Agile Certifications

You might have wondered why Best Agile Certification in 2021 is having a lot of demand in the Project management Industry when compared to other certifications.

This is because It allows the end-users to make small intent changes without making immense adjustments to the Budget or Plan. Both Development and testing activities are executed concurrently unlike the traditional methods.

In a survey conducted by Scrum Alliance, it was found that around 67% of professionals have worked on four Agile projects in the year.

So, those who are seeking to work in an Agile-based environment can choose the right Agile certification matching their interests and scale new heights in their career.   

Agile methodologies have revolutionized the face of the information industry which has increased the demand for Agile Certified Professionals in the market to fulfill the growing demands of IT and other related industries.

1. What is Agile Certification Training?

Unlike traditional methodologies, Agile is an approach that focuses on breaking a project into smaller and manageable chunks and provides continuous feedback until the project gets completed. Agile is not a methodology itself but contains numerous methodologies that can be approached to produce output as per the client's demand. 

By taking the best Agile Certification Training, you will learn several methodologies and concepts that are needed to improve the project management skills and also help you to CLEAR the Agile Certification exams.

2. Why Should You Choose an Agile Certification?

Choosing for an agile certification in 2021 can bring exponential growth to your career as there is a high demand for Agile certified professionals in today's corporate sector.

Agile certified experts get much higher salaries compared to non-certified professionals. In addition, there are numerous benefits of the Best Agile Certifications and they are worth the time and money.

3. Who Can Take Up Agile Certification?

An Agile Certification Training can be taken up by the following professionals:

• Product Owners
• Scrum Masters
• Project managers and team leaders
• Integration managers
• Working and aspiring Agile coaches

[ Related Page: Learn Agile Interview Questions and Answers ]

What are the Benefits of Agile certifications?

1) High Demand

Companies all over the world look for candidates having the best academic background and the ability to manage the project with a high success rate. Agile certification adds extra knowledge and gives better approaching skills to the candidates. In the market, professionals who have experience working on agile methodologies have so much demand.

2) Wide Range of Methodologies

Under Agile certification, a candidate gets to learn a wide range of Agile approaches like FDD, Kanban, Scrum, Crystal, etc. The Agile training will teach candidates working with Agile methods, apparatuses and enhance the skills to get a better opportunity in their career.

3) Certified Growth in Industry

With an Agile methodology certification, people involved in the project management profession will reach new heights of success by showing their skills on agile methodologies. Therefore, if you are looking for Agile training, get enrolled in the best training institute to get better career prospects.

4) Increased Productivity

Companies employing the agile methodologies to run their business are registering more productivity than companies using other methodologies, specifically in terms of completing the project within the expected time and budget.

[ Related Article: Agile Project Management Tutorial for Beginners ]

What are the Top Agile Certifications Available in the Market :

1. Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

Scrum Alliance offers certified Scrum Product Owner certification. As a CSPO, a candidate works on defining the product vision, delights the customer by delivering the most valuable features, catalog the Product Backlog, and responsible for maximizing the ROI.

The exam details are:

• Duration of the Exam: No exam

• Total Number of questions: Not Applicable

• Cost of certification: @1295

2. Certified Scrum Master (CSM)

Certified Scrum Master is offered by the larger established certification organization in the agile community, Scrum Alliance.

This exam tests your knowledge on Scrum Master, Development Team, Product Owner), ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Sprint Demo, Backlog Refinement, Sprint Retrospective, Daily Standup), and artifacts (Product Backlog Increment, Sprint and Product Backlog)

The Certified Scrum Master exam details are:

• Between $700 to $1500
• Duration of the Exam: 60 minutes
• Total Number of questions: 50 (Multiple Choice, Open Book)
• Pass Percentage: 74% (Open Book)
• Cost of certification: Between $700 to $1500

3. Agile Scrum Master (ASM)

The Agile Scrum Master Certification is a unique certification containing a blend of methodologies, scrum practices as well as practical assignments. It is conducted to analyze and test how well a candidate can be a facilitator or coach to the team and help in better project management..

The Agile Scrum Master Certification exam details are:

• Duration: 1 hour and 30 minute

• Total Number of questions: 40 (Multiple Choice, Closed Book)

• Pass Percentage: 65%

• Cost of Certification: $260

4.Professional Scrum Master (PSM) 

Professional Scrum Master certification tests the candidate's knowledge on the topics like Scrum Frameworks, roles of a Scrum Master, etc. The Training course integrates team-based exercises with instructions, focusing on team motivation, conflict resolution, team dynamics, and improved planning and estimation.

