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Which Agile Certification is best for you?
NK Shrivastava and Phillip George, RefineM Project Management Consulting
There are a lot of different agile organizations that offer agile practitioners certifications for
varying methodologies and purposes. Some are methodology-specificparticularly for Scrumwhile
others can be applied to any agile methodology. The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers the
Agile-Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification, the Scrum Alliance offers Certified Scrum
credentials, and other certifications include Scaled Agile, PSC, Scrum.org, and DSDM.
A newcomer to agile, or even a veteran of agile, may quickly become overwhelmed while trying
to figure out what is the best certification for them. The certifications vary in terms of experience
required, the format and difficulty of the exam (or whether there is one at all) and the specific roles that
benefit. In this article, we aim to clear this confusion by listing the different types of agile certifications,
the organizations sponsoring them, the qualifications for each, and which types of agile practitioners
might be the best fit.
The certifications we describe are the PMI Agile-Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Scrum
Alliances Certified Scrum offerings, Scaled Agiles SAFe certifications, DSDMs offerings, Scrum.org, and
ICAgile. We do not explicitly endorse any of these certifications; our goal is primarily to help agile
practitioners navigate the different certifications and determine for themselves what their best fit is. If
you know where you are on your agile journey, and what role you want to have moving forward, that is
an important first step in determining the right certification for you.


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PMI Agile-Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
The PMI-ACP first began in 2012 after a 2010 survey of PMI members indicated that many of
them were using agile methodologies on their projects, according to Joseph Flahiff.
1
The goal of the PMI-
ACP is to cut across different methodologies and show that the recipients have experience in agile that
can apply in many different methodologies, industries, and situations. Holding the ACP also shows
experience in agile as well as project management. Table 1 below shows the qualifications for testing for
the PMI-ACP, which include both general project management experience and agile project experience
2
.
Flahiff writes that within a short time after PMI began offering the ACP certification, many employers
were already seeking people with the certification on their job postings
3
. Scrum, XP, and Kanban are all
covered on the exam, and the study list includes many influential books from agile thought leaders
4
.
PMI states that the advantages of obtaining the PMI-ACP include demonstrating knowledge in
agile methodologies, as well as learning a versatile range of tools with which to manage projects
5
.
Because the PMI-ACP requires both general project management experience and experience in agile
projects, newcomers may not be able to obtain it right away. There are many other certifications that
require no project experience, which make them accessible to newcomers, but they may be less
valuable to employers who are looking for proven experience.
Education Experience Contact Hours
1. Secondary degree (high school
diploma or global equivalent)
1. 2,000 hours of general project
management experience within the
last five years OR the Project
Management Professional (PMP)
certification
2. 1,500 hours of experience with
agile teams or methodologies
within the last three years

1. 21 contact hours of training
related to agile

Table 1. Qualifications for the PMI-ACP.

1 Flahiff, Joseph (2012, April 30). PMIs agile certified practitioner: A cert is born. TechRepublic. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tech-
decision-maker/pmis-agile-certified-practitioner-a-cert-is-born/
2 Project Management Institute (2014). PMI agile certified practitioner (PMI-ACP) handbook. Project Management Institute, Newtown Square,
Pa.
3 Flahiff, Joseph (2012, April 30). PMIs agile certified practitioner: A cert is born. TechRepublic. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tech-
decisitionon-maker/pmis-agile-certified-practitioner-a-cert-is-born/
4 Project Management Institute (2014). PMI agile certified practitioner (PMI-ACP) handbook. Project Management Institute, Newtown Square,
Pa.
5 Project Management Institute (2014). PMI agile certified practitioner (PMI-ACP) handbook. Project Management Institute, Newtown Square,
Pa.

