Who is a Scrum Master?
A scrum master helps a software development team work effectively using the agile approach. They ensure the team follows the Scrum principles, which involve regular meetings to plan, review, and improve their work. The scrum master also solves problems that might slow down the team and creates a positive and collaborative atmosphere.
Most of the time, scrum masters can be seen helping other team members, guiding them to do better, and creating an environment where every professional can communicate effectively and share their mind.
How does a Scrum Master make a difference?
Scrum masters are more than just project managers. They hold the team together, creating an environment where everyone can do their best work.
Bringing out each member's unique strengths helps the team work together and communicate effectively. As a result, the company can offer high-quality software solutions that meet the needs of its customers.
A scrum master also knows how to deal with change and uncertainty, inevitable in software development. Their job is to keep the team and the clients on the same page regarding their goals and priorities, and they accept feedback to improve.
A scrum master, on the other hand, is a leader who inspires and empowers their team to achieve great results.
The Scrum Masters also do their best when it comes to:
- Continuous career improvement
- Bringing transparency to the table
- Boosting the productivity of team members
- Building trust with clients and other higher authorities in an organization
- Creating a positive culture in the workplace
How does a Scrum Master work?
The role of a scrum master is to lead a team through the scrum process in developing a project. Scrum masters are not responsible for making decisions for their teams but guide them with their knowledge and skills to apply the scrum framework effectively.
Also, a scrum master should be able to manage the project flexibly and agilely to organize meetings as the project progresses. In addition, the scrum master serves as a mentor for the team, helping them work effectively.
As a scrum master, you’ll be responsible for:
- Improving the processing time by analyzing SQL, SSIS and VBA.
- Managing the budget and time of the project and showing your knowledge of TDD.
- Leading UX and e-commerce enhancement projects by owning the product roadmap, negotiating with different departments, and creating product requirements.
- Overseeing the release process and the SDLC for MMIS to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Coordinating the release development and deployment of vital ERP and call center web-based Java applications in an Agile/SCRUM setting.
- Implementing agile methods by managing and prioritizing the Kanban board.
- Guiding strategic direction, developing and revising product roadmap, and setting priorities for API products.
- Fostering positive working relationships with DevOps to support teams’ needs in infrastructure, environments and deployments, e.g.
- Creating scrum projects, helping in release train, grooming and estimating user stories, arranging ceremonies and reporting through JIRA.
- Working on providing solutions for cloud-to-cloud communication.
- Establishing the data environment for the cloud application and its migration.
- Identifying a need to add the module to the current MRI ERP system.
- Acting as API champion and spokesperson supporting new APIs from concept through integration.
- Initiating test-driven development (TDD) to test for critical increases in engineering costs.
- Leading the corporate documentation team transition to DocOps, the documentation partner to DevOps.
Important skills needed to become a Scrum Master
Jira: Use JIRA to create and manage dashboards, filters, and reports that show the status and performance of the project team, the product, and the business to end-users and leaders.
Software Development: Lead a software development team that worked on customer-facing and revenue-generating products for SquareTwo Financial as a Scrum Master.
Agile Scrum: Introduce Agile Scrum Methodology to the organization to enhance communication and transparency among the project team, the product management, and the business.
Kanban: Engage with stakeholders, fostered collaboration among team members, and promoted continuous improvement through Kanban and Scrum practices.
Continuous Improvement: Resolve conflicts and issues within and across Scrum teams, removed obstacles, and encouraged continuous improvement.
User Stories: Create functional requirement specifications, including epics, well-defined user stories, and process flow diagrams to support functional specifications.
Other soft skills
Analytical skills: To be a successful scrum master, you must think critically and solve problems creatively. In order to determine what is best for your project, you must analyze different types of data. You should understand what your customers need, what your team can accomplish, and the trade-offs for each feature.
Communication skills: As a team leader, you must clearly and concisely communicate your findings and analysis to your team members and clients at the company level. There is no doubt that effective communication is essential if you want to ensure that everyone works toward a common goal and is on the same page.
Creativity: Creativity is another important skill scrum masters need to have. Scrum masters must demonstrate this skill because they must think outside the box to resolve computer problems.
What does it take to become a scrum master?
A scrum master is an IT professional who helps IT teams work better with Agile software. As discussed above, Scrum is a way of working that breaks big tasks into smaller, easier ones. In simple words, Scrum is a method of making projects simpler and less time-consuming.
Scrum masters are like coaches; they guide the team members, help them finish their work, and teach them new skills. Scrum also makes the team more flexible and adaptable.
If you want to become a scrum master, here are some things you should know:
- You usually need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or business.
- You also need experience in similar jobs, like a project manager or business analyst.
- You should have some soft skills, like being good with people, being organized, and being able to solve problems.
- You don’t need much training to become a scrum master, but getting a certification like the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) can boost your career.
What is the average salary of a certified Scrum Master?
If you’re wondering how much a scrum master earns, here’s the answer. In the US, the average salary for a scrum master is about $86,000 a year. However, in some parts of the world, scrum masters make as low as $65,000, while others make as high as $114,000. If you prefer to work by the hour, you can expect to be paid around $42.
What are the job opportunities for a Scrum Master?
As a scrum master, you will have many job opportunities in many different industries and sectors worldwide.
As more and more companies adopt agile methodologies and practices, the demand for agile or scrum masters is on the rise.
