FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About Scrum and Agile Training

Scrum Training in India

For Frequently Asked Questions specific to the India region, click here.

PMI - ACP

   For Frequently Asked Questions specific to the PMI - ACP, click here.

SCRUM ALLIANCE ® & CST PROGRAM

What is the Scrum Alliance and how is it different from SolutionsIQ?
Founded in 2002, the Scrum Alliance has built the case for Scrum, establishing an 80,000+ member certified Scrum training program. The Scrum Alliance is a not-for-profit organization with three (3) major functions:

1. To offer Scrum training & certifications
2. Direct Advocacy of Scrum through thought-leadership and marketing
3. Scrum Alliance Member Services to support knowledge and networking

SolutionsIQ is a privately-owned technology enablement organization, providing specialized Agile training, Talent Acquisition, and both on- and off-site Agile development services. Through the Scrum Alliance certified training program, SolutionsIQ offers Certified ScrumMaster & Scrum Product Owner training.

Is SolutionsIQ authorized by the Scrum Alliance to offer Certified Scrum training? 
Yes – SolutionsIQ ScrumMaster and Scrum Product Owner trainings are hosted by Certified Scrum Trainers (CST’s), who received their Instructor training directly through the Scrum Alliance. It is through the Scrum Alliance that SolutionsIQ and our CST’s offer these trainings.

CERTIFICATIONS

What is a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)?

As defined by the Scrum Alliance, a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) is someone who has been taught (by a Certified Scrum Trainer) the Scrum terminology, practices, and principles that will enable them to fulfill the role of ScrumMaster or Scrum team member. A Certified ScrumMaster course is a first step on the path to growing more agile. Experience and continuing education are necessary for someone to truly master Scrum. To demonstrate deep understanding and experience with Scrum, CSMs are also encouraged to partake in a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) training.

What is a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)?

As defined by the Scrum Alliance, a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) is an individual who has been taught (by a Certified Scrum Trainer) the Scrum terminology, practices, and principles that will enable them to fulfill the role of Product Owner for a Scrum team. A Certified Scrum Product Owner course is a first step on the path to growing more agile. Experience and continuing education are necessary for someone to truly master Scrum. To demonstrate deep understanding and experience with Scrum, CSPOs are encouraged to partake in a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) training.

What is a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST)?

A Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) is a senior individual within the Scrum community who has attained Certified Scrum Trainer status through the Scrum Alliance. Stringent certification requirements are imposed on those earning their CST’s; all must be active contributors in the Scrum community, typically co-train with multiple other CST's for knowledge transfer, and demonstrate a keen understanding of Scrum through multiple years of successful application in professional environments. SolutionsIQ trainers go one step further; all of our CST’s have both technical and business backgrounds, and derive successful training expertise from hundreds of client-site coaching engagements.

What is a Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)?

The Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) certification is a designation for those who have demonstrated a working understanding of Scrum principles in addition to an understanding of Agile engineering practices through formal training and assessment offered by the Scrum Alliance®. For more information, click here.

QUESTIONS

Can I speak to someone by telephone?
Yes, SolutionsIQ offers registrant support via telephone during standard, regional business hours (9am – 5pm):

North America: +01-800-235-4091
India/China: +91 8884404499 (mobile) or +91 080 23449999 (office)

How else can I contact SolutionsIQ?
Inquiries sent through our Contact Us form will be processed within 24 hours, in most cases.

Who will be responding to my inquiries?
SolutionsIQ’s has a dedicated training support team who work directly with our CST Instructors to provide the most complete and updated information on Scrum training, adoption and value.

PAYMENT & FEES

What payment options are available? 
Credit card via (USD or INR) – this is the easiest method, available by default through the training portal
Wire Transfer (USD or INR) – available for students not paying in USD. Contact us to learn more.
Purchase Order (USD or INR) – Invoices are sent the day after training. Submit the following:

• Course Title
• Course Dates
• Total Price for all attendees, including any applicable discount(s)
• Billing Address
• Billing Contact Name
• Billing Contact Phone Number

What payment methods are NOT available?
Payment cannot be collected at the training event itself, nor in the following formats:

• Cash
• IOU’s, Service Exchanges, or any other form of delayed payment

Can I get a receipt for my payment?
Yes.  Whether paying off- or on-line, you will complete an online registration through our training portal.  Afterward, a registration confirmation will be emailed to the primary contact address. A receipt in invoice format is available upon request.

