Exploring Agile Certifications: Practical Insights from a Project Manager

Updated: Apr 10

In the world of project management, numerous institutes promote knowledge, publish materials, organize events, and offer certifications. Among them are the Project Management Institute (PMI), the IPMA: International Project Management Association (IPMA), Scrum.org , Scrum Alliance , and others. At the end of this article, I will share some links for more information.

Within the vast array of available certifications, options vary depending on the scope of knowledge to be assessed, the focus on specific project management topics, years of professional experience, formal education hours, and other criteria. Some certifications have proficiency levels, while others require recertification to demonstrate continuous development and active engagement in the certified context.

It is up to each professional to assess the relevance of each certification based on their development goals and practical application in the job market. In my view, certifications serve as motivators to deepen knowledge in a specific area, identify learning gaps, and, of course, enhance employment prospects.

In this article, I share practical information about three Agile certifications I hold: PMI Agile Certified Practitioner - PMI-ACP (PMI), Certified Scrum Master - CSM (Scrum Alliance), and PSM I (Scrum.org). My goal is to provide an overview so that interested individuals can quickly evaluate their relevance to their careers.

First, I'll provide a summary with initial information, followed by detailed information about each certification in the order I obtained them. It's important to note that when mentioning the exam's complexity, I am making comparisons exclusively among these three certifications without establishing a ranking relative to other certifications.

1. Initial Information

The table below offers an overview of the certifications. The values are presented in Brazilian Reais and US Dollars, as PMI notes regional considerations regarding fees.

Agile Certifications - Comparative table

Notes:

(1) Information collected in October/2023, directly on the PMI website. Does not include the cost of courses. PMI informs: "The fees for obtaining the ACP Certification are subject to membership and regional pricing."

(2) Approximate cost; depending on the course it may vary. This cost already includes the cost of the course, certification and membership.

(3) Collected from https://www.4pmti.com/. PMI informs: "The fees for obtaining the ACP Certification are subject to membership and regional pricing."

(4) Information obtained from the Massimus website: see here

(5) Valid from November 2023

(6) Displayed in the renewal option on the PMI website.

2. Details About the Certifications

2.1 PMI Agile Certified Practitioner: PMI-ACP

Link with Information: PMI-ACP Information
Important: Review the PMI-ACP handbook here
Scope: The most comprehensive certification of the three, covering Agile principles, various Agile approaches (such as Scrum, Kanban, XP, TDD, among others), techniques, tools, skills, and knowledge in various domains.
Prerequisites: a. Secondary degree

b. 21 hours of Agile principles training

c. 12 months of general project experience in the last 5 years (or another certification like PMP or PgMP)

d. 8 months of Agile project experience in the last 3 years

Study Tips:
When I obtained the PMI-ACP certification, I wrote an article with detailed information here
I completed an extensive online course, with more than 50 hours, taught by Cornelius Fichtner (Agile PrepCast). The advantage of this course format is study schedule flexibility, but it requires discipline. The disadvantage is that it can be more monotonous and lacks the important interactions found in live courses.

I used supporting literature, with emphasis on the excellent book "PMI-ACP Exam Prep" by Mike Griffiths.

I completed various practice exams.

Exam Format: Consists of 120 multiple-choice questions, requiring at least 70% correct answers, with a maximum duration of 3 hours. The exam is available in 6 languages, including Portuguese, and can be taken at home or an accredited center by appointment. There are security checks when taking the exam at home.
Exam Complexity: High

a. The questions are quite complex and require thorough preparation, as they are more situational, similar to the PMP certification. I used all the available time because I marked some questions for review.

b. When I took the exam, the result was displayed as soon as the exam was completed.

Certification Maintenance: Requires earning 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in Agile topics every 3 years, in addition to paying a renewal fee.

2.2 Certified Scrum Master: CSM

Link with Information: CSM Information
Scope: Focused on Scrum.
Prerequisites: Completion of a course with a minimum of 14 hours of duration.
Study Tips:
I completed a 2-day online course with Massimus (see here). The advantage of this format is the exchange of experiences among participants, as well as the convenience of not having to travel.
In addition to the course, it is essential to be well-versed in the Scrum Guide (link here).
I completed practice exams provided by Massimus, Scrum.org (Scrum.org assessment), and K21 (K21 CSM Assessment).
Exam Format: Consists of 50 questions, with at least 37 correct answers required within a 60-minute time limit, in English. It can be taken at home or any convenient location, remotely, without scheduling.
Exam Complexity: Low
The questions are very straightforward, without tricks. Among these three certifications, it has the lowest exam complexity.

The result is displayed as soon as the exam is completed.
Certification Maintenance: Requires earning 20 Scrum Education Units (SEUs) in Agile topics every 2 years, in addition to paying a renewal fee.

2.3 Professional Scrum Master I: PSM I

Link with Information: PSM I Information
Scope: Focused on Scrum.
Prerequisites: None.
Study Tips:

There is no need to take a course. It is essential to be well-versed in the Scrum Guide.

I completed practice exams provided by Massimus, Scrum.org, and K21.

Exam Format: Consists of 80 multiple-choice, multiple-answer, and true/false questions, requiring at least 85% correct answers within a 60-minute time limit, in English. It can be taken at home or any convenient location, remotely, without scheduling.
Exam Complexity: Medium

Many questions have a higher level of complexity compared to the CSM certification, requiring a deeper knowledge of Scrum, including situational questions.

The result is displayed as soon as the exam is completed.

Certification Maintenance: This does not require renewal.

Conclusion:

My aim with this article is to provide a useful overview for those interested in these Agile certifications. I invite colleagues with these certifications or others to share their experiences, enriching our professional knowledge network.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further information. Happy reading and learning!

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