Certified Scrum Developer® Certification: A Comprehensive Guide

Let's be real: The job market, especially in product development, is highly competitive, and you need a trump card to stand out. In such a competitive climate, a Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification credential can go above and beyond in jumpstarting your career.

The Certified Scrum Developer^® program equips participants with a body of knowledge about the Scrum framework, including the artifacts, events, and accountabilities that come along with it. Since Scrum is a framework and not a prescriptive methodology, implementing Scrum principles and practices demands a lot of diligence, patience, and dedication to continuous improvement. 

Let's learn more about the Certified Scrum Developer^® program.

What is a Certified Scrum Developer^® - An Overview

A Certified Scrum Developer^®, or CSD in short, is a product developer with a robust understanding of Agile and Scrum development principles and specialized agile engineering skills. Naturally, a Scrum developer is expected to be able to handle the dynamic scaling of projects that is a part of the Agile framework. 

Agile product development involves dividing the project into brief sprint development phases. Following each cycle, product teams provide a functional product to customers to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments.

As expected from the role, a Scrum Developer will likely work under time constraints and collaborate with only a handful of teammates in each project. As such, they must also be minutely familiar with the process's functionality to work in such demanding environments. 

Scrum developers, certified through the Certified Scrum Developer^® Course, often deal with software development in a Scrum environment. A Certified Scrum Developer^® needs to master the tools and techniques required to build good products, following iterative and incremental strategies.

 A Brief History of Scrum 

It would be better to dig into the history of Scrum to grasp the importance of these certifications fully. In 1986, Japanese scholars Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka unveiled their concept in the Harvard Business Review's "New Product Development Game." This revolutionary article laid the groundwork for what would eventually evolve into Scrum.

In the early 1990s, Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland presented an equally important paper at the OOPSLA Conference in Austin, Texas. This decisive moment catapulted Scrum into the mainstream, establishing Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org, each offering unique certification programs. But what exactly are these two? 

Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org are the two main organizations that offer certifications in Scrum. Both these organizations come with their strengths and weaknesses, and it is always wiser to be familiar with the differences before choosing either one for a certification.

The oldest and the largest Scrum certification organization, the Scrum Alliance, was established in 2001 by Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle – both of whom were responsible for creating Scrum. As expected, the Scrum Alliance offers several certifications – the Certified Scrum Developer^® (CSD), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), and the Certified Scrum Master (CSM).  

Why Should You Choose A Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification?

It's no wonder that Scrum adoption is reaching the sky nowadays, and a study says that close to 81 percent of agile teams use Scrum or a hybrid variant of it. The same study concluded that, as a consequence of this rapid adoption, a staggering 78 percent of Scrum users would recommend this methodology to their colleagues. 

When you read about Scrum usage statistics, you will find that Scrum is the most popular methodology for integrating the Agile management strategy and work into teams. But how do teams benefit from adopting Scrum methodology? Simply put, better quality of work, increased productivity, and better professional life.  

Teams that choose Scrum for their entire pipeline and subsequently estimate the workload for their tasks have an enormous 250 percent higher work quality than teams without estimates, significantly reducing the output's defect density. Similarly, teams that resort to Scrum are found to be 3 to 4 times more productive; the best Scrum teams are sometimes measured to be even eight times more productive.  

As we discuss the benefits of the CSD^® certification, it will become clearer that this Certification is a must-have for IT Professionals, Developers, Project Managers, QA Testers, Business Analysts, and Engineers.

Benefits of Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification

Earning a CSD^® Certification opens your doors to many opportunities and benefits. Let us take a peek into some of these:

Knowledge of Scrum Foundation

The Scrum Developer Certification offers a structured approach to learning the foundational principles associated with Scrum. You can acquire knowledge and skills from some of the most experienced professionals working on Agile development projects.  

Demonstration of Scrum Knowledge 

Attending the certified course can demonstrate an in-depth understanding of Scrum to peers and employers. It serves as proof of your commitment to mastering several Scrum practices. 

Agile Best Practices

You can gain an in-depth knowledge of Agile best practices with the help of the Scrum Developer certification. These practices often include test-driven development, continuous integration, pair programming, etc., that offer opportunities for your international career growth. Moreover, this certification course is recognized globally, allowing you to work with diverse teams across various geographical locations. 

