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My motivation

Becoming a CSP - Certified Scrum Professional was the next natural step for me to express my commitment to Scrum as a project management framework and to reflect this to the outside world. As a ScrumMaster, I start with continuous improvement with myself, because in my ScrumMaster role as a servant leader I want to exemplify the continuous improvement process.

At the Global Scrum Gathering in Berlin, which I attended last year, I met many highly qualified Scrum trainers and coaches. This gave me an additional incentive to gain further personal qualifications.

Furthermore, the way the CSP certification process works was a meaningful addition to my intrinsic motivation to improve my skills as an agile coach.

Certification process & differences between CSP and CSM/CSPo

I was able to achieve the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification with the time investment of 2 days and the financial investment for the required ScrumMaster training. In my opinion, one weak point is that professional experience in the Scrum environment is not a prerequisite.

however, you become a "Certified Scrum Professional" (CSP) by actively living Scrum. There are three requirements that I had to fulfill in order to be able to apply for the CSP certification.

• You have to have at least 36 months of professional experience in an agile environment. This does not have to be consecutive, but within the last 5 years.
• In addition, so-called "Scrum Education Units" (SEUs) are required. You collect SEUs by attending Scrum Alliance events or training courses, going to Scrum User Groups or other Scrum or Agile events, for example. The Global Scrum Gathering in Berlin was a highlight for me. But I also regularly go to the user group in Karlsruhe to discuss current topics with other Scrum experts.
• Last but not least, you need a valid CSM, CSPO or CSD certificate from the Scrum Alliance.

In order to finally receive the certification, I had to document my agile "career" in the application and describe the respective learning content of the events or further training courses I attended. In other words, my personal investment was much higher overall than for the CSM certification.

What I find attractive about this form of certification is that it is "simple" or obvious if someone is actually interested in and committed to Scrum out of conviction. For "certificate hunters", on the other hand, it is tedious to complete this whole procedure up to the application stage.

Benefit

The certificate can thus be seen as a kind of indicator of the quality and seriousness with which I personally, and therefore alsopunkt.deas a company in which I work, live Scrum values and principles.

The constant exchange with colleagues, which is rewarded by this certification, also fertilizes many topics related to the transition frompunkt.deto an agile company. Only by exchanging ideas with agile coaches who work in other companies can I find out what level other companies are operating at, for example in terms of self-organization at company level, and can take their experiences on board.punkt.deso that we as a company can benefit from it. I incorporate what I have learned into the processes and structures atpunkt.deas quickly as possible.

The dimensions are multi-layered, because I can optimize and support processes in many areas: By improving my moderation skills or adding more variety to the spectrum of my moderation methods, as a ScrumMaster I can lead my team in the retrospective more specifically to improvements in the development process - which saves time. And what saves time also saves the customer money in the service sector, wherepunkt.desector, where things move, also saves the customer money. All measures to improve code quality, which I strive for in my role as ScrumMaster, also have an indirect and long-term benefit for the customer.punkt.de-Customers indirectly and in the long term, because good code is always easier to maintain and expand.

It is important for me to regularly meet other agile coaches to check whether I am still "right" with my own work. I don't want to become "operationally blind" under any circumstances, but rather regularly question the quality of my work myself. The exchange with other ScrumMasters, POs and agile coaches makes this much easier for me. I have further developed my agile mindset and am able to pass on this knowledge withinpunkt.deand our customers. I have also received countless suggestions for improving the processes in my team and atpunkt.dereceived. Our customers also benefit from this.

In the agile principles, satisfying the customer with a focus on value creation is a top priority. If I improve the Scrum process and the Scrum implementation atpunkt.deour customers also benefit - because the customer's value creation is an integral goal in the agile mindset.

Support throughpunkt.de

Through thepunkt.dehas given me great support over the last 3 years, for example by allowing me to take part in events during my working hours. For example, I would not have been able to afford to attend the Global Scrum Gathering in Berlin last year.

The support frompunkt.defor participation in further training measures is generally very generous. The decision as to whether employees attend a conference or training course is made bypunkt.dethe decision as to whether employees attend a conference or training course is made by the relevant development team, as there is a conviction that the team is best placed to assess which knowledge will enrich and complement the team. The costs for the event and accommodation are usually covered bypunkt.de. Atpunkt.dewe attach great importance to not "standing still" as a company!

Conclusion

So if it is important to you to be, remain or become a good ScrumMaster, then you actually fulfill the requirements for certification anyway or will soon. After all, if you want to work in an agile environment because you are convinced of the agile values and principles, there is no way around seeking out exchanges with your "agile" colleagues and attending events or further training opportunities that focus on Scrum and other agile methods - because it is the best way to put your own work to the test and improve it. The SEUs then come on top, so to speak.

When I decided to apply for the CSP, I had to retroactively research all the event dates I'd been to over the last few years from various calendars, notes and documents. That took me a lot of time.

My tip: Write down the events you go to (at least the date, duration, location, contact person and what you did and learned there) - it costs little if the memory is fresh and saves you a lot of time when you submit your application ;-)

By the way, I can highly recommend the following events:

• Agile Coach Camp Germany(http://agilecoachcamp.de/)- where you can meet lots of good agile coaches in a relaxed atmosphere
• XP Days(www.xpdays.de)- always alternating between Hamburg and Karlsruhe
• Play4Agile(https://play4agile.wordpress.com)- I've never been, I urgently need to go!
• Scrum Day Stuttgart(http://www.scrum-day.de/)
• Global Scrum Gatherings(https://www.scrumalliance.org)- definitely go if you have the opportunity to meet many colleagues from other countries
• Scrum Coaching Retreat(https://www.scrumalliance.org)- I haven't been yet either, but I definitely have to go
• Scrum user groups - very important to know who else is working on the same topics as you in the city/region
• Core Day(http://www.coachreflectionday.org/)- usually takes place once a year at different locations in Germany

Further links:

https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/developer-track/certified-scrum-professional-for-developers

https:// www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/practitioners/csp-certification/why-i-decided-to-become-a-csp

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