Overview
Last month, I wrote a blogpost about me went to PSPO 1 training.
In linkedIn, I promised that I want to write a post about how I passed the certification test. So here it is… as promised 🙂
For those of you want to know how I prepared for Professional Scrum Master 1 (PSM 1) Certification, you can visit this link.
Considering my background as a Scrum Master and my intention when I attended the PSPO 1 training, please note that I will mostly write this preparation from a Scrum Master point of view
The Challenges
As a Scrum Master, my biggest challenge was to change my Scrum Master hat and use the Product Owner hat. When I did the test, there were many times that I still think as a Scrum Master rather than as a Product Owner.
Luckily, there were some questions which use the Scrum Master point of view too. There were also some questions that were in the PSM 1 preparation material.
Another challenge was actually conquering my own mind.
This will be a little bit personal, but I will share anyway.
I hope you take this as an act of Courage and Openness from me 😀
So, in the organization I currently work in, I take the role as Scrum Master for my 2 teams, an Agile Coach for a Group that consists of 4 Teams and also a Change Agent for Agile Transformation.
In the training, I brought 11 Product Owners all together to join the training with me.
Being in that condition put so much pressure on me. Like “I cannot fail“, “I must get good score“, “If I fail, no one will listen to anything I say“.
Well…stuff like that.
Overthink thoughts.
Those pressure distracted me when I took the test.
The Preparation
Referring to the experience from PSM 1 certification test, I mostly did similar.
Apart from those two, I also did these:
- Reading The Professional Product Owner: Leveraging Scrum as a Competitive Advantage by Ralph Jocham and Don McGreal
- Reviewing all my notes from the PSPO 1 training
- Learn more about Evidence Based Management
- Last but not least … Mental Preparation 😀
If I have to repeat the process again, I would add more things to the preparation. I would re-learn the PSM 1 learning preparation as I mentioned in this link. There were some questions that I remembered that I learnt that during the PSM 1 preparation.
The Day!
So finally the day came!
“Ready or not…here we go” this was what I said to myself on that morning.
I arrived early in the morning when less people were in the office that day.
Reason? For less distraction and better internet speed.
If you’re a Scrum Master taking the PSPO 1 certification, make sure you take off your SM hat and wear your PM hat while you are working on the test
For you who doesn’t know where to take the test, refer to this link:
https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-product-owner-certifications
Yes of course you need to buy the token first 😀
Last but not least… Pray! #fingercrossed
What’s Next?
The most “adrenaline rush” part of taking a test was the moment you hit the “SUBMIT” button, close your eyes and peek to see the result 😀
The “exciting” part was seeing that you passed.
The most “important” part is what you’re going to do after that.
See, certification is just a piece of paper. Getting a PSPO 1 certification doesn’t make you a good PO.
Doing what you learnt is the one that brings the impact.
So, you can post your certificate in Social Media, LinkedIn, etc. But be sure that you implement what you learnt in your workplace.
If you’re a Scrum Master like I am, try to start helping your Product Owner to be a better Product Owner. Help him to go through the hump. Help him to fill his gaps.
If you’re a Product Owner, it’s the time to go to the battle, fight and be an awesome PO!
#annalogy 