How To Become A Scrum Master (with No Experience Needed)
These days, it seems like just about every respected product management professional has some kind of Scrum master certification on their LinkedIn page. This skill set isn't as sexy as some of the AI product management courses coming out these days, but it is exceptionally useful—which is probably why you’re looking to become a Scrum Master right now. The good news is that it’s perfectly achievable, even while working a busy 9-to-5 (or 9-to-7, as it often is for us PMs).
In this article, I’ll walk you through the basics of what a Scrum Master does, the skills needed to excel in this role, and the steps to becoming a certified Scrum Master (CSM)—with no prior experience needed!
What Is Scrum?
Scrum product management is all about getting teams to work together smoothly and efficiently. It's a team effort that puts communication, flexibility, and iterative development front and center. Scrum works great for complex projects where you need to be quick on your feet and able to adapt.
Scrum 101
The core idea behind Scrum is to take big projects and break them down into smaller, more doable pieces called sprints. These sprints usually last between one to four weeks. During each sprint, the team tackles a specific set of tasks with one goal in mind—to deliver a working product or feature by the end of it.
Benefits of Scrum
It Enables Agility
The beauty of Scrum is that it keeps teams super responsive to changes and feedback. Since sprints are short, the team can quickly adjust to new information and make necessary tweaks. Kind of like tailoring a suit, these incremental adjustments work out to make the product an ideal fit for the product’s intended users.
It Empowers Teamwork
Another reason Scrum is so popular is because it fosters collaboration. The whole framework encourages team members to work closely together, bouncing ideas off each other and keeping everyone on the same page.
All in all, Scrum is a powerful tool for agile project management, no matter the team size. It slices through complex projects into bite-sized chunks, while pushing collaboration and adaptability. The result is better products delivered faster, with each sprint improving the process along the way.
What Is a Scrum Master?
In the Scrum framework, the Scrum Master plays a crucial role when it comes to software development using Agile methodology. Their main role is to make sure the team sticks to the Scrum process and delivers value to the customer.
What Does a Scrum Master Do?
- They facilitate Scrum events, like Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospectives. During these Scrum meetings, they keep the team on track, make sure everyone's on the same page about the sprint's goals, and keep things on schedule.
- They remove obstacles that block the team from completing their work. This can involve anything from helping team members resolve conflicts to making sure that the team has the required resources to complete their tasks.
- They coach the team on Agile principles and practices. They help the team get in the groove of continuous improvement and embrace change as a natural part of the development process.
- They keep communication flowing with the team and stakeholders, ensuring everyone's on the same page and working towards common goals.
Basically, the Scrum Master is like a supportive leader—always working hard to make sure the agile team thrives. With their guidance, they foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and trust, which is crucial for the team to perform to their highest potential.
What Are the Skills A Scrum Master Needs?
Being a Scrum Master is a challenging role that requires a unique set of skills and knowledge. You'll need to be able to balance technical expertise with leadership and soft skills to successfully guide your team through the Scrum process.
Here are some Scrum Master skills that can help you excel as a professional Scrum Master:
Technical Skills
As a Scrum Master, you'll need to have:
- A solid understanding of agile software development processes and methodologies. This includes some knowledge of programming languages, software design patterns, and testing frameworks.
- Familiarity with Agile principles and the Scrum framework.
- Experience working with agile product management tools such as Jira, Trello, or Asana. These tools help you track the progress of your team, identify bottlenecks, and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
Interpersonal Skills
Effective Scrum Masters also need some essential soft skills, such as:
- The ability to communicate effectively with different stakeholders. This includes the development team, product managers or owners, and leadership team.
- Active listening skills like asking questions and providing feedback in a clear and concise manner.
- Empathy. You'll need to be able to put yourself in your team members' shoes and understand their perspectives. This can help you build trust and rapport with your team—and few CSMs can thrive without this.
Leadership Skills
Scrum Masters need to be strong leaders who can inspire and motivate their teams. This means:
- Setting clear goals
- Providing direction
- Holding team members accountable for their work
- Coaching your team members and help them develop their skills. (This can involve providing feedback, offering training opportunities, and encouraging them to take on new challenges.)
Problem-Solving Skills
One of the key responsibilities of a Scrum Master is to identify roadblocks and work with the team to find solutions. This requires strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively.