PRICING & DISCOUNTS

What is the price of a given course?
Prices vary by course type and region.  View the specific course page for complete pricing details.

What discount/specials do you offer?

• Early Bird: The first 10 students to register can take advantage of discount pricing. Once the early bird period has ended, the course returns to standard pricing.
• Group Pricing – Groups with more than 4 students can take advantage of our “5th seat free discount”, earning 5 seats for the price of 4. This discount stacks with larger groups, so 10-person groups will earn 2 free seats, etc.

Are prices negotiable?
No. SolutionsIQ strives to offer premium training courses that empower students to excel in Scrum adoption. Lowering the course cost reduces our ability to provide a seamless learning experience, and to retain the services of qualified CST’s.

What's included in the course fee?
Course fees include the cost of all course-related materials, note-taking materials, certifications, certification evaluations, breakfast & lunch on both days, and a 2-year membership in the Scrum Alliance.  Travel, lodging, and related expenses are NOT included.

Does SolutionsIQ offer assistance to dislocated workers?
Yes – SolutionsIQ is listed as an Eligible Training Provider (ETP) on Washington state’s CareerBridge. Although this credential applies most directly to students based in Washington state, being featured on this list indicates that SolutionsIQ is a pre-qualified, officially-recognized provider of adult professional development training. For most out-of-state or abroad unemployment offices, this is an important consideration. Learn more on our Educational Funding page.

CANCELLATIONS & TRANSFERS

Can I cancel my course attendance?
Students may cancel their course attendance at any time. However, students who submit their cancellation notification within 5 business days of a course date will be assessed a change fee.  Refunds are NOT available for students who completely fail to appear for training ("no show"), although course transfer - with the associated change fee - is still an option.

Can I transfer my registration to another course?
Students may transfer their course attendance to any future session. However, students who submit their transfer request within 5 business days of a course date will be assessed a change fee.  Transfers are an option for students who completely fail to appear for training ("no show"), although refunds are NOT.

Are there any fees for with changing / cancelling my course?
If a course change request is submitted within 5 business days of the course date, a change fee will be assessed specific to the course geography ($150 USD for North America, 2000 INR for India). Registration cancellations, transfers and refunds requested more than 5 business days prior to the course date are permitted with no associated fees.

Does SolutionsIQ cancel courses?
SolutionsIQ targets regions with high demand for Agile & Scrum services. In the unlikely event that SolutionsIQ should cancel a course, we will work with registrant(s) to either re-schedule the course itself, or transfer students to an equivalent future course.  Registrants are entitled to a full refund of the course fee, should a cancellation occur.

Where can SolutionsIQ’s official cancellation policies be found?
All of our policies can be found on our Cancellation Policy page.

PREREQUISITES

Are there any pre-requisites for Certified ScrumMaster or Certified Scrum Product Owner training?
No.  There are no pre-requisites for Certified ScrumMaster or Scrum Product Owner training programs. These are both introductory courses, designed for students with little or no practical Scrum experience.  However, we recommend students have some experience working on complex, team-based projects, preferably in a technical capacity.

Are there any recommended books or resources to help students prepare for training?
There are many reference texts available on Scrum & related topics; those that we have recommended in the past are:

• Agile Project Management With Scrum, by Ken Schwaber (Microsoft Press)
• Agile Software Development with Scrum, by Ken Schwaber & Mike Beedle

PMI PDUs

Can I earn PDU's by attending Scrum training?
Yes, students may earn up to 14 PDU’s (Professional Development Units) through Scrum training.  These credits may then be applied toward Project Management Institute (PMI) programs, or other continuing education programs.  In general, 1 hour of Scrum training is equal to 1 PMI PDU. 

To apply your PDUs, login to your PMI profile at www.pmi.org and follow the steps below:

1. Once logged in, click on the "View PDUs" link on the left column of the page
2. Log in again, this time using your PMI ID number, your PMP Certification Number and your password. (NOTE: Your password here is the first four characters of your last name
3. Before hitting “Enter”, make sure you have the radio button "PMI PDU Self Report Form" clicked.
4. Next, on the self-reporting screen, select Category 4, “Other Program Provider” from the drop down
5. Click "Continue", and enter in the specifics of the Scrum training class, including the areas of "Knowledge" and "Process" dropdowns (we recommend selecting "all" to represent the areas covered. For "Application/Specific Interest" areas, we recommend selecting "09: Information Systems."
6. You will also need the specific contact information for the instructor (address, phone, email). This should be provided during the course.

