{"id":4061,"date":"2024-07-18T13:00:23","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T11:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/?p=4061"},"modified":"2024-10-11T12:54:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T10:54:09","slug":"agile-project-management-certifications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/agile-project-management-certifications\/","title":{"rendered":"Agile Project Management Certifications: A Comparison \u2013 How to Proceed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Our world is becoming ever more complex, interconnected and dynamic. Predicting developments is becoming more and more difficult. As a result, <strong>agile project management<\/strong> is growing in importance. The same goes for the <strong>respective methods<\/strong> and <strong>agile project management certifications<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In the future, working on projects will require a clearer focus on the business value, innovative strength and creativity as well as shorter, yet still solid planning horizons. Companies are implementing this change which is evident from the emergence of, and request for, new agile job descriptions. Agile project management certificates play a role in this context.<\/p>\n<p>What you will find out in this article:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter3\">New job descriptions emerging through agile project management<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter4\">Why Scrum certifications make sense<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter5\">Further approaches and certificates for agile project management<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter7\">Overview of key agile certifications<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter8\">PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter9\">Certified Scrum Master (CSM)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter10\">Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter12\">Certified Scrum Practitioner (CSP)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter13\">Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter14\">Which agile PM certification is right for you?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter11\">Conclusion \u2013 Agile PM certifications<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let us get started!<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Agile is not your thing? Read about <strong>traditional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/project-management-certifications\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">project management certifications<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"Chapter3\">New Job Descriptions through Agile Project Management<\/h2>\n<p>Did you know that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrum.org\/resources\/what-is-a-scrum-master\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scrum Master<\/a> and increasingly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/product-owner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Product Owner<\/a> are turning into fully-fledged job titles?<\/p>\n<p>Originating in the name of a role in the Scrum team, these terms are explicitly used in job advertisements more and more often. Moreover, companies are including these terms in the career path for employees.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n    <p class=\"datamintsbanner\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/project-management-newsletter\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"datamintsbanner__link\" title=\"Project Management Newsletter TPG PMO Resource Management Agile PM Project Projects Projectmanager Projectmanagementoffice\" style=\"display: block;\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/TPG_Banner-Blog_1400_Newsletter_EN.jpg\" class=\"datamintsbanner__image\" style=\"display: block; max-width: 100%\">\n        <\/a>\n    <\/p>\n    \n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/project-management-newsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Subscribe to the TPG Blog Newsletter now<\/a> and never miss another blog post.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As in every field, the candidate&#8217;s experience is key. It must not be underestimated. Beyond professional experience, Scrum Masters require the below skills in their highly mediatory and supportive role:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Knowledge of human nature<\/li>\n<li>Tact<\/li>\n<li>Ability to moderate<\/li>\n<li>Conflict resolution skills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"id69573c26a0bfc\" class=\"iframecontainer iframecontainer--hidden\">\n            <div class=\"iframecontainer__head\" style=\"background: #D60B52!important;\">\n                <div class=\"iframecontainer__head__inner\" style=\"color:#ffffff;\" data-for=\"#id69573c26a0bfc\">\n                    <p><strong>PDF Download: <\/strong> Comparing PM Methodologies: Agile, Traditional, and Hybrid<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"iframecontainer__head__icon\" data-for=\"#id69573c26a0bfc\">\n                    <svg width=\"10px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"1092 550 10 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\n                        <polygon class=\"iframecontainer__head__icon__pfeil\"  data-for=\"#id69573c26a0bfc\" stroke=\"none\" fill=\"#ffffff\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"1093.875 550 1101.875 558 1093.875 566 1092 564.125 1098.125 558 1092 551.875\"><\/polygon>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"iframecontainer__iframe\">\n                <div class=\"iframecontainer__iframe__inner\">\n                    <p>This downloadable article about project management methodologies outlines the differences between agile, traditional and hybrid and will help you to choose the right method for your project.<\/p>\n<p>Please fill in the form.