Scrum Alliance meaning we can provide additional professional development opportunities for you to expand beyond the certified sessions normally offered.
• All of the Grow-Lean Trainers who deliver the CSM have been approved by the Scrum Alliance.

Grow-Lean offers buy-now-pay-later via Splitit.

• Choose Splitit during the checkout process.
• You choose the term, from one to twelve months.
• You pay no additional fees or interest .
• You can pay off early.
• A hold, equal to the full amount owed, is applied to your credit card.

Grow-Lean offers an industry leading array of discounts to meet your specific situation. All discounts are subject to availability based on location, trainer(s), attendance, and other factors.

• Early Bird: register in advance and save.
• Out of Pocket: when you won't be reimbursed.
• Group: three or more.
• Alumni: combines with everything, 5% off for each class over $495 you take with us.
• Hardship: for those suffering an economic hardship.
• Student: for full time students.
• Military/Vet: for those serving their country.

Per the chart below, discounts can be combined.

Note: There are a limited number of discounted seats available for each Grow-Lean session. Once all discounted seats are claimed, they're gone. Request and redeem your discount now!

We try to be flexible so you can reschedule at any time, with the maximum financial impact being a $125 transfer fee if you reschedule late.

Yes, please click here to go to our contact us page. Choose "Call me" from the dropdown and in the description provide a description of when and how to contact you, along with a quick description of what you want to discuss.

Yes, please click here to go to our contact us page. Choose "Call me" from the dropdown and in the description provide a description of when and how to contact you, along with a quick description of what you want to discuss.

Basic CSM exam facts

• The exam is taken via an internet connected device.
• You have 90 days from class start to take the exam.
• The exam is 50 multiple choice questions.
• You must get 37 questions correct.
• You have one hour to take the exam.
• If you fail the exam you get a free retake.

If you take the CSM with Grow-Lean you will get six free practice exams. Passing these exams virtually ensures you pass the real exam the, the first time, with a high score.

If you need personal coaching, reach out to us

The exam is administered online.

• You do not need to go to a test center.
• You can take it at home on your Internet connected device.

Yes. You should have the following open when taking exam:

• The Scrum Guide.
• The Agile Manifesto.

No, the exam is not proctored as it is intended to help you learn not to make you fail.

• You can take it at home on your Internet connected device.
• You do not need to have your camera on.

There are 50 test questions in the exam and you have one hour to finish.

• When taking the exam you should spend no more than 60 seconds on any question.
• Write down the small number of questions you think need to be reviewed.
• Never leave an answer blank.
• After answering question 50, go back to question one, do a quick review of the whole exam, and focus on the small number of question that you wrote down.

The short answer is yes, you should pass the exam on the first try if you do a short block of study.

• We provide six free, high quality, practice exams and additional study material.
• Passing the practice exams virtually ensures you pass the real exam the, the first time, with a high score.
• We generally recommend taking the practice exams until you score 90% or better.
• For some individuals this is less than an hour of practice time, but it depends on the person. You have unlimited tries on the practice exams so you will do what you need to pass.
• If you need one on one assistance, reach out to us.