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ICAgile
ICAgile, created by the International Consortium for Agile, is another certifying body that covers more
general agile topics than any specific methodology. The consortium describes its certifications as
methodology-agnostic, meaning that they are not just for one methodology such as Scrum
6
. The
consortium offers three levels: Professional, Expert, and Master. Professional level is knowledge-based,
so candidates only need to take a course to obtain the certification; no exam is required. Expert and
Master levels are competency-based, so candidates also need to pass an exam
7
. There are also ten
Continued Learning Certifications, or CLCs, with two more in development. Table 2 summarizes the
available certifications from ICAgile and lists the CLCs.
ICAgile Levels ICAgile Disciplines
1. Professional (knowledge-based) + 12 CLC
2. Expert (competency) + 8 CLC
3. Master (competency) + 1 CLC
1. Agile fundamentals
2. Agile development
3. Agile management
4. Agile coaching
5. Agile testing
6. Value management
7. Enterprise Agile Coaching
8. Agile leadership
ICAgile Continued Learning Certifications (CLCs)
ICAgile Certified Professional In . . .
1. Business Value Analysis (ICP-BVA)
2. Agile Portfolio Management (ICP-PFM)
3. Agile Project Management (ICP-APM)
4. Adaptive Management (ICP-ADM)
5. Agile Team Facilitation (ICP-ATF)
6. Agile Coaching (ICP-ACC)
7. Agile Programming (ICP-PRG)
8. Agile Software Design (ICP-ASD)
9. Agile Testing (ICP-TST)
10. Agile Test Automation (ICP-ATA)
11. Enterprise Agile Coaching (In Progress) and Agile Leadership (In Progress)

Table 2. Summary of ICAgile certifications and Continued Learning Certifications (CLCs).

6 International Consortium for Agile (2014). ICAgile Roadmap. https://www.icagile.com/icagile-learning-roadmap
7 International Consortium of Agile (2014). Professional-level certifications. https://www.icagile.com/professional-certifications

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Is an ICAgile certification for you? Some of the advantages of ICAgile include that it can be used with
many different methodologies. Graham Dick of CMMI.net also argues that ICAgile can increase the value
of other certifications because it focuses on the learning as the product and developing the agile
mindset
8
. Anyone can undertake the learning without obtaining the certification, and it focuses on
discipline rather than role. For example, as Dick argues, the ICAgile learning roadmap would certify that
individuals understand and can apply the concepts of value judgment and business analysis rather than
saying that they are a certified Business Analyst or Product Owner. This means that the ICAgile-certified
individual could more easily apply his or her learning to the organization rather than the organization
needing to conform to the learning. One disadvantage is that ICAgile is not as widespread, but that may
change in the future.
DSDM
DSDM, or dynamic systems development method, is an agile framework, and DSDMs Atern
methodology closely follows basics of agile. According to the DSDM Atern Handbook, Aterns key
argument is that more projects fail due to people issues than technology
9
. While DSDM was typically
confined to software development, Atern is designed to be used in different industries and project
types. It is vendor-independent and consists of five core practices: facilitated workshops, MoSCoW
prioritization (Must, should, could, wont have), iterative development, modelling, and timeboxing.
DSDM offers several levels of certification based on role: foundation, advanced practitioner, trainer,
coach, and consultant
10
. They also offer the AgilePM certification and the Generic Agile certification at
both Foundation and Practitioner level. Foundation levels do not require experience, but Practitioner
levels do. This certification may be especially good for you if you are a practitioner living in the United
Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe. DSDM is more prominent in Europe, and DSDM is designed to be
compatible with other certifications, such as the PMP and PRINCE2
11
.
Scrum Alliance
The Scrum Alliance offers several certifications for agile practitioners in specific areas. The Certified
Scrum Master (CSM) is for practitioners who want to learn the fundamentals and become more
effective scrum masters. The process starts with learning the team roles, activities, artifacts, and other
details of Scrum. and the Certified Scrum Developer (CSD). The Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
certification reinforces knowledge of backlog grooming, ROI, the ability to create and evaluate user
stories, and other topics to prepare certification holders to execute the role of product owner
12
.

