Professional Scrum Master (PSM) Course with Certification
Our Professional Scrum Master Training Program features PSM Training from Scrum.org, delivered as an Immersive Learning Experience. It combines live, instructor-led sessions with additional offline exercises, covering the principles of the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. This multi-week format integrates real-world applications, encouraging continuous improvement through practical assignments.
PSM |Scrum.org
|Intermediate
GOAL: 6 participants
0 Participants
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Learn Professional Scrum and Elevate Your Role as a Scrum Master with NKD Agility
The Professional Scrum Master™ (PSM) course is an interactive, activity-based training designed to help you master the fundamentals of Professional Scrum and excel as a Scrum Master. At NKD Agility, we believe in technical excellence, and this course empowers you with the skills and knowledge needed to guide your teams and organisations effectively. Through a blend of discussions, hands-on exercises, and real-world examples, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the Scrum framework, the Agile mindset, and the vital accountabilities of the Scrum Master role.
Our immersive classes provide an in-depth exploration of Agile and Scrum principles, designed to help you build a solid understanding of how to implement Scrum effectively. Developed by Scrum.org, the course combines instructor-led sessions with activity-based learning, where participants collaborate in teams to solve problems and practice Scrum in realistic scenarios.
Professional Scrum Trainers (PSTs) from NKD Agility bring their extensive experience as Scrum Masters, sharing real-life stories and insights. Each PST has a unique delivery style, ensuring the training is engaging and memorable. Throughout the course, students not only gain an understanding of Scrum theory and principles but also develop the practical skills to navigate their Scrum Master accountabilities and appreciate the importance of each element within the Scrum framework.
At the end of the course, participants leave with:
A deep appreciation for Professional Scrum and the Agile mindset.
Practical insights into overcoming common myths and challenges to agility.
The ability to select and apply the most effective practices and techniques for their Scrum Teams.
Confidence in leading teams towards continuous improvement and successful Scrum adoption.
Note: Our immersive classes are designed for deeper engagement and flexible learning, tailored to suit varying schedules and participant needs. For those requiring a more traditional format, the course can be condensed into shorter sessions across multiple days.
Explore the various focus areas covered within this class and other courses offered by NKD Agility. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your training needs, please
contact us .
Course Outcomes
Help Scrum Teams deliver value to their organization
Understand the theory and principles behind Scrum and empiricism
Understand how each part of the Scrum framework ties back to the principles and theory
Understand uncertainty and complexity in product delivery
Understand the meaning and importance of the Scrum values
Learn what Done means and why it is crucial to transparency
Know how to use the Product Backlog to plan with agility
Understand the importance of self-managing teams, interpersonal skills needed, and the Scrum Master role
Clarify the leadership role a Scrum Master plays on the team
Learn the skills and traits and behavior shifts required to be a Scrum Master
Course Objectives
Clear understanding that the Scrum Master is a Lean-agile Practitioner that is there to guide the Scrum Team and the Organisation to a better degree of agility.
Act as Scrum Masters for Scrum Teams and stakeholders from an in-depth understanding of servant-leadership
Effectively start using Scrum
Increase the effectiveness of Scrum underway
Who Should Attend this class?
The Professional Scrum Master course is for anyone involved in software development using the Scrum framework. It is particularly beneficial for those people within an organization accountable for getting the most out of Scrum, including Scrum Masters, managers, and Scrum Team members. We also suggest that you read through the
PSM Subject Areas
. If you are new to Scrum and are interested in getting started then the
Certified Professional Scrum Foundations Training is more relevant. This class is perfect if you are studying for the
Professional Scrum Master II assessment.
Assessment & Certification
Upon completion of our signature Professional Scrum Master course, all attendees will receive a password to attempt the prestigious
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) assessment
. Additionally, we are pleased to offer a special discount for the
Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) assessment
as a token of our commitment to your continuous learning journey. The PSM certifications, recognized and respected across the industry, do require a minimum passing score, reflecting their rigorous standards and the high level of competence they signify.
For those affiliated with the Project Management Institute (PMI), we’re delighted to inform you that our courses are eligible for PDU credit. Specifically, you can claim 14 PDUs after attending our two-day Professional Scrum Master (PSM) course. Please be aware that PMI PDUs are awarded for course attendance, not for passing a Scrum.org assessment.
To claim your PDUs, you can do so under PMI’s “Education courses provided by other third party providers” category. Simply visit
https://ccrs.pmi.org
to register your PDUs. We’re excited to be part of your Scrum and Agile journey, and we’re committed to providing you with the knowledge, skills, and credentials you need to excel in this dynamic field.