The Professional Scrum Master exam details are:

• Duration of the Exam: 60 minutes
• Total Number of questions: 80 (Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer and True/False, Closed Book)
• Pass Percentage: 85%
• Cost of certification: Starts from $150

5. PMI - Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

The Agile Certified Practitioner certification recognizes a candidate's knowledge of Agile Manifesto and its principles. The PMI-ACP covers agile such as Scrum, Lean (Kanban), DSDM, Crystal and TDD, extreme programming (XP). ACP is more rigorous as it tests theoretical knowledge as well as practical experiences along with Agile skills.

The exam details are:

• Duration of the Exam: 3 hours

• Total Number of questions: 120 (Multiple Choice, Closed Book)

• Pass Percentage No explicit Pass Percentage mentioned by PMI

• Cost of certification: For PMI Members: $435.00

•  For non-PMI members: $495.00

6. ICAgile Certified Professional

The International Consortium offers ICAgile Certified Professional certification for Agile. The certification is relevant for candidates who feel the need to “doing” Agile. It tests concepts whether the candidate has a clear understanding of like system thinking, facilitation, emotional intelligence, and a deeper understanding of the Scrum Framework.

The ICAgile Certified Professional exam details are:

• Duration of the Exam: No exam

• Total Number of questions: Not Applicable

• Pass Percentage: Not Applicable

• Cost of certification: $1000

7. ICP-Agile Certified Coach

The International Consortium provides the ICP-ACC certification for Agile. After completing this certification, candidates will be able to differentiate between coaching, facilitating, mentoring, and teaching and create an inclusive environment for conflict resolution collaboration within an Agile team. 

The ICP-ACC exam details are:

• Duration of the Exam: No exam

• Total Number of questions: Not Applicable

• Pass Percentage: Not Applicable

• Cost of Certification: $1795

An agile certification training is recommended for professionals:

• Product Owners

• Scrum Masters

• Iteration Managers

• Working and aspiring Agile Coaches, Project Managers, and Team Leaders

8. Agile Scrum Foundation

There are many trusted authorities that provide Agile Scrum Foundation certification to professionals in the digital domain. Agile Scrum Foundation certification testifies a candidate's ability to understand the core concept of the Agile methodologies and Scrum framework.

The Agile Scrum Foundation exam details are:

• Duration of the Exam: 1 hour

• Total Number of questions: 40 (Multiple Choice)

• Pass Percentage: 65% (Closed Book)

• Cost of Certification: $ 250

How to Become Agile Certified?

Today, organizations around the world prefer agile methodologies over traditional methodologies. A candidate can become Agile certified professional by following the below-given instructions.

Step #1: According to interest, candidates need to plan which agile certification is best for them and check if they are eligible for it or not.

Step #2: Find a reputed training class that can help you better prepare for the exams 

Step #3: Be a dedicated student and cover all the concepts under that particular certification.

Step #4: Schedule and pass the exam with a good score. Check out for how long the certification is valid and how many PDUs it wants to maintain the certificate as a project management professional (PMP).

Agile Certification Cost

Before scheduling any agile online course, it is important to know its cost. Below, we have mentioned the cost of different agile certifications that will help you choose the certification easily.

Tips for Selecting the Right Agile training and certification?

Ans: Are you confused about which Agile certification in 2021 is right for you? Do not worry; we are here to clarify your doubts and help you to have a clear vision of what is best for you. Please read the below-given points to make sure you are on the right track.

1) Know your priorities

Before deciding anything, a candidate needs to think about what he/she wants to achieve from training. Take enough time to do all the required research work to know your goals before finalizing any certification.

2) Look at your project environment

It is related to what type of environment you are presently working in and what you want to work in the future. Do your upcoming projects require agile methodologies? Are you aiming to become a lead or project manager for agile cultured projects and so on?

3) Choose a reputable training provider

To get better guidelines and prepare wisely, we all need a good tutor. That is why it is very important to search for the best training provider, which can help you get through the exam easily.

Most of the courses include practical sessions, so ask your training provider if they conduct practical sessions. Also, we recommend candidates choosing a respected international certification that will offer a strong standard of capability and better career opportunities.

Conclusion

As global companies of every scale are adopting Agile Methodology, the demand for Agile Certification has increased tremendously. Many Agile Certifications are available in the Market, Practitioners have to take a smart decision depending on their requirement. If the Objective is to learn the essential concepts of Agile Methodology and Scrum Framework, Agile Scrum Foundation Certification is suitable. 

Still, if you are having any doubts, do not hesitate to drop your comments in the comment box. Thanks for reading!!