(Originally written in 2020)
Ever since I had the opportunity to work as a Product Owner, I’ve been considering a certification that could enhance my career and help me understand the nuances of product ownership.
In late November 2019, I decided to pursue a certification exam. I had to choose between Scrum.org’s Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) and Scrum Alliance’s Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). The decision was straightforward; I opted for the PSPO for several reasons:
- This certification is cost-effective at just $200.
- Once you successfully pass the exam, you will hold a certification as a Product Owner for life, eliminating the need to accumulate PDUs in the future.
- The exam is challenging and tests your knowledge of the subject matter. It consists of 80 questions that must be completed within one hour, and a score of 85% or higher is required to pass, which can be quite challenging.
- Additionally, there is no requirement to attend a mandatory two-day preparatory course at a Prometric partner location.
After making the decision to take the exam, I spent nearly two months preparing. However, I wasn’t entirely confident until the last moment. Still, I went ahead and registered with Scrum.org to take the PSPO-1 exam in February 2020. To my delight, I passed on my first attempt with a score of 92.5%.
Achieving this certification requires dedication and effort—there are no shortcuts. I recommend reading the Scrum Guide thoroughly and attempting as many mock tests as possible during your preparation.
Useful material that will help in cracking PSPO-1 certification:
- Read the Scrum guide thoroughly. 3-4 times till you are comfortable with the content. Link – https://www.scrum.org/resources/scrum-guide?gclid=CjwKCAjwvZv0BRA8EiwAD9T2VUCcZqBU8vepaEauT0RBJD2F3666_canRwmIdNCV49i8cOAEpBs7fxoCpYUQAvD_BwE
- Mikhail Lapshin has prepared an excellent quiz for PSPO-1 aspirants, similar to his PSM-1 quizzes. A combination of the PSPO and the PSM quizzes would ensure good coverage of the scrum guide. Link – http://mlapshin.com/index.php/scrum-quizzes/
- Mock tests by mplaza. It’s not free, I would suggest going for their PSPO-1 exam package. Questions are very near to what is being asked in the actual exam. Link – https://mplaza.training/exam-simulators/pspo/
- Visit Volkerdon’s site. Its mock test is also good. Link – https://www.volkerdon.com/pages/pspo-1-exam-tips
- Do the Scrum Product Owner Open assessment until you can do it fast and score close to 100% three times in a row. Link – https://www.scrum.org/open-assessments
- Read: The Professional Product Owner: Leveraging Scrum as a Competitive Advantage written by Don McGreal and Ralph Jocham
- Go through Scrum Forums, tips and Glossary on Scrum.Org
- Contact me: pbisht@gmail.com
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