Once you have completed these steps, you're done registering credits with the PMI. However, the credits must be reviewed and approved by the PMI before you’ll be granted the PDU’s. To date, as long as the information was entered correctly, we’ve never seen the PMI turn down PDU’s for our Scrum training courses.

COURSE DETAILS

How do I know where my course will be hosted? And who the Trainer(s) will be?
The course date, venue, geography and Instructors will all be listed on the individual course page, which can be found on our upcoming courses calendar.

Will I need to provide any materials for the training?
No. SolutionsIQ will provide all necessary training materials, including course booklets, notepads, writing utensils and learning realia.

Should I bring anything to the course?
Students are encouraged to bring items along that might make their training experience more comfortable. This would include multiple layers of clothing for those that prefer a specific level of warmth, or snack foods for those with specific dietary needs that may not be covered by a catering service. Instructors discourage usage of electronics such as laptops, iPads, cell phones, etc; at the beginning of each course, the student body typically votes that use of these devices be minimized or eliminated entirely.

Will we receive a version of the course materials to review after the training?
Yes.  Students are encouraged to keep their course booklet, which contains the majority of conceptual information covered in class. An electronic copy of the course material is also available upon request.

Can students request either hard- or soft-copies of the training Posters?
Potentially. This depends on availability and shipping geography – request through our Contact Us page.

Does SolutionsIQ provide an interpreter?
SolutionsIQ does not currently provide translator or interpreter services for course attendees. However, attendees are welcome to provide their own interpreters as needed. 

CERTIFICATION PROCESS

Will I earn a certification after my ScrumMaster or Scrum Product Owner training?
Yes.  Students will be provided instructions at the end of the course for completing their certification and earning their Scrum diploma. Beginning September 1st, 2012 the Scrum Alliance will require a test for completing your ScrumMaster certification. 

What happens after the training session?
Course Instructors will upload student information into the Scrum Alliance. Within 5 business days of the course, students will receive an email with Scrum Alliance login information, and a separate email from the SolutionsIQ Training team outlining the steps to follow.

How do I complete the ScrumMaster (CSM) test and receive my certificate?
Students will receive an email from the Scrum Alliance within 5 business days of the course. Once logged in to the Scrum Alliance site:

ScrumMaster students will need to complete the CSM test within 90 days of the course date. CSM candidates will be given two (2) attempts within 90 days to pass, after which a $25 fee will be required to re-take the test. The additional $25 fee is not included in the course registration free. 

A score of 24 out of 35 is required to pass the test. All of the information required to pass the test will be covered in the two-day CSM course.  

When is the exam conducted?
The evaluation is conducted by the student online once they’ve received their Scrum Alliance login information. Students generally receive this login information within 5 business days of the course. 

Is the certification fee included in my course fee?
Yes.  The certification and evaluation fees are included in the cost of the course, along with the costs of course materials, learning aids and breakfast/lunch. The fee to re-take the CSM test a third time is not included in your course fee. 

ONSITE TRAINING

Does SolutionsIQ offer onsite Scrum training services?
Yes. SolutionsIQ offers Scrum training services to clients either at their own site, or at another location of their preference. Use the Contact Us page to request a quote and speak directly with our Professional Services sales team.

Does SolutionsIQ provide training courses in other regions?
As of this time, public Scrum training sessions are offered only in North America and India. Private, onsite training may be available at multiple international locations – contact us to learn more.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Are new job placements / opportunities available to me after Scrum training?
Yes.  Many careers and specific roles are now requiring some level of Scrum and Agile training. Most major job boards have listings for ScrumMasters or Project Managers with Agile/Scrum experience.

Will SolutionsIQ help me find a ScrumMaster job or other IT-related career?
SolutionsIQ’s Agile Staffing division places hundreds of qualified individuals each year in selected roles around the world. While we are eager to help recently-certified students find employment with one or more our clients, SolutionsIQ does not have a formal "career-services" department for career advising.