What exactly does a Scrum Master do? And is the Professional Scrum Master I certification worth getting? If you are considering the PSM I certification from Scrum.org, this guide covers everything: what the exam tests, how to prepare, salary expectations, and whether it is the right investment for your career. This article covers everything you need to know about psm i certification guide.
What Is PSM I? The Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is Scrum.org's entry-level Scrum Master certification. It validates your understanding of Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and your ability to apply it in real-world situations. | Detail | Info | |
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| | Provider | Scrum.org | | Questions | 80 | | Time | 60 minutes | | Passing Score | 85 percent (68 out of 80) | | Cost | 150 USD | | Validity | Lifetime (no renewal needed) | ## What the Exam Tests PSM I is not a memorization test. It is a scenario test. Each question describes a situation and asks you to identify what Scrum requires, what is optional, and what is an anti-pattern. The exam focuses on three competency areas: 1. Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework (64 percent of questions) - Scrum theory: empiricism, lean thinking, transparency, inspection, adaptation - Scrum events: Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective - Scrum artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment - Commitments: Product Goal, Sprint Goal, Definition of Done 2. Developing People and Teams (22 percent) - Scrum Master service to the team and organization - Coaching and facilitation - Self-management, removing impediments 3. Managing Products with Agility (14 percent) - Product Owner accountability - Product Backlog management - Stakeholder engagement, forecasting, value delivery #
The Anti-Patterns the Exam Loves Any answer that includes these is almost certainly wrong: - "Project manager assigns tasks to the team" - "Stakeholders approve the Increment at Sprint Review" - "The Scrum Master enforces velocity targets" - "The Product Owner changes the Sprint Goal mid-Sprint" - "Testing is done in a hardening Sprint after development" - "The Daily Scrum is a status report" - "The team reports to the Scrum Master" - "Velocity is used as a performance metric"
PSM I Salary Information | Role | US Salary Range | |
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| | Junior Scrum Master | 70,000 to 90,000 | | Scrum Master | 90,000 to 120,000 | | Senior Scrum Master | 120,000 to 150,000 | | Agile Coach | 130,000 to 170,000 | #
