There are many advantages of becoming a Certified Scrum Product Owner, but before answering such an important question, let us look at what Scrum is, what the role of a Product Owner is and, finally, what the benefits are of becoming Certified in this job title.
If you are a project manager interested in becoming a Certified Scrum Product Owner or wondering if you should get certified in this role, you have come to the right place.
What is Scrum?
Let us start at the beginning. Scrum is a lightweight framework used to address complex adaptive problems. With Scrum, teams can develop and deliver products with an initial emphasis on software development.
It helps organizations generate value with high-quality products that solve complex problems. To put it simply, Scrum helps teams work together to reach a goal while encouraging them to learn from experience and errors, self-organize and reflect on wins and losses.
While it’s commonly used in software development, Scrum has numerous benefits for other areas thanks to its agility and flexibility.
What is a Product Owner?
One of the most important roles in a Scrum team is, without a doubt, the Product Owner.
Not only is it a challenging and vital role, but a Product Owner also needs to take accountability for the key business decisions related to the product. Ultimately, a Product Owner needs to be comfortable with the “business side” of projects, due to the tactical, strategical, and operational aspect of this role.
The Product Owner creates a product vision, orders the product backlog, and makes sure the best possible job is done to delight the customers and other stakeholders.
There is a lot that goes into doing this job. The Product Owner needs to have important skills such as business knowledge, passion for understanding end-users, agile product management, facilitation, conflict management, creative thinking, and the ability to influence the team and other stakeholders.
The typical responsibilities of a Product Owner vary but they often take more than half a workday which is why, sometimes, this vital role is given to team members who normally have other roles. If they have the necessary skills and attitude to become a great Scrum Product Owner, they’re a great fit.
A Product Owner takes on the responsibility of developing and executing the product vision (one of the most vital aspects of this job), as well as developing or participating in the development of product features and requirements.
They also develop and prioritize the list of features called product backlog and make sure that the team is working together towards a common goal. Product Owners also must make sure to review, test and accept the product, request changes if needed, and re-prioritize user stories according to those changes.
If this seems like a role you would be interested in, it’s worth considering becoming a Certified Product Owner.
Why become a Certified Product Owner?
It’s increasingly becoming apparent how crucial the role of a Product Owner is.
A CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner) certification is accreditation and a proof of knowledge that you know Scrum and know how to be a Product Owner. Many companies ask for this certification, so if you want to be a Product Owner or wish to grow your knowledge to advance your career, this Certification can give you the competitive advantage you need.
Certifications for this role are also increasingly more sought-after, not only for those that have no experience in Scrum and wish to start from scratch, but by those that have extensive knowledge and wish to become Certified Product Owners, a step towards later becoming Certified Scrum Professionals.
If you fit any of these categories, here’s how to take that step forward in your career:
If you have no previous knowledge of Scrum, I recommend you start by reading the Agile Manifesto and Scrum Guide.
If you’re already familiar with the principles of Scrum, you should attend a CSPO course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST). Braintrust Consulting Group offers the course through online classes so you can do it safely and at your own pace! The virtual class is an immersion into the world of Agile Product Management- full of practical, real world techniques which can be implemented immediately at your workplace.
The online course through Braintrust Consulting Group lasts for 8 hours for 2 days and it will give you all the knowledge you need to become certified by the end of the course. If you really want to learn everything about this role to be able to be a great Product Owner, you should become Certified.
You will learn techniques for developing a Product Vision, as well as create, maintain, and order a Product Backlog, identify user needs, manage stakeholders, and get an overview of scope in Scrum.
Once you have successfully completed the course, you are eligible to be a CSPO.
The course will offer you a unique way of becoming an agile expert and growing an agile mindset. If your goal is to become a great Product Owner, with this course you’ll get a deep understanding of all aspects of this role. You will improve your knowledge of agile planning, estimation, leadership, and product ownership.
Adding the CSPO course by Braintrust Group to your resume will catch the eye of recruiters. If you want to grow within your current role, this CSPO course will make sure you improve your skills and get recognized.
Your organization will thank you, and so will the end users.