<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">* Required Fields\u00a0 |\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/data-protection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Data Protection<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cookieconsent-optout-marketing\">This form is blocked by your cookie settings to our website. Please <a>click here<\/a> and select at least the marketing cookies. Then this form will be visible. Thanks a lot.<\/div>\n\n                \t<!-- ENGLISCH Wichtig: nur den Code in download-asset \u00e4ndern - definiert Download -->\r\n<script type='text\/x-ccm-loader' data-ccm-loader-src=\"https:\/\/js-eu1.hsforms.net\/forms\/embed\/developer\/146642994.js\" defer><\/script>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"hs-form-html\"\r\n     data-download-asset=\"CU5E\"\r\n     data-region=\"eu1\"\r\n     data-form-id=\"ed0008c7-47d5-4c2e-ad2f-000bd95b74c5\"\r\n     data-portal-id=\"146642994\"><\/div>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n(() => {\r\n  const FORM_ID = 'ed0008c7-47d5-4c2e-ad2f-000bd95b74c5';\r\n  const FIELD   = '0-1\/download_asset';\r\n  const roots   = new Set();\r\n  const formsByRoot = new WeakMap();\r\n\r\n  const setViaApi = (root) => {\r\n    const code = root.dataset.downloadAsset || '';\r\n    const form = formsByRoot.get(root);\r\n    if (!code || !form) return;\r\n    form.setFieldValue(FIELD, code);\r\n  };\r\n\r\n  window.addEventListener('hs-form-event:on-ready', (event) => {\r\n    if (!window.HubSpotFormsV4) return;\r\n    const form = HubSpotFormsV4.getFormFromEvent(event);\r\n    if (!form || form.getFormId() !== FORM_ID) return;\r\n\r\n    const root = [...roots].find(r => r.contains(event.target));\r\n    if (!root) return;\r\n\r\n    formsByRoot.set(root, form);\r\n    setViaApi(root);\r\n  });\r\n\r\n  window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {\r\n    const d = event.data;\r\n    if (!d || d.type !== 'hsFormCallback' || d.eventName !== 'onFormSubmit') return;\r\n    if (d.id !== FORM_ID) return;\r\n\r\n    roots.forEach(setViaApi);\r\n  });\r\n\r\n  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {\r\n    document.querySelectorAll('.hs-form-html[data-download-asset][data-form-id=\"' + FORM_ID + '\"]')\r\n      .forEach(r => roots.add(r));\r\n  });\r\n})();\r\n<\/script>\n                    <style>\/* Kompaktere Darstellung f\u00fcr HubSpot Formulare *\/\n[data-hsfc-id=\"Renderer\"] .hsfc-Step .hsfc-Step__Content { padding: 0 20px 20px !important; }\n[data-hsfc-id=Renderer] .hsfc-TextField>*:not(:last-child) { margin-bottom:4px !important; }\n[data-hsfc-id=\"Renderer\"] .hsfc-Row { gap: 20px !important; margin-bottom: 12px !important; }\n[data-hsfc-id=\"Renderer\"] .hsfc-NavigationRow { margin-top: 6px !important; }\n[data-hsfc-id=\"Renderer\"] .hsfc-TextInput { padding: 8px !important; }<\/style>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div><h2 id=\"Chapter4\">Why Scrum Certifications Make Sense<\/h2>\n<p>In and around Scrum, there are countless misunderstandings. The successful introduction of the methods is also hugely dependent on the participants\u2019 stock of knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>This is why the basics of agile project management certifications, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrum.org\/courses\/professional-scrum-master-training\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Professional Scrum Master I<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scrum.org<\/a>\u00a0or the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scrum Alliance<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/get-certified\/scrum-master-track\/certified-scrummaster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Certified Scrum Master<\/a>, can be very helpful.<\/p>\n<p>These two certifications are meant for <strong>those starting out in agile methods. <\/strong>Certificate holders indicate that they have understood the fundamental principles of the Scrum Framework and have demonstrated this in an exam.<\/p>\n<p>By means of one of the above certifications, they furthermore show their readiness to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>lead and support others in such a role.<\/li>\n<li>help the organization implement Scrum.<\/li>\n<li>gain more experience with Scrum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The last point is particularly relevant if you are still at the beginning of your Scrum career.<\/p>\n<p>Your agile project management certifications will demonstrate that, as a Scrum-Master-to-be or an active Scrum Master:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You are familiar with the relevant contents of the Scrum Guide and further literature.<\/li>\n<li>You have demonstrated this knowledge in an exam situation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4736\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4736\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4736\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/1.png\" alt=\"agile project management certifications \u2013 PSM I by Scrum.org\" width=\"500\" height=\"352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/1.png 1217w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/1-300x211.png 300w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/1-768x540.png 768w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/1-1024x720.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4736\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The certificate for Professional Scrum Master I by Scrum.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"Chapter5\">Further Approaches and Certificates for Agile Project Management<\/h2>\n<p>Excellent Scrum Masters do not limit themselves to Scrum alone. There is a variety of agile methods and approaches. They can be combined and have many aspects in common. For example, many methods are based on the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A trusting and open concept of man<\/li>\n<li>An iterative-incremental method of operation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><strong>If in doubt whether a project needs an agile, traditional or hybrid approach, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/agile-project-management-methods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">read this article.