Should I Get Scrum Certifications

Which should I pursue:  Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)?  Why?

Both certifications will lead to a full understanding of Scrum. The CSPO is targeted for Product Owners who need skills and techniques for managing features and determining what the right product to build is. The CSM is a deep dive introduction to Scrum.  CSM is focused on the scrum framework and its application for building well form teams that are directed by a Product Owner.  The CSM is recommended for all Scrum team members, this include Product Owners.

Should I do both Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Product Owner if I don’t know where I will be working?

Both designations address different concerns  for developing Products. Employers are looking for people with a background in agile (scrum). These designations will help identify you as having been trained in Scrum. Experience still counts so time spent doing Scrum is equally valuable.

Would it be better to spend time renewing a PMP credential or becoming a Certified ScrumMaster or Product Owner?

Becoming a CSM and/or CSPO is recommended. We are seeing increase demand from companies who are looking for people with CSM / CSPO experience.

In Scrum, which person is the Project Manager?   Is it the ScrumMaster or the Scrum Product Owner?

The short answer is neither. The term Project Manager is not defined in Scrum. The term Project Manager is defined broadly in the market and is used differently by many organizations. If you compare the terms side by side you will find that sometimes it is the PO, sometimes the SM and sometimes it is both.  Again, the term is not defined in Scrum but, you can compare them.

I understand Scrum is used widely for software development projects. Can it be used for other fields?

Scrum has seen an application into every major vertical industry. The number of domains outside software that it has been applied to is increasing rapidly. Scrum is a general purpose framework that is used to set an empirical pattern of behavior at a small team level.  Scaling Scrum is thought of as multiple scrum teams working together in an empirical process controlled manner.

Can Scrum be appropriate for brand-new product development?

Scrum  is ideally suited for any product development efforts that have a large amount of complexity and uncertainty. It is targeted for teams 7±2.  It enables a directed level of creativity without overly constraining the solution outcome or the path for getting there. The more complexity or “newness” you have the more suited the Scrum framework. Because Scrum is a framework for empirical process control the amount of structure can be dialed to improve chances of success and delivery.

What are some great ways for people new to Agile to practice or use their new found Agile skills?

Suggestion: Join a volunteer group and use a Scrum like approach for challenging activities. Be prepared to learn continuously. The Scrum framework is simple to use. Keeping it simple and not overcomplicating is what is and has been so hard.  Mastery of Scrum can take years, look for any opportunity you can to apply the Scrum framework. Only through use will you really gain mastery.