Why Learn With NKD Agility?
We are 4.8-star rated on Trustpilot!
We have helped 2,600+ people learn Scrum since 2010.
We are not trainers, we are consultants that are still in the trenches.
All participants get self-paced learning support.
Receive regular chances to attend another course at no cost.
Syllabus
Our comprehensive syllabus is designed to accommodate various learning styles, whether you prefer a traditional in-depth session, a flexible immersive experience, or a structured mentor program. Each module can be delivered in the following formats:
Traditional Learning Experience: Engage in full-day or half-day sessions led by expert trainers in an interactive classroom setting. Perfect for those seeking an intensive, focused learning experience.
Immersive Learning Experience: Enjoy a multi-week program that breaks down full-day sessions into shorter, more manageable classes, integrating real-world applications and reflections for continuous improvement. Assignments are only
available as part of this format, encouraging participants to apply their learning practically.
Mentor Programs with Immersive Experiences: Participate in a series of immersive learning sessions as part of our mentor programs, combining structured learning with personalized guidance and continuous feedback over time. For more
information, visit our Mentor Programs page.
Our immersive programs empower growth through incremental learning, outcome-based assignments, and facilitated reflections, ensuring that the skills you gain are practical, applicable, and ready to be used in your work environment. Facilitated
Reflections are a cornerstone of our immersive approach, allowing participants to engage deeply with the material. In each session, you will have the opportunity to reflect on your learning, discuss challenges and successes with peers, and gain
actionable feedback from professional trainers. These reflective sessions enhance understanding, foster continuous improvement, and support your growth in a collaborative environment.
Theory & First Principles
Module1120+
Participants are able to evaluate the concepts of complexity and empiricism in their context and determine with others in their organization whether Scrum is appropriate for their environment.
ASK: Facilitate a discussion within your organization about how your organization could benefit from Agile and Scrum and what would be potential hindrance tapping the full potential in the current environment. Share results from this discussion with the class and explain how you ensured that everyone had a good understanding of complexity and empiricism.
Explain complexity and empiricism by using the Stacey chart, Cynefin Framework or something else.
Use the exercise to identify parameters influencing a product development and how predictable they are.
Create a one-pager describing the goals that the organization wants to achieve by using Scrum and Agile.
Compare the evolution of various factors between the current situation and Professional Scrum and give some examples from your organization.
Describe how the group would envision their environment when empiricism is evident.
Collect a list of reservations people have in your organization about Agile and Scrum and how you suggest that these could be resolved.
Find a simulation for complexity on the internet and run the simulation with team members and stakeholders.
Analyze forecasts and plans from past projects or past period of your current project and interview people about their opinion about reasons for deviations from those plans.
Analyze your current plan and identify if it is mostly focused on goals, features or work and how much flexibility it allows to change directions to still being able to deliver value.
Facilitate a discussion with your stakeholders about what are the highest risks in your current project, how you can implement early signals and how you might react to these risks.
The Scrum Framework
Module2120+
Participants will learn to interpret the roles, artifacts, and events of the Scrum framework, understand their purpose, how they relate to each other, and how they collectively help teams and organizations address complex problems.
Ask:Evaluate how effectively your current practices align with the goals defined in the previous assignment. Identify differences between your current process and the Scrum framework as described in the Scrum Guide. Develop a ‘15% solution’—a small, initial change that could improve your current situation—and gather feedback from others in your organization on this proposal.
Identify potential improvements to a specific Scrum event that will take place during the assignment period. Run an experiment to test how these changes affect the event’s outcome.
Create a list of deviations between your current practices and the Scrum framework as defined in the Scrum Guide. Analyze how these deviations might impact your ability to achieve your goals.
Suggest improvements for a specific Scrum artifact, then run an experiment to assess the impact of these changes. Collect feedback from team members on their experiences with the adjustments.
Evaluate how well your current process supports empiricism and identify areas for improvement. Experiment with incorporating specific elements of the Scrum framework to address these opportunities.
Interview your Product Owner about their understanding of their role and compare it to the responsibilities outlined in the Scrum Guide. Discuss any differences and areas for improvement.
Facilitate a discussion with your Scrum Team(s) on how they perceive the Scrum Master’s role and how it could better support the team. Use this feedback to identify potential improvements.
Engage stakeholders in a discussion about the effectiveness of Sprint Reviews in creating transparency and fostering an environment of inspection and adaptation.
Facilitate a conversation with your Scrum Team(s) about the Scrum Values and how they can enhance collaboration within the team and with external parties. Identify specific actions to reinforce these values.