<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Moreover, there are environment issues in organizations to which agile methods often pay little attention. For instance, we could name the following here:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Portfolio management<\/li>\n<li>Resource management<\/li>\n<li>Project selection methods<\/li>\n<li>Organizational structuring<\/li>\n<li>etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All this takes us back from product development at individual team level for which Scrum was primarily developed to project management issues. This requires a more holistic and higher-level perspective on things.<\/p>\n<p>This is where the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/certifications\/types\/agile-acp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PMI-ACP\u00ae<\/a> (\u201cProject Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner\u201d) comes in.<\/p>\n<h3>PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)<\/h3>\n<p>The PMI-ACP certificate is meant for people who already look back on (agile) project experience. It claims to <strong>gather the ideas of all agile methods and consolidate them in a standardized way<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The Project Management Institute (PMI)\u00ae is actually very serious concerning this goal: after all, its standard manual for the project management industry, the \u201cGuide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge\u201d (PMBOK\u00ae Guide) in the 6th edition was published in a bundle together with the <strong>new Agile Practice Guide<\/strong> in 2017. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/pmbok-guide-seventh-edition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>PMBOK\u00ae<\/em> <em>Guide<\/em> is now in its 7<sup>th<\/sup> edition<\/a> \u2013 but the <em>Agile Practice Guide<\/em> is still up to date.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Learn about <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/pmbok-guide-seventh-edition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition<\/em><\/a><\/strong> and its implications for the PMP\u00ae exam.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Agile Practice Guide<\/h3>\n<p>Apart from the <strong>consideration of individual agile methods<\/strong>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/pmbok-guide-standards\/practice-guides\/agile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Agile Practice Guide<\/em><\/a> also contains <strong>guidelines<\/strong> and <strong>assistance<\/strong> for situational method selection. In addition, it bridges the gap between agile and traditional project management methods.<\/p>\n<p>These are still very much needed in all the situations in which agile approaches are not sufficient to tackle problems.<\/p>\n<p>The contents of the <em>Agile Practice Guide<\/em> are the result of the <strong>collaboration<\/strong> <strong>of the PMI with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agilealliance.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Agile Alliance<\/a><\/strong> (an association of many promoters of agile ideas, not to be confused with the Scrum Alliance).<\/p>\n<p>This indicates a solid expert base for the new <em>Agile Practice Guide<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Since March 2018, this guide has also been the <strong>official exam reference for the PMI-ACP<\/strong> \u2013 but only as one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/certifications\/agile-acp\/references\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">many relevant sources<\/a> from the catalogue of agile literature.<\/p>\n<p>As of late, the popularity of the <strong>Agile Certified Practitioner<\/strong> certificate has risen sharply. Hence, there is a demand for high quality material to prepare for the exam.<\/p>\n<p>At least, the <em>Agile Practice Guide<\/em> helps exam candidates pin down the perspective of the PMI on agile project management. It also gives practical examples of how to use the methods presented.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4737\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4737\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4737\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/2.png\" alt=\"agile project management certifications \u2013 PMI-ACP certificate\" width=\"500\" height=\"385\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/2.png 768w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/2-300x231.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4737\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certificate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Combination of PMI-ACP with the PMP Certification<\/h2>\n<p>By the way, the PMI-ACP certificate and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/certifications\/types\/project-management-pmp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">traditional PMP\u00ae<\/a> (Project Management Professional) of the PMI are an excellent <strong>combination of certificates.<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Interested in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/hybrid-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hybrid project management<\/a><\/strong>? Learn how to combine agile and traditional methods in this article.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Another point in favor of the combination is that the <strong>examination requirements are easier<\/strong> to meet for candidates with a PMP\u00ae certificate. You will not have to prove additional project experience if you are PMP. However, the same does not apply to agile project experience and training. Proof of this will be requested from all candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Since January 2021, the PMP\u00ae exam has included additional questions on the following three project management approaches:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Predictive<\/li>\n<li>Adaptive \/ Agile<\/li>\n<li>Hybrid<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This means that even prospective PMPs must be familiar with a few agile ideas and methods now, e.g. Backlog maintenance, estimation methods or Retrospectives.