You'll need to be able to:
- Analyze complex problems
- Break them down into smaller components
- Develop strategies to overcome them
This can involve brainstorming sessions, root cause analysis, or simply working with the team to identify areas for improvement.
Adaptability
Finally, as a Scrum Master, you must be adaptable and flexible. The Scrum process is designed to be iterative and incremental, which means that you'll need to be able to pivot the team's focus when needed.
This can involve:
- Reprioritizing tasks
- Adjusting timelines
- Changing the scope of the project
You'll need to be able to work with the team to identify the best course of action and ensure that everyone is on board with the changes.
Steps to Become a Scrum Master
Becoming a Scrum Master can be a rewarding step in your career path. Even though it’s not a requirement per se, a lot of CSMs have a bachelor’s degree—and if you happen to have one in computer science, even better!
Now that we’ve covered the basics of what a Scrum Master does and the skills needed to excel in the role, let's dig into to the steps you can take to become a certified Scrum Master:
1. Get familiar with Scrum
Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals—like the Scrum principles and practices—by reading books, attending workshops, or taking a Scrum training course. Scrum is an Agile framework that emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. It consists of three roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team. The Scrum Master is the servant-leader of the team and is responsible to make sure that the agile team follows the Scrum process.
2. Take a Scrum Master course
I recommend either the Certified Scrum Master Course (CSM course) from Scrum Alliance or the equivalent Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) course from Scrum.org. The Scrum Alliance course is a two-day beginner’s curriculum that will teach you the principles of Scrum and prepare you to take the Scrum Master certification exam. The course covers topics such as Agile values and principles, Scrum theory, Scrum roles, Scrum events, and Scrum artifacts. The course also includes hands-on activities and simulations to help you understand how to apply Scrum in real-world scenarios.
3. Pass the certification exam
The PSM I exam consists of 80 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 60 minutes. You'll need to score 85% of questions correctly to pass. The exam tests your knowledge of Scrum principles, practices, and roles. It also evaluates your ability to apply Scrum in different situations. The two major certification providers are Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org.
4. Apply for Scrum Master jobs
Once you're certified, you can start applying for Scrum Master positions, even if you don’t have years of experience. Scrum Masters are in high demand in the IT industry, as more and more organizations are adopting Agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban.
Becoming a Scrum Master requires dedication and continuous learning. As you gain more experience, you may consider pursuing advanced certifications such as Certified Scrum Professional, Certified Scrum Trainer or Agile Coach. These certifications can help you deepen your knowledge of Scrum and improve your coaching and facilitation skills.
How often do you need to renew your Scrum Master Certification?
Scrum Master certifications from Scrum.org (The Professional Scrum Master I, II, and III certifications) are lifetime certifications, so no annual renewal is required.
Scrum Master certifications from Scrum Alliance are valid for two years. This means that after two years, your certification will expire, and you'll need to renew it to maintain your status as a certified Scrum Master.
Renewing your Scrum Master certification is a straightforward process that can be done in one of two ways:
Retaking the certification exam
If you choose to retake the certification exam, you'll need to study the Scrum Guide and other relevant materials to ensure that you're up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions and can be taken online.
Earning Scrum Education Units (SEUs)
If you'd prefer not to retake the certification exam, you can earn Scrum Education Units (SEUs) by attending training courses or participating in Scrum-related activities. SEUs are a way of measuring your ongoing professional development and can be earned in a variety of ways.
For example, attending Scrum Alliance events, participating in Scrum-related webinars, and contributing to the Scrum community through blog posts or other forms of content creation are all great ways to earn SEUs.
While renewing your Scrum Master certification involves a time commitment, it’s an essential part of maintaining your status as a certified Scrum Master. Whether you choose to retake the certification exam or earn SEUs, both can keep your Scrum skillset fresh and re-invigorate your approach to leading your scrum team.
Ready to take the leap?
Becoming a Scrum Master may seem like a big time investment, but with the right mix of technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills, anyone with a passion for Agile project management can excel in this role.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can become a certified Scrum Master and start your journey towards becoming an essential member of any Scrum team. To stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the agile space and more in-depth articles, subscribe to our newsletter.
