The Scrum Alliance has launched a new program of Added Qualifications aimed at existing CSM/CSPO certification holders who want to explore more advanced Scrum topics. The first Added Qualification is in Scaling Scrum Fundamentals to larger organizations and multiple teams. InfoQ spoke to Scrum Alliance Managing Director Carol McEwan about the new qualifications.
InfoQ: Thanks for talking to us today. Can you please give InfoQ readers some background to the new qualifications — why did Scrum Alliance see the need for them and how will they help Scrum practitioners and their organizations?
Scrum Alliance members have an interest and a need to study more advanced Scrum topics. Through the Added Qualifications program, members can expand their Scrum knowledge and earn credentials that highlight specific areas of expertise to their employers. They will also expand their career opportunities by staying relevant and marketable across all industry sectors adopting Agile practices.
InfoQ: What does “Scaling Scrum Fundamentals” mean — why the focus on scaling?
Scaling Scrum Fundamentals courses cover solutions and techniques related to a variety of topics, including the role of management, techniques to support organizational change, and an introduction to multisite development. Scaling has become a hot topic as companies are interested in moving Scrum beyond the single team; they want to transition entire organizations to Agile.
InfoQ: How do the Added Qualifications fit with existing Scrum certifications and credentials?
Added Qualification courses augment Scrum Alliance’s foundational Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) and Certified Scrum Product Owner® (CSPO®) certifications. Added Qualifications are not certifications, but successful candidates will earn credentials to verify their course completion. They will also earn Scrum Education Units (SEUs) that count toward higher-level certifications, such as Certified Scrum Professional® (CSP®). Added Qualifications thus enhance the value of existing Scrum Alliance certifications. With the expansion of our education offerings, Scrum Alliance and its partners can focus on strengthening the knowledge, skills, and professional qualifications of certification holders by introducing new, market-relevant training.
InfoQ: Who defined the learning objectives for Added Qualifications, and are they available for people to see?
A Learning Objectives Committee for Scaling Scrum Fundamentals was formed and included thought leaders representing various scaling frameworks. The Scaling Scrum Fundamentals Learning Objectives are available on the Scrum Alliance website.
InfoQ: Who can teach Added Qualifications courses, and are courses already available?
Yes, our first Added Qualification course, Scaling Scrum Fundamentals, is available on the Scrum Alliance website. As for who can teach these courses, it depends on the course topic. That decision will be made as a step in the process of adding each new Added Qualification. In some cases, the knowledge and skill set of a Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST®) or Certified Scrum Coach® (CSC) will be required; in other cases, a qualified Registered Education Provider (REP) could teach a course associated with an Added Qualification.
InfoQ: What other Added Qualifications are in the pipeline, and when do you anticipate releasing them?
We have received many topic ideas from the community. Some of those hot industry topics include Agile leadership, coaching, facilitation, and team building, to name a few. We anticipate releasing more Added Qualification courses in 2015.