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Chapter7\">Overview of Agile Project Management Certifications<\/h2>\n<p>Below, you will find a comparison of the agile project management certifications mentioned in this article. In addition, we have included information on the certifications <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/get-certified\/scrum-master-track\/certified-scrum-professional-scrummaster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Certified Scrum Practitioner (CSP)<\/strong><\/a> for advanced agile project managers and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/scaledagile.com\/what-is-safe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)<\/strong><\/a> for agile scaling.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"Chapter8\">The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)<br \/>\nCertificate awarded by: Project Management Institute<\/h3>\n<dl class=\"sc-accordions\"><dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Prerequisites<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">&#8211; 2000 hours of project experience (does not apply to holders of a PMP certificate)<br \/>\n&#8211; 1500 hours of experience in agile environments<br \/>\n&#8211; 21 contact hours of training in agile practices (e.g. by completing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/pmi-acp-seminar-exam-prep-training\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PMI-ACP training<\/a> at TPG)<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Type of Exam<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">On-site at the test center, 120 multiple-choice questions with four answer options and only one correct answer, to be answered in 3 hours<\/p>\n<p>Alternative: Online proctored exam (online exam with webcam monitoring by an offsite proctor)<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Passing Score (share of required correct answers)<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Secret (estimated at approx. 70%)<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Exam Fee<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">$435 (PMI\u00ae members, a little higher for non-members)<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Validity<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">3-year cycle (30 Professional Development Units \u2013 PDUs must be earned over this period in agile environments and \/ or topics)<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Purpose<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Standardization of as many agile practices as possible<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Target group<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">People looking to prove and improve their experience with agile methods and their understanding thereof<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<h3 id=\"Chapter9\">Certified Scrum Master (CSM)<br \/>\nCertificate awarded by: Scrum Alliance<\/h3>\n<dl class=\"sc-accordions\"><dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Prerequisites<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Completion of a 2-day training by a specially authorized trainer, no more than 90 days before taking the exam<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Type of Exam<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Online; 35 multiple-choice questions, to be answered in 1 hour<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Passing Score (share of required correct answers)<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">68,6%<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Exam Fee<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Exam can only be taken after booking a training and is covered by the training fee<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Validity<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">2-year cycle (thereafter re-certification online for $100)<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Purpose<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Clarification and promotion of Scrum<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Target group<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">People wishing to take a first step towards mastering Scrum<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<h3 id=\"Chapter10\">Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)<br \/>\nCertificate awarded by: Scrum.org<\/h3>\n<dl class=\"sc-accordions\"><dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Prerequisites<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">No formal prerequisites (deep understanding of the Scrum Guide is necessary to pass the exam; practice exam \u201cScrum Open\u201d is available at scrum.org)<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Type of Exam<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Online: 80 multiple-choice questions with a range of different answer options and one or more correct answers, to be answered in 1 hour<\/p>\n<p>Tip: At TPG, we offer a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/scrum-training-basics-certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scrum company seminar<\/a> with the option of taking the exam directly after. After only three days, participants will be able to hold their PSM I certificate in their hands.