Career Expansion

The Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification helps you acquire Agile development skills to apply across different industrial sectors. Not only that, but the Certification also opens doors to several career opportunities, thereby enhancing your employability prospects. 

Scrum Community

If you become a Certified Scrum Developer^®, you can join the thriving community of recognized professional experts dedicated to continuous improvement. It further allows you to stay updated on the latest developments associated with Agile methodologies. 

Increased Earning Potential

Certified Scrum Developers can command higher salaries than their non-certified peers. It is because reputed employer organizations value such certified professionals who can make Agile projects successful. Your expertise as a certified expert will lead to better compensation packages in the future. 

Also, check:Certified Scrum Developer Salary

Quality Deliverables

If you become a Certified Scrum Developer^®, you can deliver efficient software that meets client expectations. This is because the Certification strongly emphasizes code quality, testing, and continuous improvement - a commitment to quality that enhances customer satisfaction.

Competitive Advantage

Having a Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification demonstrates your dedication to mastering Agile practices and commitment to professional development. The Certification further enables you to collaborate closely with clients and make necessary arrangements to deliver software that meets their expectations. 

Cross-Functional Skills 

You will be trained as a Certified Scrum Developer^® to work effectively across different cross-functional teams. It will further help you gain exposure to various aspects associated with software development. The same also includes testing, design, and project management tasks.  

Project Management Skills

The Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification provides insights into several Agile project management principles. It further allows you to understand project dynamics and prioritize tasks accordingly. This, in turn, helps you thrive in Agile environments and contributes to a fulfilling career in software development. For a detailed exploration of the benefits of the Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification, further information is available for review.

How to Become a Certified Scrum Developer^®? 

Above all things, a Scrum Developer is committed to continuous development. To become a Scrum Developer, you can enroll in the CSD program at Simpliaxis. The program offers you access to world-class trainers who equip you with the knowledge base and skills to excel in the exam.

Once enrolled in the program, you can complete the training and exam in two days. 

The program is taught and supervised by a CSD educator who the Scrum Alliance formally approves. Participants are compulsorily required to show an understanding of Scrum and Agile development practices by passing the Certified Scrum Developer^® assessment that the educator provides.

The assessment may be conducted as an exam the educator supervises to test participants' knowledge. Only when the educator uploads the participant's information into the system of Scrum Alliance can participants qualify for the Certification.

Who is this Certification Meant for? 

There are no Ideal candidates for the CSD training. However, those working in the software or IT domain can specifically benefit from the training. This course is, as you may have guessed, hands-on, involving actual programming within a collaborative team setting. 

The CSD course is focused on programming, emphasizing practical application rather than a broad survey or discussion. Participants can dive into writing, testing, and receiving feedback on real code guided by experienced instructors.

Before attending the training, professionals should come prepared with a solid understanding of:

· The Scrum Guide

· Agile Manifesto (4 values and 12 principles) 

· The Scrum Values 

Eligibility Criteria for Certified Scrum Developer^® Certification

Although there are no formal requirements for attending the Scrum training program, working knowledge of Scrum is desirable in every participant aiming for the coveted Certified Scrum Developer^® certification. 

There are currently two different tracks available for you to achieve CSD^® certification. Once you complete a track, you'll receive a notification to claim your CSD license, proudly displayed on your profile. 

The two tracks are detailed below:

Track 1

• CSM course (2 days)
•  CSD technical course (with coding) (3 days)

Track 2

• Intro to Scrum CSD course (1 day)
• CSD technical course (with coding) (3 days)
• CSD technical elective course (1 day)

Participants must demonstrate a detailed understanding of Scrum and Agile practices while progressing through the training.

Post-Training and Renewal

Upon successfully completing the course, participants receive a Certified Scrum Developer® Certification, valid for two years. The Certification needs to be renewed every second year, and it can be renewed by earning Scrum Education Units, or SEUs. A minimum of 20 SEUs and a renewal fee of $100 are required for the renewal process. 

Scrum Education Units are earned by attending and participating in Scrum-related events such as Scrum Alliance Global Gatherings, Scrum Alliance Regional Gatherings, and User Groups. They can also be earned by preparing presentations about Scrum, authoring relevant books, blogs, or articles, watching a webinar, or reading Scrum books in-depth. Even providing non-compensated professional Scrum services (volunteering) earns one SEU.