The following are some of the job opportunities that are available for scrum masters:
- Scrum Master: $86,329
- Business Analyst: $74,431
- Project Leader: $98,559
- Senior Business Analyst: $96,844
Here are the best certifications for Scrum Masters
Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)
If you have a CSM credential and at least one year of experience as a scrum master, you can pursue an Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) certification.
The Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) certification will help you enhance your skills in the scrum framework, with a focus on facilitating the work of others, offering coaching to team members and building stronger team cooperation.
To maintain the A-CSM certification, you need to pay a $175 renewal fee every two years and complete at least 30 scrum education units within that period.
Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master (CSP-SM)
Professionals who have at least two years of experience as a scrum master in the last five years and have an Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) certification can earn the Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master (CSP-SM) certification.
The CSP-SM certification will show your advanced skills and knowledge in the scrum, lean and agile techniques. The Scrum Master CSP-SM certification will give you more authority as a scrum master with educational and practical experience.
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
Those who want to be product owners in a scrum-based project management system can earn the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification.
The Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification teaches you how to manage the needs and expectations of multiple stakeholders on a product, create a product vision on a project, and lead product-focused scrum project management.
Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)
The Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) certification is designed for product developer who works or wants to work with scrum techniques. T
he CSD certification program will teach you the basics of scrum project management and how they relate to the product development cycle. You must earn at least 40 scrum education units every two years to keep your CSD certification active.
SAFe Advanced Scrum Master
If you have experience and knowledge as a senior member within a scaled agile framework, you can earn the SAFe Advanced Scrum Master certification. The SAFe Advanced Scrum Master certification is for those who have already earned one or more certifications: SSM, CSM or PSM.
You can take the certification exam for free once you register for the course, but you must pay $50 for each extra attempt. You also have to pay $100 every year and complete at least 10 hours of continuing education each year to maintain your SAFe Advanced Scrum Master certification.
Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO)
Those who have the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification and some practical experience as a product owner can upgrade their skills and knowledge with the Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) certification from the Scrum Alliance.
The A-CSPO certification will help you learn advanced skills and techniques to improve your role as a product owner and work more effectively with your teams, stakeholders and customers. You will also learn to apply agile and scrum principles, product strategy and stakeholder management to your projects.
To maintain the A-CSPO certification, you must continue your learning and education. You have to earn at least 30 scrum education units (SEUs) every two years and pay a $175 renewal fee.
SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)
If you want to show your ability to work within a scaled agile scrum framework, earning the SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) certification is going to boost your career.
The SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) certification will test your knowledge of Kanban for team events, coaching agile teams and supporting program execution. You can take the certification exam for free once after the registration, but you must pay $50 for each additional attempt.
You must also complete at least 10 hours of continuing education and pay a $100 recertification fee yearly to maintain the SSM certification.
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
The Scrum Alliance offers the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification for those who want to learn the basics of scrum and become a scrum leader.
The CSM certification will help you work within a scrum framework and lead events such as daily scrums, sprint planning, sprint reviews and retrospectives. You will also learn how to handle a product backlog, how to estimate and prioritize work and how to encourage collaboration and self-organization within a team.
To maintain the CSM certification, you must complete at least 20 scrum education units every two years and pay a $100 renewal fee.
Certified Scrum Professional (CSP)
To earn the Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) certification, you must have advanced product development skills and experience.
You must also have a CSD certification, at least 36 months of agile or scrum work experience in the last five years, 70 scrum units of education in the last three years and a formal application.
You must pay a $100 application fee; if you get approved, you must pay another $150 certification fee.
Professional Scrum Developer
Those who want to prove their knowledge of scrum development can take the Professional Scrum Developer certification exam.
The Professional Scrum Developer certification exam will test how well you know the scrum guide, the software developer learning path, and your professional experience in scrum development.
You have to pay $200 for each attempt to pass the exam. You don't have to update your certification once you pass the Professional Scrum Developer certification exam.
Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO)
As a product owner, you are the bridge between the business and its clients and the one who manages the scrum backlog for the scrum master.
If you want to show your advanced skills and knowledge as a product owner on a scrum team, you can earn the Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO) certification or an Advanced Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (ACSP-PO) certification.
The CSP-PO certification will cost you around $495, while an ACSP-PO certification will cost you $1,495. To maintain the CSP-PO certification, you must pay $250 every two years and earn at least 40 scrum education units.
Professional Scrum Master (PSM)
The Professional Scrum Master (PSM) certification has three levels of difficulty. You can take the certification exam without any prerequisites, but you need to understand scrum principles and how to apply them in different situations.
The Professional Scrum Master (PSM) exam is suitable for experienced scrum professionals who can use their work experience to answer the questions. You can take the level 1 exam first, then the level 2 exam and finally the level 3 exam for $150, $250 and $500, respectively.
The PSM certification is valid for life, and you don’t have to do anything to keep it active.
The bottom line
If you are interested in becoming an effective scrum master in your organization who uses scrum techniques, you must obtain the scrum master certification.
By earning the scrum master certification, you will demonstrate your advanced knowledge of scrum management methods.
For those who want to enhance their skills and knowledge of scrum, we have shared a list of top scrum master certifications. Some of the most popular and recognized certifications are Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) and Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master (CSP-SM).
If you are interested in taking any of the scrum master certification exams, CBT Proxy can help you pass the exam on the very first try.
To learn more about the scrum master certifications, you can use the chat options: Telegram or WhatsApp. One of our guides will contact you in a few minutes.