<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Passing Score (share of required correct answers)<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">85%<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Exam Fee<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">$150<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Validity<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Unlimited<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Purpose<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Clarification and promotion of Scrum<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Target group<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">People wishing to take a first step towards mastering Scrum<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<h3 id=\"Chapter12\">Certified Scrum Practitioner<br \/>\nCertificate awarded by: Scrum Alliance<\/h3>\n<dl class=\"sc-accordions\"><dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Prerequisites<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">&#8211; Certificate as an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/get-certified\/scrum-master-track\/advanced-certified-scrummaster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A-CSM<\/a> (Advanced Certified ScrumMaster), minimum of 2 years of experience in the role of Scrum Master within the last 5 years<br \/>\n&#8211; Completion of the homework assigned at the end of the course within 12 months<\/p>\n<p>Participation in the course is also possible without meeting these prerequisites. However, in this case no certificate will be acquired.<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Type of Exam<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">&#8211;<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Passing Score (share of required correct answers)<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">&#8211;<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Exam Fee<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">$250<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Validity<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Permanent<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Purpose<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Expanding the agile product management expertise<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Target group<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/get-certified\/scrum-master-track\/certified-scrum-professional-scrummaster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CSP-SM certification<\/a> is suitable for Scrum Masters whereas the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrumalliance.org\/get-certified\/product-owner-track\/certified-scrum-professional-product-owner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CSP-PO certification<\/a> is suitable for Product Owners.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<h3 id=\"Chapter13\">Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)<br \/>\nCertificate awarded by: Scaled Agile, Inc.<\/h3>\n<dl class=\"sc-accordions\"><dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Prerequisites<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">&#8211; 5+ years in software development, testing, business analysis, product or project management &amp; experience with Scrum<br \/>\n&#8211; Course covering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaledagile.com\/enterprise-solutions\/what-is-safe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SAFe<\/a> content with a training provider<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Type of Exam<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">45\u00a0multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, possible online<br \/>\n<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Passing Score (share of required correct answers)<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">76%, 34 answers<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Exam Fee<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">$435<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Validity<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">1 year after the validity expires the certification can be renewed for a fee of $100 without taking another exam.<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Purpose<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Agile scaling \/ Scrum methods<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"sc-accordion-title\"><a href=\"#\">Target group<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"sc-accordion-pane\">Senior staff, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, managers of requirements, releases and testing, coaches, project managers who wish to organize multiple teams successfully using agile methods<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<h2 id=\"Chapter14\">Which Agile PM Certification is Right for You?<\/h2>\n<p>You are familiar with the most important agile project management certifications now. Yet, how do you know which one is right for you? Initially, it makes sense to begin with the basics of Scrum \u2013 thus, you create a good basis for the majority of the above certifications. Afterwards, you have the option to expand your knowledge as shown in the following figure:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4738\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4738\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4738\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/3.png\" alt=\"Agile project management certifications \u2013 Which certification when\" width=\"700\" height=\"144\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/3.png 1037w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/3-300x62.png 300w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/3-768x158.png 768w, https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/3-1024x210.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4738\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Overview of which agile certification makes sense at what point<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n    <p class=\"datamintsbanner\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3IFmguV\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"datamintsbanner__link\" title=\"Microsoft 365 Project Management TPG ProjectPowerPack: Best Practice Solution for Project & Portfolio Management Based on Microsoft 365 & Power Platform\" style=\"display: block;\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/csm_PPP_Blog_Banner2_EN_1300px_tiny_8e50efa17d.jpg\" class=\"datamintsbanner__image\" style=\"display: block; max-width: 100%\">\n        <\/a>\n    <\/p>\n    \n<h2 id=\"Chapter11\">Conclusion \u2013 Comparison of Agile Project Management Certifications<\/h2>\n<p>This article has introduced you to agile project management certifications. You have also found out where the application of agile methods can make sense. Particular emphasis was placed on Scrum.