What To Expect From the Certified Scrum Developer^® Course 

The Certified Scrum Developer^® Program attendees are expected to learn many essential concepts and skills necessary to work successfully and efficiently in a Scrum team that focuses on developing software. 

Participants are also taught to be able to bring the required collaboration capabilities into their team. Most of all, the Certified Scrum Developer^® course highlights the need for agile engineering practices, and it encourages the participants to adopt these in their specific contexts.

The Scrum Alliance uses the 2020 updated version of the Scrum Guide titled The Definitive Guide to Scrum: The Rue Gles of thame, authored by Schwaber and Sutherland (co-creators of Scrum) as the guiding curriculum for the Certified Scrum Developer^® course.  

The six main learning objectives of the Certified Scrum Developer^® Curriculum are 

· Lean, Agile, and Scrum

· Collaboration

· Architecture & Design

· Refactoring

· Test Driven Development

· Continuous Integration

Let's take a closer look at what each of these entails about the Scrum framework:

Lean, Agile & Scrum:

• Utilizing Sprint Backlog for planning and executing tasks in a defined time frame.
• Scrum team turning Product Backlog Items (PBIs) into valuable increments during a sprint.
• Organizing and conducting daily Scrum meetings for effective communication and progress tracking.
• Identifying attributes of PBIs (prioritized requirements or features).
• Defining criteria for a "Definition of Done" to measure progress and transparency.

Collaboration & Team Dynamics:

· Explaining differences between working groups and teams.

· Discussing attributes that contribute to team effectiveness.

· Demonstrating cohesive collaboration and unity within the team.

· Describing benefits of direct developer interactions with customers/users.

· Outlining ways Scrum teams collaborate with stakeholders, customers, & users during sprints.

Architecture & Design:

· Outlining benefits of technical excellence.

· Explaining design practices in an agile team.

· Listing principles of architecture in an agile environment.

Refactoring:

· Defining refactoring.

· Describing the benefits of refactoring in agile software development.

Test Driven Development (TDD):

· Explaining test-first as a design and development approach with its benefits.

· Listing differences between "traditional" and "agile" testing.

· Emphasizing the importance of refactoring in the TDD cycle.

· Describing the qualities of a good agile testing approach.

Continuous Integration (CI):

· Ongoing integration of code changes from multiple contributors.

· Early issue detection, fewer conflicts, faster development.

· Scrum Support for CI.

· Automated Pipeline Streamlines building, testing, and measuring code quality.

A Step Towards Gaining a CSD^® Certification 

Since its creation, Scrum has been adopted by the vast majority of software development companies in the world, fueling rising demands for Scrum Certified professionals. As such, attaining a CSD^® certification is a compelling and well-informed choice for anyone wanting to strengthen their skills in agile software development and boost their professional roles.  

Payscale notes the average salary of workers with a Certified Scrum Developer^® certification at a whopping $90,177 per annum. Even beyond financial gains, the CSD^® certification enables roles such as Senior Developer, Project Manager, and Scrum Product Developer in established conglomerates such as Accenture, Infosys, Booz, and Hamilton, to name a few.

With benefits at both individual and organizational levels, the Certified Scrum Developer^® certification acts as a gateway to distinguishing yourself from the pack. It allows you to project your skills and commitment to your employer.

Finding The Right Certification Course 

It is easily noticeable these days that the clamor for certifications like CSM, CSD, and CSPO has reached a fever pitch. However, amidst the buzz, the question lingers: Which Certification is the right fit for you? Let's attempt to clarify the confusion and understand the differences between these certifications.

The rush to get certified without a clear understanding of the underlying concepts is a bad practice. One must clearly understand Scrum and its different courses and certifications to make an informed choice. 

Simpliaxis provides one of the most comprehensive CSD programs with the most trained faculty to help you advance your career path. Enroll for the CSD course now!

Conclusion

With the fundamentals cleared, Simpliaxis can help steer your career in the right direction. By choosing Simpliaxis, you're committing to excellence in propelling your career in Scrum and Agile. 

Our CSD^® certification will be a roadmap to a successful career, a tight-knit community, and steadfast support to help you reach your goals. With this Certification, your Scrum skills reach a level of precision that's truly outstanding. Let's start this journey together, where every milestone marks your advancement.