8 Dick, Graham (2014, July 3) ICAgile so what? CMMI.net. http://cmmi.net/2014/07/03/icagile-so-what/
9 DSDM Consortium (2014). Introduction to the handbook. DSDM Consortium. http://www.dsdm.org/content/1-introduction-handbook
10 DSDM Consortium (2014). Get Educated. DSDM Consortium. http://www.dsdm.org/get-educated
11 DSDM Consortium (2014). Get Educated. DSDM Consortium. http://www.dsdm.org/get-educated
12 Scrum Alliance (2014). Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). http://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/practitioners/cspo-certification

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Both certifications require training from a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST), which is also awarded through
the Scrum Alliance. Certified Scrum Developers (CSDs) must complete five days worth of training and
then pass an exam from their trainer to receive their certification, which helps them work as a developer
in a Scrum environment
13
. To gain a CSPO, participants have to take a two-day course from a CST.
The highest level of practitioner certification offered by the Scrum Alliance is the Certified Scrum
Professional (CSP) which requires having agile project experience and one of the previous
certifications. Obtaining the CSP yields many benefits to Scrum practitioners, including increased
validation of their knowledge and experience in Scrum
14
. Figure 1 summarizes the different Scrum
Alliance certifications and their requirements.
For Scrum professionals interested in passing on their knowledge, the Scrum Alliance offers several ways
to do so. The Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) credential is available to any CSP who has taught classes with
a current CST or in a non-certified context, meaning that the students did not qualify to earn a
certification through the course
15
. Prospective CSTs need to fulfill several stringent requirements,
including documented experience teaching Scrum concepts, the CSP certification, and the CSPO
certification for CSTs who want to train CSPOs. They also need to show involvement in the Scrum
community and obtain a recommendation from one or more existing CSTs. For organizations that want
to teach certification and non-certification courses, the Scrum Alliance offers a Registered Education
Provider (REP) designation similar to PMIs R.E.P. program
16
.
For CSPs who want to be able to prove their skills and experience in coaching Scrum project teams, the
Certified Scrum Coach (CSC) credential is also available. Prospective CSCs are required to have a CSP,
demonstrate experience in coaching clients on Scrum methodology, and obtain at least two client
references
17
. This certification helps show the ability to lead Scrum project teams to success.
Of the Scrum Alliance certification, the CSP is the only one that requires previous agile project
experience
18
. The entry-level certifications are a good way for specific role players in agile to
demonstrate their knowledge and build experience toward the CSP or the PMI-ACP. Certified Scrum
Masters or other certification holders will need additional education and experience to seek the PMI-
ACP, though. If you are a team member, in or out of any specific role, who will be working mostly on
projects using Scrum, then the Scrum Alliance certifications are justifiable.

13 Scrum Alliance (2014). Certified Scrum Developer (CSD). http://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/practitioners/csd-certification
14 Scrum Alliance (2014). Certified Scrum Professional (CSP). http://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/practitioners/csp-certification
15 Scrum Alliance (2014). Certified Scrum Trainers (CST). https://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/trainers/cst-certification
16 Scrum Alliance (2014). Registered Education Provider (REP). https://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/trainers/become-a-rep
17 Scrum Alliance (2014). Certified Scrum Coach (CSC). https://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/csc-certification
18 Scrum Alliance (2014). Certified Scrum Professional (CSP). http://www.scrumalliance.org/certifications/practitioners/csp-certification

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Figure 1. Requirements and Pathways to Scrum Alliance Certifications.
Scrum.org
Scrum.org also offers several certifications, including Professional Scrum Master (PSM) I and II,
Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) I and II, and Professional Scrum Developer (PSD) I. These
certifications do not require a course, but Scrum.org states that the passing requirements are
stringent meaning that candidates need to have a solid backing in Scrum to be able to obtain them
19
.
Like the certifications offered through Scrum Alliance, Scrum.orgs certifications are geared toward
particular roles, like the Scrum master, product owner, and developer. If you are in one of these roles on
a Scrum project, and have time to prepare for the certification exam, then you should consider one of
these certifications. The disadvantage is that Scrum.orgs certifications are not as widely known,
whereas the Certified Scrum Master has high visibility.