<\/p>\n<p>You have become familiar with the following agile certifications:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter8\">PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter9\">Certified Scrum Master (CSM)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter10\">Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter12\">Certified Scrum Practitioner (CSP)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Chapter13\">Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This will make it easier for you to judge which path would be most advisable for you and your employees.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Our final tips<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Get to know the individually adaptable \u201cPPM Paradise\u201d \u2013 the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/data\/Downloads_eBooks\/TPG_PPM_Paradise_eBook_EN_-_TPG_TheProjectGroup.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download the eBook now<\/a> (just click, no form).<\/p>\n<p>And sign up for our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/project-management-newsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bi-weekly blog newsletter<\/a> to make sure you receive all our updates.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Are there important agile project management certifications or aspects that we have missed? Did you find the tips helpful? We look forward to receiving your comment below.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"id69573c26a0f7e\" class=\"iframecontainer iframecontainer--hidden\">\n            <div class=\"iframecontainer__head\" style=\"background: #D60B52!important;\">\n                <div class=\"iframecontainer__head__inner\" style=\"color:#ffffff;\" data-for=\"#id69573c26a0f7e\">\n                    <p><strong>Subscribe to TPG BlogInfo:<\/strong> Never miss new practice-oriented tips &amp; tricks<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"iframecontainer__head__icon\" data-for=\"#id69573c26a0f7e\">\n                    <svg width=\"10px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"1092 550 10 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\n                        <polygon class=\"iframecontainer__head__icon__pfeil\"  data-for=\"#id69573c26a0f7e\" stroke=\"none\" fill=\"#ffffff\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"1093.875 550 1101.875 558 1093.875 566 1092 564.125 1098.125 558 1092 551.875\"><\/polygon>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"iframecontainer__iframe\" style=\"height: 520px;\">\n                <div class=\"iframecontainer__iframe__inner\">\n                \t<p>Every other week: Receive practical tips in TPG blog posts written by recognized experts in project, portfolio, and resource management.<br \/>\n* Required Fields\u00a0 |\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/en\/data-protection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Data Protection<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"cookieconsent-optout-marketing\">This form is blocked by your cookie settings to our website. Please <a>click here<\/a> and select at least the marketing cookies. Then this form will be visible. Thanks a lot.<\/div>\n\n                    <iframe src=\"https:\/\/scnem.com\/art_resource.php?sid=hqvs9.qdei48\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 520px;\"><\/iframe>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div><blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong class=\"alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Antje-058-Bearbeitet_quadrat_Web.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6274 size-thumbnail alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Antje-058-Bearbeitet_quadrat_Web-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>About the author:<\/strong>Antje Lehmann-Benz, PMP, PMI-ACP, PSM expert is a trainer for project management with a particular focus on agile practices and Scrum seminars. Furthermore, she has experience as a software trainer (JIRA, Confluence) and consultant. In addition to teaching frameworks and theory, she is experienced in the use of agile games and practical exercises to reinforce the knowledge gained.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Read more about Antje Lehmann-Benz on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/antje-lehmann-benz\/?locale=de_DE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linkedin<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n    <p class=\"datamintsbanner\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4b3Fx51\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"datamintsbanner__link\" title=\"The comprehensive Resource Management Tool\" style=\"display: block;\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/06\/Banner-TPG-CoReSuite-EN-6-2024.png\" class=\"datamintsbanner__image\" style=\"display: block; max-width: 100%\">\n        <\/a>\n    <\/p>\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our world is becoming ever more complex, interconnected and dynamic. Predicting developments is becoming more and more difficult. As a result, agile project management is growing in importance. The same goes for the respective methods and agile project management certifications. In the future, working on projects will require a clearer focus on the business value,<\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/agile-project-management-certifications\/\" title=\"Read More\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":5483,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4061"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4061"}],"version-history":[{"count":86,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8625,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4061\/revisions\/8625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprojectgroup.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}