Scrum Training today is available in many different flavors and formats around the world.

People are always debating the values of “certification” and this will be an endless discussion.  While everyone is having these discussions (yawn to me), I continue to travel the world training people on Scrum.  And other agile techniques.  I also *use* this stuff daily  to run my company (more on this in another posting) and coach individuals to help us both keep improving our skills.

Welcome back to the ImplementingScrum site.  If this is your first time here, take a peek around.  There is a TON of information here.  This site has been around for almost five years now, and while some of the ways I implement techniques today are different (they keep improving) the comic strips here usually start some good conversations.

So I selected one of the most popular and un-politically-correct comic strips from a posting I published a LONG time ago (take a look at it here — cute, and wow that was so long ago in this internet age we live in today).  I have mostly been using things like Twitter and FaceBook (and others) to get information out — but also realize this channel of communicating with people (via the blog) is important… so it is [again] restarting with more postings of my [possible rants] in the future!

And. I titled this blog posting pretty provocatively.

I know the combination of un-politically-correct and provocative will help open conversations.  Who knows what kind of conversations, but hey that is up to you!

THAT is the important thing with this blog.  People either love it or hate it, but talk about it.

So… Let’s bring that to the topic of “Certified Scrum Training – Debunking the Bullshit.”

This should be fun, huh?  I figure if you are still with me than you are wondering why this is  important.

I am a Certified Scrum Trainer and that is a trademarked name from the Scrum Alliance, the body that certifies people who have taken my class as Certified ScrumMasters.

It does not certify competency.  It cannot.  OK… Like it or leave it, that’s an established fact (that people will debate!).

It does certify people who have taken the workshop have paid their money, the Certified Scrum Trainer has paid the Scrum Alliance a $50.00 fee so that they can take the assessment and become members (all Certified Scrum Trainers must do that).  And you can do a lot more with the Scrum Alliance — and should.  Here is some good background information from the Scrum Alliance FAQ that tells you how to move forward with them after you are a Certified ScrumMaster.

There are still a limited number of Certified Scrum Trainers in the world.  The market is showing that there is still a pretty strong demand for this type of Certification.  Why is there a demand?  People want it (possibly not the people taking the workshop — could  be their bosses or organizations are forcing them to attend or organizations want to send one person expecting that the newly Certified ScrumMaster can train the rest of the organization).  All of those statements are up for debate, and will always be debated.

Fine.

Move on with the debate.

So if it is so controversial, why do I do it?

I LOVE teaching this workshop.  I have fun.  I learn.  Every time.  Every place.

Here is a current description of what it is like to take the workshop with me… www.michaelvizdos.com/experiential-csm.

It has evolved (and will continue after each workshop, as no one is ever the same).

People who have taken the Certified ScrumMaster Training Workshop with me are usually satisfied.  I know I cannot solve problems for all of the attendees — that is not the purpose.

The purpose of the Certified ScrumMaster Training Workshop that people attend with me today (and remember it continues to evolve) is to learn about Scrum in an experiential way.  They should be able to answer questions about Scrum on their own by the end of the two days — using the framework and experiences from attending.

People who attend my Certified ScrumMaster Training Workshop receive a lot of value — because it is an environment where people can learn (from me and mostly the other attendees).  My training is different than any other Certified Scrum Trainer.  It should be (other organizations disagree and that is OK).

I also tell every attendee that this will not make them experts at being a ScrumMaster, Product Owner, or Team Member.

In fact, I now understand  that each individual will walk out at the end of the two days latching onto only one or two things that we discussed AND that fits into their current world paradigm (it used to bug me, now it does not).

Wow.

Two days… and only one or two key things (that was said and they heard what they wanted to hear).

Is this cutting through the bullshit of debates and bla bla bla out there about Scrum Certification?

I am sure there is SO much more that can (and will be) said on this topic.  Like I said up front, this is a provocative and controversial topic.

And the purpose of this blog over the years has evolved into learning about how to have tough conversations about Software Development.

Yes… Scrum can be used outside of Software Development (another topic for later again!!) but here’s the thing…

Talk about this stuff all you want.

Get out there and practice it.

Thank you!

Looking forward to hearing comments, suggestions, and ideas on here, in FaceBook, GooglePlus, or however else you want.

Talk.

But do.

Go….