I completed both the ASM (Agile Scrum Master from Exin) and PSM (Professional Scrum Master from Scrum.org) certifications. Like Andrew, I was not interested in wasting time or money on the CSM certification. It's still amazing to me that the CSM mandates a 2-day course, a huge large fee of around $1,200, has such a low pass rate, and yet is still in demand compared to the other certifications. I can only put this down to it been on the market longer.
Ok now for each certification exam from my experience. I had read from numerous sources that the PSM exam was a lot harder than the CSM. This is certainly evident from the very high 85% required pass rate. I can't comment directly about the CSM since I have not taken that exam, but many others have taken both, and all those I have read say that the PSM exam is a lot harder to pass than the CSM. There doesn't seem much point disputing this from my point of view. So, if you can pass the PSM exam, it will be a walk in the park to pass the CSM.
However, the ASM exam was another beast altogether. It was for me quite a bit harder than the PSM exam, even though it had a significantly lower pass rate. I believe this was due to the exam covering various Agile concepts outside of Scrum, such as XP, DSDM and even Crystal. If you only study Scrum and not cover other Agile methods, or the Agile mindset in general, you will fail this exam.
In closing, now that I hold both the PSM and ASM certifications, I don't know if I will ever step down the ladder and take the CSM exam. Maybe if they raise the pass rate or not make attending an expensive 2-day course mandatory, I might think about it. Or at the very least, I might just do it so that I can report back with first-hand knowledge of sitting the PSM, ASM and CSM exams, and still live to tell the tale.
Which Scrum Master certification would you choose to do, or not to do? Saving Changes...
What if you achieved these four certifications (for bragging rights), would you place CSM ahead of PSM or depends? Because based on "costs", CSM is more expensive to get than PSM.
PMP, PMI-ACP, PSM, CSM.
PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, PSM.
Well the CSM is still more well known than PSM, so most people would probably put CSM first. For those of us who value the PSM over the CSM, we would probably switch it around.
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2 replies by Boon Siang Tay and Rami Kaibni
Jun 06, 2018 10:46 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Sante, I do not think it makes any difference if we put CSM or PSM first, unless you put it the first amongst all other certifications then it will stand out.
Jun 06, 2018 9:48 PM
Boon Siang Tay
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I passed PSM I and PSPO I, and next week attending 3-days course for CSM (yes, I've succumbed to the dark side).
PSM - it may be the most difficult exam to pass, but it gave the impression that anyone with no experience in scrum (or even read a single book on Agile), can claim to be "Professional" by merely passing an online exam via practice drills, study tips, and blog articles. There is no license number (expected by some) and no renewals, and in-person training not required (i.e. "not trained"). Of course for insiders we know that PSM I is only the first of three levels but most people never heard of "PSM III".
CSM - the test is not as important as staying awake through the 2/3-days mandatory class. It is very expensive unless your company paid for it. You get a license number (paying renewal fees) and the word "Certified" that HR looks for to approve sponsorship, and satisfied that you are "trained" for 2 or 3 full days. Insiders know there is CSM then A-CSM then CSP-SM but it is the CSM that sells with the right spellings.
That said, I'm only doing CSM because the cost is taken care off.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Jun 06, 2018 5:30 AM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Well the CSM is still more well known than PSM, so most people would probably put CSM first. For those of us who value the PSM over the CSM, we would probably switch it around.
Sante, I do not think it makes any difference if we put CSM or PSM first, unless you put it the first amongst all other certifications then it will stand out.
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Jun 06, 2018 4:32 PM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Very true, those certifications don't really matter how you place them. But the question was asked how one would place them and I feel the PSM is worth more than the CSM so I would place that first. I have though on occasion that the PMI certifications alone are good enough to display, but unfortunately they don't have a Scrum certification so us letter collectors need to put something in there ;-)
Saving Changes...
Anish AbrahamPrivacy Program Manager| University of WashingtonAuburn, Wa, United States
Congratulations Sante for achieving the ASM and PSM certifications.
I'm planning to do PSM this year.
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Jun 06, 2018 4:33 PM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Thanks Anish, this was some time ago. Good luck on the PSM. It is considered (among many peers here) to be the best Scrum certification.
Sante, I do not think it makes any difference if we put CSM or PSM first, unless you put it the first amongst all other certifications then it will stand out.
Very true, those certifications don't really matter how you place them. But the question was asked how one would place them and I feel the PSM is worth more than the CSM so I would place that first. I have though on occasion that the PMI certifications alone are good enough to display, but unfortunately they don't have a Scrum certification so us letter collectors need to put something in there ;-) Saving Changes...
Congratulations Sante for achieving the ASM and PSM certifications.
I'm planning to do PSM this year.
Thanks Anish, this was some time ago. Good luck on the PSM. It is considered (among many peers here) to be the best Scrum certification. Saving Changes...
There are some scrum certificates for 50 and 100 dollars what do you think about It?
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Jun 06, 2018 6:14 PM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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There are many dodgy certification bodies around. The only good Scrum ones in my view are the PSM (Professional Scrum Master), ASM (Agile Scrum Master), CSM (Certified Scrum Master) and maybe the SMC (Scrum Master Certified).
There are some scrum certificates for 50 and 100 dollars what do you think about It?
There are many dodgy certification bodies around. The only good Scrum ones in my view are the PSM (Professional Scrum Master), ASM (Agile Scrum Master), CSM (Certified Scrum Master) and maybe the SMC (Scrum Master Certified). Saving Changes...
Well the CSM is still more well known than PSM, so most people would probably put CSM first. For those of us who value the PSM over the CSM, we would probably switch it around.
I passed PSM I and PSPO I, and next week attending 3-days course for CSM (yes, I've succumbed to the dark side).
PSM - it may be the most difficult exam to pass, but it gave the impression that anyone with no experience in scrum (or even read a single book on Agile), can claim to be "Professional" by merely passing an online exam via practice drills, study tips, and blog articles. There is no license number (expected by some) and no renewals, and in-person training not required (i.e. "not trained"). Of course for insiders we know that PSM I is only the first of three levels but most people never heard of "PSM III".
CSM - the test is not as important as staying awake through the 2/3-days mandatory class. It is very expensive unless your company paid for it. You get a license number (paying renewal fees) and the word "Certified" that HR looks for to approve sponsorship, and satisfied that you are "trained" for 2 or 3 full days. Insiders know there is CSM then A-CSM then CSP-SM but it is the CSM that sells with the right spellings.
That said, I'm only doing CSM because the cost is taken care off.
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Jun 06, 2018 9:58 PM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Yes the cost and sitting through boredom for a few days was the biggest obstacle, but having said that, like you if the cost was already covered I would probably do it also. I need a good snooze!
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