PSM Certification: Professional Scrum Master ™ I (PSM I) certification is universally accepted as one of the most popular scrum.org certifications. Scrum.org creates and maintains standardized curriculum, context, and depth for all Professional Scrum courses and selects qualified instructors to deliver them. The Scrum Master is a servant-leader for the Scrum Team. Scrum Master focuses on ever-improving team dynamics and performance. Helps the team manage interpersonal conflicts, challenges, and opportunities for growth. This can be achieved by empowering the team, within appropriate limits.
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PSM Certification Subject Areas
There are five subject areas in the syllabus. Each subject area covers a specific topic. Let’s have a look at the exam objectives for this certification:
Focus Areas
The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values as given below:
- Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework (Empiricism, Scrum Values, Scrum Team, Scrum Events, Scrum Artifacts, Done)
- Developing People and Teams (Self-Managing Teams, Facilitation, Coaching)
- Managing Products with Agility (Forecasting and Release Planning, Product Value, Product Backlog Management, Stakeholders, and Customers)
Key topics to consider for PSM Certification:
- Scrum Framework: Foundational knowledge for every Scrum Team member. It covers Scrum theory as described in the Scrum Guide.
- Scrum Theory and Principles: Understanding empirical process, principles, and values of Scrum.
- Cross-Functional, Self-Organizing Teams: Highlights how Scrum Teams are different from traditional teams: cross-functional, self-empowered, and self-organizing for productivity.
- Coaching and Facilitation: Focuses on how Scrum Masters act as servant leaders and facilitate organizational understanding of Scrum.
Practice the Scrum Open Assessment and study the Scrum Guide thoroughly. Many questions require an in-depth understanding of self-managing teams, leadership, product ownership, and practical Scrum application.
Tips and Tricks
- Be careful with questions containing “NOT”: Always look out for negative phrasing in the question to avoid misinterpreting what is asked.
- Be careful with multiple-answer questions: Use checkboxes for multiple answers and ensure you select all correct choices.
- Be careful with “should vs. could”: Understand the intent – “could attend” might be correct, while “should attend” could be incorrect.
- Be careful with “attend vs. participate”: “Attend” is passive, “participate” implies active involvement. Know the difference as per Scrum roles.
PSM Certification Exam Format
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions | 80 |
| Time Limit | 60 minutes (average 45 seconds per question) |
| Passing Score | 85% (minimum 68 correct answers) |
| Question Types | Multiple choice, multiple answer, True/False |
| Language | English only |
| Cost | $150–200 USD per attempt |
| Open-book | Yes (but limited time renders extensive lookup impractical) |
PSM I Certification Practice Exam – Click Here
Essential Study Material
- The Scrum Guide (2020):
- Read at least 3–5 times until every element and wording is clear.
- Focus on the Product Backlog, Sprint Planning topics, and the Product Goal concept.
- (Bagile; Value Insights)
- Scrum Glossary:
- Review key definitions to answer terminology-based questions swiftly.
- (Scrum.org forum experiences)
- Open Assessments on Scrum.org:
- Scrum Open Assessment
- Product Owner Open Assessment
- Scrum Developer Open Assessment
- Achieve 100% scores consistently under 45 minutes to build speed and accuracy.
- (Bagile; Value Insights)
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How is a PSM through Scrum.org different from a CSM through the Scrum Alliance?
Answer: Scrum.org and the Scrum Alliance are separate organizations with different leadership, missions, focuses, and approaches. Here are the key distinctions:
- PSM Certification (through Scrum.org): Requires that a student demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Scrum through a rigorous assessment. PSM certification is detached from the course (not proof of attendance but proof of Scrum knowledge). The PSM I, II, and III assessments and corresponding certifications do not require classroom attendance. Scrum.org certificates are lifelong with no renewals or extra payments required. The curriculum and instructor quality are standardized.
- CSM Certification (through the Scrum Alliance): Requires a student to attend a course and then take an exam with a 69% passing score. The certification often serves as a certificate of attendance and requires renewal fees to keep certifications active. The Scrum Alliance does not have a standardized curriculum—the content quality varies with each instructor.
Question: Is there any pre-requisite for this certification?
Answer: No pre-requisite but Agile & Scrum knowledge is required to pass the exam. It is advisable to have prior knowledge of Scrum to understand the concepts easily.
Question: Can I Claim PDUs for Attending a Scrum.org Course?
Answer: Students of Scrum.org courses can claim 14 PDUs after attending a two-day Professional Scrum Foundations (PSF), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II), Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), Scaled Professional Scrum (SPS), Professional Agile Leadership Essentials (PAL-E), Professional Scrum with User Experience (PSU), or Professional Scrum with Kanban (PSK) course and 21 PDUs after attending a three-day Professional Scrum Developer (PSD) course. Please note that PMI PDUs are earned for course attendance and not for passing a Scrum.org assessment.
Students can claim PDUs under PMI’s “Education courses provided by other third-party providers” category. PDUs can be claimed online at https://ccrs.pmi.org
Question: Does my Scrum.org Certificate Expire or Require Renewal?
Answer: Since the PSM certification is valid for a lifetime and periodic renewal is not needed, the difficulty level of assessments has been kept higher as compared to the CSM (Certified Scrum Master) assessment by Scrum Alliance.
Question: How many levels are there in the Professional Scrum Master (PSM)?
Answer: PSM has three levels:
- PSM I: Demonstrates a fundamental level of Scrum mastery. Certificate holders understand Scrum as described in the Scrum Guide and know how to apply Scrum in Scrum Teams, maintaining consistent terminology and approach.
- PSM II: Indicates an advanced level of Scrum mastery. Certificate holders understand the underlying principles of Scrum and can effectively apply Scrum in complex, real-world situations.
- PSM III: Reflects a distinguished level of Scrum mastery. Certificate holders have deep understanding of application and practices of Scrum and Scrum Values in various complex team and organizational situations.
The level II and III exams are more complex. You must be thoroughly experienced in Scrum methodology and aware of functional intricacies to get through these exams.
Conclusion
Consistent study, mastery of the Scrum Guide, and disciplined practice using high-quality mock assessments form the foundation of PSM I exam success. By adopting these tips and tricks, you’ll be well-equipped to achieve the 85% passing threshold and earn your Professional Scrum Master I certification. Good luck!
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