Assess the effectiveness of your Sprint Retrospectives in supporting transparency, inspection, and adaptation related to self-management and value delivery. Run an experiment to enhance the Retrospectives’ effectiveness.
Review your Product Backlog Refinement process to determine if it is helping create a clearer vision of what to achieve. Experiment with new approaches to make the process more efficient and valuable.
Conduct a Scrum simulation with your team, ensuring that every element of the Scrum framework is used as defined in the Scrum Guide. Look for examples of such simulations online or design your own.
Done
Module3120+
Participants can interpret the relationship between the concept of Done in Scrum and its role in creating transparency for empiricism, and collaborate with their team to identify potential improvements in their current situation.
Assignment: Evaluate how consistently your team delivers a Done Increment and examine the level of uncertainty or surprises that these Increments may still include. Reflect on the current Definition of Done and its effectiveness in achieving consistent delivery. Identify areas for improvement, experiment with at least one change, and share your insights.
These tasks aim to foster a deeper understanding of what Done means within your team and help drive continuous improvement by refining the Definition of Done.
If your team does not currently use a Definition of Done, facilitate a discussion to raise awareness of its importance. Work with your Scrum Team to establish an initial Definition of Done that can be continuously inspected and adapted.
Add criteria to your Definition of Done to reduce uncertainty and avoid last-minute surprises, ensuring higher quality and consistency.
Remove criteria from your Definition of Done that are not contributing to quality and are creating obstacles to frequent Done Increments.
Assess how transparent your team is about technical debt and undone work. Implement at least one improvement to address the accumulation of technical debt.
During a Daily Scrum, facilitate a discussion to help the team reflect on what is still required to reach a Done Increment based on the Definition of Done. Explore ways to organize work to achieve this as quickly as possible.
Discuss with your team how to achieve a Done Increment earlier in the Sprint. Conduct an experiment to test at least one approach in this direction.
During Sprint Planning or Backlog Refinement, facilitate discussions to slice Product Backlog Items (PBIs) into smaller, more manageable parts. Focus on vertical slicing to help deliver Done Increments earlier.
Run an experiment with Mob-Programming or Pair-Programming to see if it helps achieve a Done Increment more quickly and efficiently.
Try out Swarming to encourage the team to focus on building a Done Increment collaboratively.
Compile a list of reasons why team members struggle to achieve a Done Increment every Sprint. Choose at least one of these reasons and run an experiment to address it.
If QA processes are conducted at the end of the Sprint, run an experiment to start QA earlier and assess its impact.
If QA is handled exclusively by dedicated team members, experiment by involving other team members in the QA process, such as through pairing with QA personnel.
If QA is done outside the team, try conducting QA within the team and within the Sprint, and observe any changes in the process.
Product Delivery with Scrum
Module4120+
Participants correlate the benefits of an empirical approach to product development to how the Product Backlog contributes to transparency. The student also understands how frequent inspection and adaptation of the backlog is crucial to achieving goals at various levels.
Assess if your team and your organization is more using a product or a project mindset for the product you are developing with your team. How is unpredictability currently handled? Have a conversation with some stakeholders how you could benefit from moving more towards a product mindset and which objections people have.
Assess if there is a proper Product Goal in place and if the Product Backlog is organized in a way that helps achieving the Product Goal.
Facilitate a Product Backlog refinement to improve understanding, granularity and transparency to help better achieve the Product Goal.
Reflect with your teams how and why you are doing sizing and estimation currently and if there are better options to help with Sprint Planning and forecasts and measuring progress towards goals in a complex environment.
Assess if your Product Backlog Items have a good size to be worked on during a Sprint and slice at least one bigger item into smaller ones by splitting it vertically.
Assess if your Product Backlog Items are structured in a way that they can deliver some business value on their own or if they depend on other items before a business value can be delivered.
Evaluate if your Product Backlog is creating transparency by interviewing various team members and stakeholders about where to focus next.
Interview your Product Owner about the current Product Goal and the next steps toward this by examining the current Product Backlog.
Interview team members about their understanding of the direction and next steps to evaluate if there is enough clarity and transparency provided by the Product Backlog.
Record situations when the team was approached in ways that impede empiricism and how the team handled the situation. Define at least one improvement.
Evaluate if your Product Backlog is more used like a plan or if it is use to help with empirically achieving your goals. Suggest at least one experiment to the team how this can be improved.
People & Teams
Module5120+
Participant can can defend the significance of collaboration as a key factor for efficiency and quality, and detect the different influencers that may impact collaboration within their Scrum Team.
