Suggested Reading for Professional Scrum Master™
Achieve Success Through Servant Leadership
We have gathered content on this page which we suggest you utilize when preparing for the PSM I. These are suggested resources, and you may find resources not mentioned on this page helpful, along with application of your own experience using Scrum. The PSM I certification assessment focuses primarily on validating your understanding of Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide as well as understanding the fundamentals behind servant leadership.
Prior to taking the PSM I certification a great way to prepare is to attend a Professional Scrum Master training course, taught by a Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer.
Where to begin
- Become very familiar with the Scrum Guide.
- Practice walking someone through the Scrum framework.
- Know which agile practices you may have seen or used that are NOT part of the Scrum framework. Teams need to pull in the complementary practices that fit their ever-changing needs, but it is important to know what is and is not required by Scrum.
- Take the Scrum Open Assessment to get a baseline of your knowledge and take it again until you are comfortable with the content. The Scrum Open assessment is a learning tool, and thus feedback is provided during the test.
- Read the material suggested in the next few sections of this page.
Blogs and Articles
Scrum Values (Download the Poster)
Scrum Roles
- Roles in Scrum
- The 8 stances of a Scrum Master
- A day in the life of a Scrum Master
- Evolution of the Product Owner
- Evolution of the Scrum Master
- Evolution of the Development Team
Scrum Events:
- 5 Powerful things about the Sprint
- Getting to Done: Creating good Sprint Goals
- Scrum Myth: The Scrum Master must be present during the Daily Scrum
- Sprint Review: Much more than a demo
- 11 ideas to spice up your Sprint Retrospective
Videos and Podcasts
Books
- Scrum: A Pocket Guide by Gunther Verheyen
- Software in 30 days by Ken Schwaber
- Scrum Insights for Practioners: The Scrum Guide Companion by Hiren Doshi
- Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink
Practice
- Take the Scrum Open Assessment until you are comfortable with the content. The Scrum Open assessment is a learning tool, and thus feedback is provided during the test.
- You may also find it valuable to take the Scrum Developer Open Assessment and the Product Owner Open Assessment as a way to gain additional perspective on the other roles of a Scrum Team.
- Apply Scrum in your workplace. As you do, stop to reflect on whether you’re taking advantage of all the opportunities that the Scrum framework offers, or if you’re using ScrumBut.
- Be conscious of your decisions as you adapt and evolve with projects complexity and team member's old habits. Think about why Scrum is structured the way it is, and how the Scrum framework differs from traditional management practices.
PSM I Assessment Categories
The information below outlines the categories from which the PSM I certification assessment questions are drawn.
Category Name |
Category Description |
Scrum Framework |
Questions in this category cover Scrum theory includes time-boxing, and specific roles, rules, and artifacts. All elements of Scrum complement each other to form a consistent whole. All work is performed in Sprints. All base rules, events, and roles are described in the Scrum Guide, the acknowledged Scrum body of knowledge. Each part of Scrum ties back to the principles and theory. This is foundational knowledge for every Scrum Team member and anyone involved with Scrum. Scrum Masters additionally know how to explain, teach, coach and facilitate the proper use of the Scrum framework. Scrum Masters assure the effective and consistent use of rules of Scrum, preventing them from falling apart. |
Scrum Theory and Principles |
Questions in this category test your understanding of Scrum theory, how it is founded on empirical theory, and the principles and values of Scrum. Scrum is founded on empirical process theory to deal with the complexity typical to software development. All principles and values of Scrum are based on the fundamental view of software development as creative and complex work. Scrum Masters know how Scrum implements empiricism in software development. They explain how the Scrum principles tie back to the empirical nature of Scrum, and how they are fundamentally different from those of more traditional software development approaches. |
Cross-Functional, Self-Organizing Teams |
Questions in this category test your knowledge of how Scrum Teams are different from traditional development groups. The paradigm and nature of a cross-functional and self-organizing team promotes flexibility, creativity, and productivity. They choose how to best do their work and have all competencies needed to accomplish it without depending on others outside of the team. Scrum Masters understand the people aspect of Scrum, how to work with people. Scrum Masters understand how Scrum Teams are formed. Scrum Masters have the tools and ideas to get Scrum teams going, guide them along the way and help them continuously self-develop to become successful through better collaboration. |
Coaching and Facilitation |
Questions in this category test your knowledge of how the behavior of Scrum Masters are very different from project managers or team leaders in traditional environments. Scrum Masters are servant-leaders who coach and facilitate teams and organizations in understanding and applying Scrum. Best techniques help teams and organizations discover what works best for them. They master several techniques for coaching, conversation, and facilitation in order to help people, teams, and organizations discover what works best for them. Being a Scrum Master requires specific skills and traits. The overall behavior of a Scrum Master is very different from a project manager or team leader in a traditional environment. |
Additional Scrum Resources
- Familiarize yourself with the Scrum glossary.
- Read articles on our Blog, written by our expert Professional Scrum Trainers.
- Join the Scrum.org Forum discussions.
- View the Scrum.org Resources page.
- View the What is Scrum Resource page.
- Build your Scrum muscle memory by engaging in discussions and practicing Scrum fundamentals with your team.