In order to become a certified scrummaster, you need to pass the PSM I, PSM II and PSM III exams. The good news is that it’s not as difficult as you might think! In this blog post, we will provide tips, tricks and tactics that will help you pass these exams with ease. Follow these guidelines and you will be on your way to becoming a certified Scrum Master in no time!
Professional Scrum Master- I is the entry level while Professional Scrum Master-II is an advanced exam. Professional Scrum Master-III is the most difficult of the three.
The main difference between PSM-I and PSM-II is that PSM II requires a deeper understanding of the Scrum framework and its applications. PSM-III is even more difficult, and focuses on advanced topics such as Agile scaling and enterprise transformation. You will need to have a solid understanding of the theory in order to pass these exams, but that’s not all. You also need to know how to apply the concepts in a practical way. In other words, you need to be able to solve real-world problems using Scrum.
Here are some tips that will help you prepare for the PSM I, PSM II and PSM III exams:
- Read as much as you can about it and familiarize yourself with the framework. Make sure you understand the concepts behind Scrum. Revise as much as you can before hand, so you know confidently that when you enter the exam you won’t have any issues about not knowing or remembering the content.
- Study and understand the Scrum Guide. This is the most important resource for the exam and will be your main guide during the exam.
- Practice, practice, practice! Take as many mock exams as you can and try to simulate the real exam conditions as much as possible. A simple way to do this, would be to take the open assessments, that scrum.org provides for free.
- Don’t forget that Scrum.org provides nearly all the resources you may need to help you with your scrum journey. So don’t be afraid to use their resource page to help you secure your certifications.
- Try to avoid materials and resources that are too complex and may confuse your understanding. As they could be detrimental and stray you away from learning the actual relevant material you need to revise.
- Relax and don’t get too stressed out. This will only make things worse. Trust in your abilities and have faith that you will pass the exams.
Here are some tips to actually use inside of the PSM I, PSM II and PSM III exams:
- Since the test doesn’t have to be completed in order, it is preferable to skip the difficult questions if you don’t understand them. You can always return later to try to get points on that question. But you can’t gain back the precious time that you have lost on that tricky question.
- If you get stuck on a question, take a deep breath and relax. Don’t let the stress take over and just try your best to think things through calmly. Sometimes the questions aren’t as hard as they seem to be, and with just a bit of thinking you may be able to easily come to the answer. So don’t be hasty to write off a question as too hard, and skip it.
- Take your time, don’t rush yourself in the exam. Due to the nature of the multiple choice questions, it can be very easy to misread the questions and make mistakes while answering so slowing down and reading the question correctly will greatly increase your chances of passing.
- Use the process of elimination, to your advantage. If you can quickly identify which answers are obviously wrong, then you increase your chances of picking the correct answer.
- If you are still struggling, then try to take a guess. Remember that there is no negative marking in these exams, so you won’t be penalized for guessing. At the end of the exam, if you aren’t able to answer many more, at least fill out the questions you haven’t answered. You have nothing to lose in doing so.
- Last but not least, don’t forget that you can always retake the exam if you don’t pass it the first time. So even if you don’t do as well as you had hoped, there is always a second chance. Just remember to use the lessons learned from your first attempt to help you prepare for the next one. So don’t be too harsh on yourself.
I hope these tips help you in your preparations for the PSM I, PSM II and PSM III exams. Just remember to relax and have faith in yourself. You can do it!
