Last Updated: January 2022
Purpose
This document describes the learning objectives that must be covered in a Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) offering, in addition to the Scrum Foundations learning objectives. These learning objectives take the following into consideration:
- Every implementation of scrum is different.
- Teams and organizations apply scrum within their context, but the fundamental framework always remains the same.
The learning objectives for this offering are based on:
- Scrum Guide, scrumguides.org*
- Manifesto for Agile Software Development, four values and 12 principles, agilemanifesto.org
- Scrum values, https://www.scrumalliance.org/about-scrum/values
- Scrum Alliance Guide Level Feedback
- Scrum Alliance Scrum Foundations Learning Objectives
Scope
Students attending a CSM offering should expect that each learning objective identified in this document will be covered. Students should also expect that the Scrum Foundations learning objectives are covered either before or during the offering.
The CSM learning objectives fall into the following categories:
- Scrum
- Scrum Master Core Competencies
- Service to the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and Organization
Individual trainers may choose to include ancillary topics. Ancillary topics presented in a CSM offering must be clearly indicated.
Bloom’s-style classification of learning objectives consists of six levels of learning that progress from lower-order (Knowledge), to higher-order (Evaluation) thinking skills. Each learning objective begins with an action verb which correlates to a Bloom’s Taxonomy dimension. Please think of each learning objective with the affixed statement in mind: “Upon successful validation and completion of this course, the learner will be able to...” These are the dimensions:
Knowledge | Recall of information, processes, facts, and concepts | Verbs: Define, Name, List |
Comprehension | Interpret information and determine its importance | Verbs: Describe, Discuss, Recognize |
Application | Apply developed knowledge and concepts in real-life | Verbs: Apply, Demonstrate, Illustrate |
| Analysis | Dissect and organize information using critical thinking skills | Verbs: Compare, Contrast, Distinguish |
| Synthesis | Use of knowledge to create new products or processes | Verbs: Create, Prepare, Organize |
Evaluation | Use of judgment to make decisions and solve problems | Verbs: Measure, Assess, Evaluate |
Learning Objectives
1 - Scrum The Scrum Team
| 1.1 | describe the responsibilities and accountabilities of the scrum team. |
| 1.2 | describe the responsibilities and accountabilities of the scrum master. |
| 1.3 | describe the responsibilities and accountabilities of the developers. |
| 1.4 | describe the responsibilities and accountabilities of the product owner. |
1.5 | discuss at least two reasons why the product owner is a single person and neither a group nor a committee. |
| 1.6 | discuss how and why the product owner maintains authority over the product backlog while working collaboratively with developers and stakeholders. Scrum Events and Activities |
| 1.7 | identify at least one example of how a scrum team could inspect and adapt to increase transparency at each of the scrum events. |
| 1.8 | perform a sprint planning. |
| 1.9 | perform a sprint review. |
| 1.10 | perform a sprint retrospective. |
| 1.11 | describe at least three possible effects of skipping the sprint retrospective. |
| 1.12 | explain how developers conduct a daily scrum. |
| 1.13 | discuss at least three ways the daily scrum differs from a status meeting and why the various constraints exist to support the developers. |
| 1.14 | explain under what conditions a sprint could be terminated prematurely. |
| 1.15 | explain at least three advantages of a strong definition of done. |
| 1.16 | outline at least one way to create a definition of done. |
2 - Scrum Master Core Competencies
| 2.1 | describe at least three situations in which the scrum master could serve the needs of the scrum team or organization through facilitation |
| 2.2 | demonstrate at least three techniques for facilitating group decision making. |
| 2.3 | discuss how facilitating, teaching, mentoring, and coaching are different. |
3 - Service to the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and Organization
| 3.1 | describe three scenarios where the scrum master acts as a leader for the scrum team. |
| 3.2 | explain the impact of accumulating technical debt. |
| 3.3 | list at least three development practices that could help their scrum team deliver a high-quality increment and reduce technical debt each sprint. |
| 3.4 | explain at least three ways the scrum master could support the product owner. |
| 3.5 | describe at least three organizational impediments that can affect scrum teams. |
| 3.6 | discuss at least two ways that the scrum master assists the scrum team with impediments. |
| 3.7 | apply at least one technique that could help resolve an impediment. |
| 3.8 | summarize at least one organizational design change caused by adopting scrum. |
| 3.9 | discuss why scrum does not have a project manager. |
Program Team
Path to CSPTM Design and Audit Team (2021)
- Erika Massie
- Carlton Nettleton
- Lisa Reeder
- Jason Tanner
- Andreas Schliep
*The Scrum Guide is © 2020 Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. Content from The Scrum Guide is used by permission of Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland under the terms of the Creative Commons – Attribution – Share-Alike License v. 4.0. which is accessible at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode and also described in summary form at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.