The CSP is in demand…

December 4, 2013

We have a problem in Scrum.

First, we do well to call it an opportunity rather than a problem.  We have more opportunity sitting on the table that we have not yet grabbed.  Scrum, in general, can help us get a LOT more improvement than we have gotten.

There are many root causes behind this problem /opportunity.

Also many possible solutions.

I think the best solution is more education (maybe more coaching is next).

By more education, I mean the whole man, or the whole team.  Not just explicit knowledge, but tacit knowledge.  Not just of rational things but also of more squishy things (that’s the technical term for them (smile)). More discussion of how Scrum practices really work (eg, correcting Scrum-Butt).  More discussion of the lean-agile-scrum values and principles underlying the practices. More learning about other things that must be added to Scrum to make it work in your environment.

Which leads me to discussing the new SEU path to the CSP.  SEU means Scrum Educational Units. CSP means Certified Scrum Professional.

So, I am a big advocate of a well-rounded education in general.  Scrum education is what I am talking right now.

The SEU path to the CSP allows you to tailor the ‘education’ to your specific needs. It requires significant related experience that indicates you have attained, via education and action, a ‘professional’ level in Scrum.

My specific contribution (more to come) is a Scrum 201 course.  This 2-day course plus the 1 day workshop gives you 22 SEUs towards the CSP certification.  More importantly, I think the Scrum 201 gives essential information that will take your Scrum to the next level.

Today: I just received a request from a headhunter for a CSP person in Charlotte.  A scrum-agile coach, and they want the person to be ‘good’, so they are asking for that person to have a CSP.  Ummm.  Start of a trend, I think.

What is really important?  Well, results.  Real results for real people.  What is next most important?  The ability to regularly achieve results.  (And, down the list, …does the person have a meaningful certification — and in the process, might have improved his abilities.)

 

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3 thoughts on “The CSP is in demand…”

  1. Kurt Häusler

    I would like to agree, but unfortunately I have seen other things happening. Employers don’t know about CSP, they just see a scrum certification, have a chuckle and ignore it. Maybe your experience with someone specifically looking for a CSP is the start of a new trend, but I fear it is just a blip. Another thing I have noticed is a lot less job ads for scrum masters, and more ads looking for project managers who have familiarity with scrum teams, or can lead scrum teams etc.

    Anecdotally I have seen one or two companies who are deciding that Scrum isn’t going to be some radical new culture taking over the whole company, like they thought at the beginning, but just another project management method that a team can choose to use for a project if it is appropriate or it suits the customer.

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    1. Joe Little Post author

      Hi Kurt,

      I agree. I am not saying that the CSP is in ‘sufficient’ demand yet. Only that we have some indications that it is starting to be in demand.

      And, as I think you and I can agree, the certification per se is not the point. The real problem is that people are doing ‘scrum’ at a 30 units of work pace, and they easily could be going at a 70 units pace. And be more happy! That is what makes me sad.

      Even though it is simple in many ways, Scrum takes time to learn, and become good at. And it is easy to mis-understand.

      And, if you are doing Scrum at a 20 pace, it is easy to argue that other things are more important. (‘I can’t really make a case to the business side to give us a real PO.’) But if we could see that with this and that and a good PO, we could be going at 60 or 80, then it is a different game.

      Yes, I am also sad to see ‘scrum’ being treated as ‘just another PM method’ and the PM is the ScrumMaster. Many possible dysfunctions there. A good topic for another blog post. Thanks, Joe

  2. Charles Cain

    I’ve had my CSP since the exam was in beta years ago. And yes, it was VERY early!

    I am glad I went for it because it drove me to learn more and improve myself. It helped me determine what my path was/is.

    As to the PM stepping in as the SM, that is happening a lot!

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