Ask _Assess together with your team how they currently work together and what could be improved. Run at least one experiment that could help the team to become more collaborative. _
Facilitate a discussion about autonomy, mastery and purpose with your team(s) and identify how you as a Scram Master can help the team(s) to improve in these areas. Run at least one experiment with one improvement.
Facilitate a discussion with your teams how you could improve “Intrinsic motivation” and run at least one experiment in this area.
Facilitate a discussion with your teams how you could improve “Effective collaboration” and run at least one experiment in this area.
Facilitate a discussion with your teams how you could improve the use of the “Scrum Values” and run at least one experiment in this area.
Facilitate a discussion with your teams how you could improve “Professionalism” and run at least one experiment in this area.
Facilitate a discussion of pros and cons of various working styles and if there is a consensus that a collaborative working style is most beneficial for the team.
Identify behaviors and characteristics of a great team together with your Scrum Team and identify areas where your team could improve.
Observe people’s work to get a better understanding about the flow of their work and their ability to focus. Identify any interruptions and discuss with the team how those interruptions could be minimized.
Identify any dependencies that are interrupting the team’s flow and identify experiments that could help reduce those dependencies.
Identify the value-stream of a new functionality to your product and the people that have to be involved to make this happen. Identify hand-offs and create a vision of how a different team-structure could increase the team’s autonomy and collect some feedback about this idea.
Identify a difficult situation and facilitate a discussion with your team where you tie this situation back to the Scrum Values and the assets of a collaborative team to identify potential improvements.
Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) about dependencies they have to other people to get their work done. Run at least one experiment to minimize one of these dependencies.
Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) about dependencies and if restructuring teams might help reducing these dependencies. Run an experiment to have a person from outside of the team to work as a team member for one day and discuss the differences this makes.
Facilitate a discussion with your team(s) how much the assets of a collaborative team are covered and run at least one experiment to improve one of the assets.
The Scrum Master
Module6120+
Participant is able to assess their own behavior as a Scrum Master in terms of how they help teams achieve their goals, and assess their own ability to make deliberate choices about how to enable team growth.
AskCreate a plan of various activities that you could do to help your team to grow and become more agile and identify the skills that you should learn and traits that you should exemplify to support your team and your organization on this journey.
assignment Examples forHow to Become a Great Scrum Master
Hold a retrospective with your team to understand how they will describe the service you as a Scrum Master are providing for them and their expectations of how you could better support them.
Hold a retrospective with the stakeholders of your team to understand how they will describe the service you as a Scrum Master are providing for them and the organization as well as how they think you could help the team and the organization to improve the value delivered to customers.
Look back at the learnings from the class and create a “personal growth backlog” that describes topics you want to learn more about and skills that you want to acquire.
Look back at the learnings from the class and create a “team growth backlog” that describes various actions that could help your team and your organization to improve. Refine this “team growth backlog” together with your team.
Describe the Scrum Master that you want to be one year from now and identify first steps that bring you closer to this vision.
Once back at work, you will be busy with so many other things. Develop a strategy that your growth journey will not always take a back-seat and define counter measures how to make sure that you will be able to achieve your growth goals.
Arrange a meeting with your manager to learn more about their expectation how you should serve as a Scrum Master and about your personal development.
Find a local or online Scrum Master community that you can connect with to learn from each other.
Create a community of Scrum Masters and other Scrum enthusiasts within your organization which will meet frequently to share and learn from each other.
Continue the list of skills and traits of an effective Scrum Master and identify the areas where you want to grow.
Create a job description for a Scrum Master for your organization and review it with others to get feedback and identify misconceptions people might have about the Scrum Master accountability.
Closing
Module7120+
As we conclude the Scrum Master course, this final session is designed to reflect on your learning journey, consolidate key concepts, and prepare you to apply your new skills confidently within your team. We’ll revisit the course highlights, address any remaining questions, and provide guidance on the next steps to continue your growth as a Scrum Master.
Passwords have no expiration date, but are valid for one attempt only
Lifetime certification - no annual renewal fee required
Catchup & After
Two weeks after completion, participants are invited to join a follow-up catch-up session designed to address any remaining questions, ideas, or challenges that have emerged since the training. This session provides an opportunity to reflect
on your experiences applying the concepts learned in the course, share insights, and receive additional support.
* Assignments are part of our Immersive Training Programs, encouraging participants to apply their learning practically between sessions for a more hands-on experience.
For those looking for a more guided, continuous learning journey, explore our Mentor Programs, where you can engage in a series of immersive learning sessions combined with ongoing mentorship.
Connect with Martin Hinshelwood
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
Schedule a Teams Call with Martin Hinshelwood
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