Public Training FAQ

Scrum Developer Certification Questions

What is the difference the Certified Scrum Developer Essentials training and the Agile Software Developer Essentials training?

The Certified Scrum Developer Essentials training is forty hours that includes programming labs and is offered in-person or online. The Agile Software Developer Essentials training is twenty hours that does not include programming labs and is offered in-person or online. The Agile Software Developer Intensive is a follow-on training that includes programming labs, if desired.

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What is the difference between Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Developer training?

They are vastly different and both are important. ScrumMaster training teaches the Scrum Framework which is applicable to all members on the team. The ScrumMaster role does not necessarily include writing code so there isn’t much guidance on how to write software in an iterative process. This is what the Certified Scrum Developer training is about. A large part of being a successful Scrum developer is about understanding solid engineering practices and problem solving techniques to create better designs and produce higher quality code.

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Are all Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) courses the same?

No, CSD courses must fulfill a minimum set of learning objectives. My developer training is based on my experience training thousands of software developers in practical, software-development techniques over the last 23 years. I focus on best practices of expert developers. My CSD training is five days instead of three so I am able to go into the material in greater depth. It focuses on specific successful practices productive teams use to build software.

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Can anyone teach a Certified Scrum Developer class?

No, only instructors approved by the Scrum Alliance and associated with Registered Education Providers may lead a CSD class. To Be Agile is one of just a handful of Registered Education Providers offering Certified Scrum Developer training.

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What classes do I need to take to become a Certified Scrum Developer?

I offer a forty-hour developer intensive CSD program that goes into Scrum developer issues in much greater depth than other three-day trainings. My Certified Scrum Developer Essentials training includes the Scrum Framework Developer Essentials course, the Design Pattern Development Essentials course, and the Scrum Software Development Essentials course. I offer this developer-focused certification path in public classes, at different locations around the globe, and as private classes for clients. Contact me for more details on private classes.

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Are there any prerequisites for becoming a Certified Scrum Developer?

Yes, to attend the class you should be familiar with object-oriented concepts and terminology. In the past, non-programmers such as project managers and QA engineers have found great value in attending with their team. This is welcomed and encouraged.

However, in order to be grated Scrum Developer Certification, you must demonstrate that you can develop using the techniques covered in class by writing code in the programming exercises and participating in the class.

To become certified as a Scrum Developer you must participate in the class and demonstrate that you understand the concepts taught in class by completing the programming exercises with your lab partner.

If you know enough Java or C Sharp to iterate through a collection then you know enough programming to do the labs. It’s helpful to be familiar with an IDE such as Eclipse for Java or Visual Studio for C Sharp.

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Do I have to pay a membership fee to the Scrum Alliance to be a Certified Scrum Developer

No, not initially. I will pay your dues to the Scrum Alliance for your first two years of membership as a Certified Scrum Developer.You are responsible for maintaining your membership after that period.

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Do I need to pass a test to become as a Certified Scrum Developer?

You currently do not need to pass a test to become a Certified Scrum Developer. Full attendance and participation in the training, including completing the programming exercises with your lab partner, plus filling out some paperwork is all that is required. I reserve the right to deny certification if I feel you are not ready. If you feel unprepared to be certified you can decide to delay your certification, in which case I will work with you to help you become prepared.

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How can it only take sixteen hours of training to become a Scrum developer?

It can’t. It is expected that after the training you will begin applying the techniques you learned to your projects and in time you will become an experienced Scrum Developer. Successful developers follow guidelines and certain problem-solving techniques to help them build better software. My training covers many of these techniques.

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Why is becoming a Certified Scrum Developer important?

There are very few certifications for software developers. The new Scrum Developer Certification is focused on a set of core competencies that raises the level of professionalism for software development. It emphasizes a set of broad standards and practices for building any kind of software, as opposed to covering a specific technology or framework that will go out-of-date next year. The principles and practices I teach will help you rapidly deliver high quality software. These are the critical skills that help us drive success on our projects and are what employers are looking for.

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Online Training Questions

How do online classes work?

Online classes work exactly the same way as in-person classes and you will be expected to fully participate in the training as if we were all in the same room. You must be able to see and hear the instructor, and the instructor, as well as other participants, must be able to see and hear you (see hardware requirements below). You will be asked to provide feedback throughout the class, answer quizzes, and participate in discussions and exercises.

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What are the hardware requirements for online classes?

You must be able to see and hear everyone in the class and they must be able to see and hear you. Therefore, you need a computer with a good internet connection and a webcam installed. You can purchase a good webcam for under $20, for example, here. For audio, your computer will need a sound card or you can purchase a USB sound card for under $10 here. You will also need a comfortable microphone/headset, which can be purchased for around $25, for example, here. Alternately, for audio, you can call in on a conference line during class but toll charges may apply.

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What are the hours of online classes?

Full-day classes start at 9:00 am Mountain Time and go to 5:30 pm Pacific Time. We typically break for ten minutes once in the morning and three times in the afternoon plus half an hour for lunch from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm Mountain Time.

Half-day classes start at 9:00 am Mountain Time and go until 1:00 pm Mountain Time with one or two ten-minute breaks.

Some classes will have flexible/different hours. The hours are usually designed so people from both coasts of the US and Europe can attend.

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Why am I required to attend a 60-minute online orientation session prior to class?

In some cases, in order to ensure you are receiving the best training experience, we must check your system’s hardware and software and upgrade any needed components before class starts.

Can I record our sessions?

You may use your computer to take notes. You may not record audio or video of our sessions.

General Questions

What kind of after-course support do you offer with your training?

I am committed to helping my students master the techniques I teach and I realize that a few days of training, no matter how comprehensive, is not enough for most people to become master developers. That only comes with experience. Therefore, I provide after-course support free of charge to alumni of my training and I offer a variety of additional coaching and consulting options to help you catalyze change for yourself and throughout your organization.

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Do you have references from people who have taken your training?

Yes, a small fraction of the more than 10,000 software developers I’ve trained are listed on my Testimonials page.

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What if we want to register multiple people for a public class?

It is especially valuable for multiple team members to attend this training as it helps everyone get on the same page with a common vocabulary and set of skills. To encourage this, I give discounts for groups of 4 or more who would like to attend the same public CSD/A-CSD combo class. I also offer private classes online or at your facility for your whole team. This is usually more cost-effective for groups of 10 or more individuals. Please contact me for more information.

What is your cancellation policy for public classes?

See my Cancellation Policy page for details.

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What if we did not find value in attending one of your public classes?

Based on more than 20 years of experience training professional software developers, I am confident that you will find value in my trainings. I have a simple satisfaction guarantee: If, at the end of the training, you are not satisfied, just let me know and I’ll refund your entire registration fee. All I ask in return is that you write a short note explaining what you found unsatisfactory and what I can do to make the training better in the future.

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Does To Be Agile have a Code of Conduct?

Yes, our Code of Conduct can be found here.

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