19 Scrum.org (2014). Scrum.org certifications. https://www.scrum.org/Assessments/Scrumorg-Certifications

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Scaled Agile Certification
Many of the above certifications focus on agile practitioners or team members who will be using agile
methodologies on projects. The final group we will examine, the Scaled Agile certifications, has a
broader, more organization-level, focus. The Scaled Agile Framework or SAFe, is a methodology
geared toward scaling agile at the enterprise level
20
. Rather than promoting the tools and techniques of
agile, Scaled Agile is more about how to grow agile in your organization.
There are three certifications associated with it. The SAFe Agilist (SA) is for executives, managers, and
agile change agents who want to lead adoption efforts. The SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) is for
internal agile change agents and consultants who want to train leaders and teams. Finally, the SAFe
Practitioner (SP) is for developers, testers, project managers, and other team members who are likely to
participate in agile and need help scaling it at the enterprise level. Many companies have implemented
Scaled Agile approaches successfully, including John Deere and Spotify.
21

For many agile newcomers and practitioners wondering whether they should get the Scaled Agile
certifications, the answer may very likely be no. Scaled Agile certifications are geared heavily toward the
niche of organizations who want to become more consistent with their agile approach. They may be
organizations where a few teams have tried agile with success and they want to expand their approach,
or ones where there are inconsistent approaches across teams and the organization needs to unify their
processes. Either way, the Scaled Agile framework certifications have a very defined niche and many
agile practitioners will not fall under it.
For those who do fall into this niche and want to obtain a certification geared toward scaling agile, be
aware that the requirements for these certifications include both project experience and agile
experience, as well as coursework and a certification test. The SP requires one or more years in software
development, business analysis, testing, product management, or project management. The SA requires
five or more years in these areas as well as agile experience. The SPC, which is the most stringent of the
three, requires five or more years in these areas, at least three years of agile experience, and one or
more relevant agile certifications including PMI-ACP, Scrum Alliance, DSDM, Scrum.org, and ICAgile. All
of the Scaled Agile certifications require at least a two-day course and passing a certification exam.
22

Those who obtain one of these certifications should be prepared to take agile to the next level in their
organization.


20 Leffingwell, Dean (2014). Scaled Agile Framework. Leffingwell, LLC. http://scaledagileframework.com/
21 Leffingwell, Dean (2014). Scaled Agile Framework. Leffingwell, LLC. http://scaledagileframework.com/
22 Leffingwell, Dean (2014). Scaled Agile Framework. Leffingwell, LLC. http://scaledagileframework.com/


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Conclusion
This article was a brief overview of what agile certifications are out there and what someone has to have
in terms of education or experience to obtain each one. If you are still wondering what certification is
best for you, remember that one of the most important steps is to figure out where you are on your
agile journey. From there, figure out where you want to go. Are you a tester on Scrum projects who
wants to transition to Scrum Master? If so, Certified Scrum Master may be best. Have you spent several
years on agile projects and want a certification to take your career to the next level? If so, then PMI-
ACP or ICAgile certification might be best. If you are looking to grow agile in your organization, Scaled
Agile will probably be ideal.
Another important question to ask is whether you need a certification at all. The Agile Alliances
position, from a statement released in 2010, contains two points. First, employers should have
confidence only in certifications that are skill-based and difficult to achieve. Second, employers should
not require certification of employees.
23
With this position, the Agile Alliance has distanced itself from
endorsing any particular certification, and also reinforced the position that certification might not be for
everyone. If you are looking to advance in your career, or stay competitive, certification is probably a
good idea. However, if your company is mature already in its agile practices, and you are in a role that is
already established, you may be okay without certification.
Finally, look at career postings for the position you want and see what employers in your area are
looking for. If you live outside of the United States, DSDM might be better than PMI-ACP. If you live in
an area where a lot of organizations use Scrum, then you might want to obtain a Scrum Alliance
certification. Develop your agile roadmap and determine where you need to be, then use this article as a
guide to find the best combination of learning and certification to boost your agile career.
We hope you enjoyed this article. To learn more about agile from RefineM, check out our Knowledge
Base, where we have assembled templates, articles, and presentations about agile and project
management topics. You can also sign up for future agile trainings, including workshops and PMI-ACP
exam preparation courses.

23 Larsen, Diana (2010, April 6). Agile certification: a position statement. Agile Alliance. http://www.agilealliance.org/news/agile-certification-
a-position-statement/